By Cathryn Baillie, Species on the Edge Project Officer, Bat Conservation Trust
‘Many hands make light work’ or ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’? In the case of Species on the Edge work to help Scotland’s bats, we definitely say the former!
Here at Species on the Edge, we absolutely could not have achieved a fraction of what we have without the input and support of the many people and organisations who have collaborated with us along the way. Bat Conservation Trust has just the one Project Officer in the Species on the Edge team, Cathryn, who is based on the Isle of Skye. While she is officially part of the Argyll and Inner Hebrides team, her work covers three other project areas too – the Outer Hebrides, the Solway Coast and the Orkney Islands. Getting around Scotland has its challenges, and it can be expensive too, so working closely with our colleagues from the various Species on the Edge partners has been key to our success so far. In this blog post we take a look at our work for bats so far and the relationships and collaborations that have made it all possible.
Scotland mucks in for bats
Over the last two and a half years, around 130 bat surveys have been carried out through Species on the Edge, providing valuable insights into bat populations in our coastal and island regions of Scotland. We’ve trained around 150 people in how to identify bats and help monitor their populations, and we’ve talked to more than 1500 people, either to raise awareness about bats and how to support them, or to offer advice to homeowners and landowners living alongside bats.
With only one bat expert employed by Species on the Edge, how are we achieving this?? The Species on the Edge partnership is made up of eight conservation organisations who are all sharing training and learning as well as field equipment and resources to allow us all to support each other’s work. The results for our bat work have been fantastic, and we now have RSPB, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Butterfly Conservation and Bumblebee Conservation Trust staff delivering bat walks and training around the country, as well as hosting various public events to raise awareness about bats in Scotland.
We’ve also worked with local bat groups, wildlife recorders, community groups and individuals who have helped to deliver training, sharer local knowledge, and support our work through volunteering or hosting local events. We’ve been able to offer them bespoke training opportunities and access to funding, helping achieve their goals for nature and their communities. We have also been very happy to support the formation of two new Scottish bat groups!
Working with local delivery partners and collaborating on events has allowed us to connect with a wide range of people and help us understand what really matters to them. This cross-sector working has been particularly helpful for engaging the crofting community in Skye and beyond. Through SAC Consulting and the Farm Advisory Service, Cathryn has been able to connect with local crofters, support them with matters that are important to them and in return gather some important data on our local bat populations and raise awareness of the importance of these incredible mammals.
Working together for…
… bats in Orkney
Since returning from a recent trip to Orkney, Cathryn is more convinced than ever of the power of partnership working.
RSPB staff in Orkney have been working closely with local bat worker, Tim, to achieve Species on the Edge targets for bats in the area. Together they have arranged permission from landowners to carry out bat monitoring at 10 sites, from Evie to South Ronaldsay. Tim’s local knowledge and connections mean that we have been able to hit the ground running and get fantastic coverage of the area for our monitoring. So far, the results look very promising, and our efforts should add lots of new records and valuable insights into Orkney’s bat populations.
Tim Dean, Orkney Bat Recorder, said: “Working with the Species on the Edge Team has provided me with increased opportunities relating to my work with Orkney’s bats. The team has provided support, advice, expertise, knowledge, travel expenses and, arguably most importantly, the opportunity to share these qualities with the wider Orkney public.”
Various training opportunities and events were organised by Helen, the Orkney Species on the Edge Project Officer, for during Cathryn’s visit. All were very well attended by local land managers and volunteers, highlighting what a great job Helen has done identifying the needs of the community and creating the right bat events for them. Cathryn also spent a day with Orkney Species on the Edge People Engagement Officer, Sam, visiting local primary schools and speaking to over 170 kids in total. It was an amazing day, and the children really seemed to enjoy learning about bats and how they can help to look after them. Sam plans to keep in touch with the schools and do some follow up visits later in the year. We got some fantastic feedback from parents of the pupils too:
“My son came home and told me all about bats, he loved learning about them and really wants to join a bat walk now!” – parent of child at Dounby Primary Shool
“It’s so great to have something like this at the school, my son loves all things nature and was fascinated to learn about bats!” – parent of child at Dounby Primary Shool
Reflecting on her trip to Orkney, Cathryn said: “We achieved an incredible amount of work, and I feel like all of us got a huge amount out of my visit. I’m very grateful for the efforts that the Orkney team put in prior to, and during, my visit; everything went so smoothly, and I feel like I was really able to add value to the already impressive amount of work that has been happening in the area. There is no way I could have had such a successful trip if I had been working alone!”.
… bats in the Outer Hebrides
We’ve had similar collaborative successes for bats in the Outer Hebrides. Last June, Cathryn and the Outer Hebrides Species on the Edge team worked together to shine a light on bats at the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival, collaborating with An Lanntair and the Stornoway Trust to delivery a series of fantastic events that really captured the imagination of people. An Lanntair picked up the baton and ran with it, delivering a host of bat themed workshops and activities for children throughout the remainder of the summer.
Angus, Species on the Edge youth panellist in the Outer Hebrides, has also founded a new bat group for the region, and we have been delighted to support his work. Angus said: “A lot of people are under the impression that we don’t have bats up here, but I’m hoping to help put bats on the map. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence of bats seen foraging or roosting in quite remote parts of the islands, so I’m hoping to gather the data to verify bat presence in these areas”.
The Outer Hebrides team, all Bumblebee Conservation Trust employees and volunteers, has also made great efforts to achieve our monitoring targets in the area. We’ve had some very intriguing results so far, including an unexpected and unidentified record in Barra… Cathryn is planning another visit to deliver some more advanced survey methods to try and get to the bottom of case of the mystery bat! We’ve also teamed up with the Woodland Trust who will be hosting a ‘Bats and Woodlands’ event in June 2025, highlighting the value of woodlands for wildlife and bats in particular.
… bats on the Solway Coast
On the Solway Coast, local bat groups have been a huge help, supporting events and helping train the local Species on the Edge team. Now project officers Jack (RSPB) and Liam (ARC) are confidently undertaking lots of different types of bat surveys as well as hosting bat walks and training events with a variety of local groups and organisations including the local men’s shed and Police Scotland.
Cathryn visited the Solway team in 2023 to lead some in-person training and take part in the planned Species on the Edge Solway launch event: a multi taxa night-time safari, bringing together various organisations to showcase some of the incredible species that we are supporting through Species on the Edge. The Scottish summer had other ideas though and whilst we did get out for some training, our big event sadly had to be cancelled due to the biblical weather we experienced that weekend! Maybe one for the future…
… the future of Scotland’s ‘species on the edge’
Species on the Edge is full of examples of great collaborations, some small and some much grander, but all absolutely central to what it is we are trying to achieve. The ability of our local teams to respond to the different wants and needs of each community, along with the vast array of knowledge and resources within the partnership, have made it a real joy to deliver Species on the Edge activity on the ground, and a joy to observe and experience its impacts. Now we are over the halfway point, our teams are really starting to focus on the legacy we will leave behind, so it is more important than ever for us to be listening to our local communities and involving them in what happens over the next 18 months – and beyond!
