MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION SUGGESTIONS

The conservation of bats in agroforestry systems is mainly associated with the conservation of agroforestry systems’ diversity and aims at the preservation of space mosaic and habitat connectivity. In that sense, linear elements of natural vegetation, such as tree lines and hedgerows, should be installed in cultivated lands and old and dead trees with many hollows should be preserved, along with the adoption of environmentally friendly cultivation practices.

It is also recommended to avoid monocultures that lead to the creation of large open areas (Kyheröinen et al. 2019). Water bodies and riparian vegetation should also be preserved as they are habitats of high significance for numerous bat species. It is also advisable, to create small ponds within agroforestry landscapes, especially in dry regions. The use of light should be used with caution and with suitable specifications so that it disturbs wildlife as less as possible. Concerning the installation of wind farms and solar parks, as well as any other large infrastructure, the degradation of suitable habitats for bats and their possible fatalities should be considered. Such constructions should be avoided in important areas for bat roosting, commuting, feeding or migration and if this cannot be avoided, then the necessary measures for the mitigation of impacts should be applied according to EUROBATS guidelines (Rodrigues 2017). The evaluation of the impacts of such large-scale projects on bats requires specialized knowledge and equipment and should be carried out by trained professionals. The conservation of roosting sites of bats (e.g. trees, caves, bridges, mines, buildings, bunkers) is also necessary for the preservation of their populations.

As bats are relatively misunderstood and unknown animals, actions to increase public awareness- in this case including farmers, stock breeders and loggers- will contribute to the success of any conservation measure.