Here come the dark nights... so let’s celebrate Bats! We have exciting news for bat lovers! International Bat Night takes place this Saturday. The aim is to encourage more of us to see and hear these wonderful creatures in their natural environment through a range of local events around the UK. Dedicated bat groups, community organisations and park rangers have organised informative and fun get-togethers, including exhibitions, virtual shows and bat ‘walks andtalks’ at dusk. All of this nicely coincides with the annual BatFest: the Bat Conservation Trust’s month-long celebration of all things batty, with a host of events arranged for all ages. These begin with a Virtual Bat Walk on Saturday, when the Trust joins International Bat Night to host a virtual live bat walk to see bats all over the country. The educational element of the events is hugely important – bat populations have declined sharply over the past 50 years, making it more important than ever that we understand their needs and help them survive and thrive wherever we can. At Greenbelt we love to do our bit to help protect and nurture bats in their natural habitats. This includes building much-needed bat boxes as part of our green infrastructure and biodiversity mission on new developments. Our other proactive initiatives with habitats and species include working with local communities to build wildlife refuges and hibernacula, as well as managing designated habitats such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), ancient woodlands and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).Did you know there are 18 resident species of bat in the UK? These are the Alcathoe; Barbastelle; Bechstein's; Brandt's; Brown long-eared; Common pipistrelle; Daubenton's; Greater horseshoe; Grey long-eared; Leisler's; Lesser horseshoe; Nathusius'; pipistrelle; Natterer's; Noctule; Serotine; Soprano pipistrelle and Whiskered bat.You can find out much more about bats, International Bat Night and BatFest from the experts at the Bat Conservation Trust. Previous article: Northstowe in the Running Prev Next article: Greenbelt SuDS Provide Protection Next