Underground Wonders: The Importance of Caves and Karst in Bat Conservation

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The year 2021 has been declared the International Year of Caves and Karst, designed to promote and celebrate the importance of caves and the karst topography that creates so many of the world’s fascinating cave systems. Although often located within the earth, hidden from sight, these distinctive land features benefit not only the world’s bat population, but also other wildlife and humans.  

In this webinar, bat experts and advocates will take the audience deep into some of these other-worldly landscapes and discuss why caves and karst formations must be protected. The panel will highlight the most pressing threats that bats face and explain how anyone can help make a bat-friendly community, above and below the ground, during this year’s Bat Week (October 24-31) and beyond.  

What you’ll learn:  

  • Why wildlife, including bats, depend on subterranean habitats for survival, and how cave ecosystems benefit humans (such as providing water) 
  • How to protect bat caves and how to enhance bat habitat above the ground, whether in a backyard, corporate landscape or community park 

Who should take this webinar:  

  • Corporate teams who wish to protect on-site cave or karst features, or other forms of bat habitat 
  • Anyone interested in learning about bats or planning a Bat Week event 
  • Agencies, NGOs and other partners interested in managing lands for bats or implementing bat education 

Presenters:  

  • Limaris (Lima) Soto, Caves and Karst Program Lead/USFS GeoCorps America Program Coordinator, US Forest Service, Minerals and Geology Management, Washington Office  
  • Mylea Bayless, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, Bat Conservation International; member of Bat Week committee 
  • Bat Week panel — representatives will be available to answer questions on bat biology, certification of bat projects, bat-related resources and education opportunities for Bat Week 

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Saving Bats From Decline

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The Corporate Role in Preserving the Ecological and Economic Benefits of Bats
Sponsored by Ontario Power Generation

Bats are a unique group of animals with ecological, economical and cultural significance around the world. They are ubiquitous, with 1,300 species living on every continent but Antarctica. Insectivorous bats save agriculture billions of dollars through predation of a multitude of agricultural pests. Other bats eat fruit and nectar, acting as pollinators and spreading seeds of the fruit they eat, proving essential to the success of many food products like tequila and chocolate, consequently contributing to the global economy. With increased need, heightened interest and accessible technology, now is an opportune time for corporate landowners to engage in bat conservation projects.

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Enhancing Habitat Connectivity Through Corporate Conservation

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The Private Sector Role in Reconnecting Habitat for Ecosystem Health and Resiliency
Sponsored by Bruce Power

Healthy habitats are necessary for plants and animals to survive and thrive. One measure of the health of a habitat is the degree to which it is isolated from other habitats by land management practices or development, commonly referred to as fragmentation. Fragmentation is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity across the planet, as it can prevent species from moving to hunt, mate, disperse to new areas or escape predators. When corporate landowners engage in ecological connectivity initiatives to reduce fragmentation, they are contributing to landscape-scale efforts that have benefits beyond the corporate footprint and across the entire ecoregion.

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Caves and Subterranean Habitats Project Guidance

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Introduction

Natural caves are underground spaces formed by the weathering of rock. They are unique systems that have immense scientific, recreational and wildlife value. Natural caves can include karst systems, which are subterranean landscapes formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite and gypsum.

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Grasslands Project Guidance

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Introduction

Broadly defined, grasslands are an ecosystem dominated by herbaceous vegetation – typically grasses and wildflowers – with woody species covering no more than 10-20% of the ground area. Grasslands include both communities that require maintenance to retain their open nature, such as meadows, old fields and shrublands, and communities in which climate and other conditions prevent tree establishment, such as short-grass prairie.

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