Author Interview with Andrea Hart and Ann Datta: Birds of the World, The Art of Elizabeth Gould

 

Elizabeth Gould's toucan illustration of 2 toucans perched on a forking branch with leaves, both black with a yellow throat and orange and yellow bill, one facing right and one facing left.

Throughout her life, Elizabeth Gould’s work was appreciated mostly through her husbands projects documenting the birds of the world, including John Gould’s Exotic Birds, and she was therefore often not recognised under her own name. Following her tragic death at the age of 37, her artistic talents were nearly forgotten, and her name was completely unfamiliar in the art world.

Ann Detta (right) and Andrea Hart (left) sat in the National History Museum library and archives holding a copy of Birds of the World: The Art of Elizabeth Gould.Birds of the World: The Art of Elizabeth Gould is an incredible, one of a kind volume brought to you by Andrea Hart and Ann Datta, offering a remarkable tribute to Elizabeth’s artwork, reputation and skill. Containing over 200 beautifully detailed and scientifically precise illustrations depicting birds from 19th-century Europe, South America, Central America, Africa, Asia, and Australia, as well as previously unpublished artworks and an introduction to Gould’s life and achievements, this book is a lasting legacy for one of the greatest bird painters in history.

The authors kindly took the time to answer our questions about the inspiration and research behind the book – read our Q&A below. 


Could you tell us a little about how you first began studying Elizabeth Gould’s work and the drivers behind embarking on this book project? 

The Natural History Museum was initially approached by the publisher, Prestel, early last year asking if we might consider working with them on a book on Elizabeth Gould. As Andrea had already published a book on the women artists represented in the Museum’s collections and Ann has published a significant work on the correspondence of John Gould, this felt like a wonderful opportunity to bring the spotlight to Elizabeth and highlight her story and the incredible artist she was.

How did you gather the work for this collection? Did you have access to some of Elizabeth’s original plates?

Andrea Hart and Ann Datta looking at an A1 sized bound book of Elizabeth Gould's original drawings in a library.The Museum’s Library and Archives has an incredible collection of books, manuscripts and artworks and is particularly strong and comprehensive in taxonomic works on natural history. Our rare books collection therefore has sets of all the Gould’s published works, including those published following Elizabeth’s untimely death. While we held some examples of Elizabeth’s original works already, notably the ones she completed for William Jardine, we were incredibly fortunate to have been permanently allocated an album of her and John’s original works through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme of Arts Council England. This publication therefore gave us a wonderful opportunity to share some of these historically significant original drawings with a wider audience, and to further appreciate her artistic talent. 

Do you have some favourite images among the plates Elizabeth made?

This is a really tricky question as most of the illustrations that we chose are most of our favourites! Ann specifically likes the bowerbirds, the Narina Trogon, the quetzal and the Australian wren and Andrea became quite fond of the toucans (but also had to include a magpie).

4 page book spread of images from Birds of the World: The Art of Elizabeth Gould: a red, yellow and black toucan with a green beak, a gyrfalcon, a pink cockatoo and a bustard.

It’s clear from the biography of Elizabeth Gould in your book that she was incredibly industrious and hard-working, and that she experienced a great deal in her short life during a remarkable period in history. Do you get a sense that Elizabeth Gould paved the way for more women to work as artists in this field?

There is no evidence that Elizabeth Gould was influential in inspiring other women to become bird artists due, probably, to her short life. After her death in 1841, Gould’s folios were continued seamlessly by the draughtsmanship of Elizabeth’s successor, Henry Constantine Richter. Only those who knew the Goulds intimately would have been aware of her early contribution to the success of the folios. John Gould went on producing bird books for another 40 years, their contemporaries died and few questioned who was the ‘E’ in the ‘J & E Gould’ plate credits in the earlier books.   

Also, although Elizabeth may have been a promising artist as a young woman, it was not an easy career path to succeed in, and she chose to become a governess with more security. Elizabeth probably would not have become a bird artist had she not married John. John had the scientific knowledge to identify the birds in the preserved, dried skins and provided sketches to guide Elizabeth’s meticulous watercolours. They were truly an equal partnership. 

During Elizabeth’s lifetime, plants were a much more popular subject for women artists to take up than animal subjects, and a few women who were Elizabeth’s contemporaries were successful in this line. But in general, there were few opportunities for women to follow a successful career in art.

I found it fascinating that many of Elizabeth’s plates are made using a lithographic process. I wonder if you could elaborate a little on that process and the time it would have taken to produce an individual plate?

All Elizabeth Gould’s published plates for John Gould were made by the lithographic process. Lithography seems a very strange process but in the 19th century it was adopted by hundreds of aspiring artists of all subjects – history paintings, genre scenes, topography and natural history. The lithographic method dominated print and book plate production in the 19th century replacing the more expensive engraving process. By using lithography, artists could make monochrome prints of their original paintings which they could sell to the public – the rising middle classes who wanted affordable art to hang in their homes. Learning and doing the lithography themselves had two advantages for the artists: total control of the print-making process and avoiding the expense of hiring a lithographer. Those artists who mastered the technique, such as George Scharf, had no need to go to the extra expense of adding colour as they could create great delicacy of tones and lines in landscapes and street scenes etc,  just by adding shading and stippling effects on the stone. Some of the most acclaimed natural history artists such as Edward Lear (contemporary of Elizabeth) and Joseph Wolf learned lithography. Lithography was especially well-suited to reproducing bird plumages, from soft down to large feathers.  

The process of lithography consists of drawing or painting with greasy crayons and inks on fine-grained limestone blocks. At the lithographic printer, where the stone would be taken after the artist had finished, the stone would be moistened with water. The parts not covered by the crayon would become wet while the others where the greasy drawing was made would repel the water and remain dry. In a special lithographic press the printer would rub an oily ink with a roller over the stone. The oily ink would adhere only to the drawing but be repelled by the wet parts of the stone. After a sheet of paper was pressed against the inked drawing an exact copy of the original on the stone would be transferred to the paper but in reverse. The process would be repeated until the requisite number of prints was taken after which the stones would be cleaned for the next person, although the stone with its original drawing could be preserved for several years. The stones were very heavy. A Gould plate measured 22 × 16 inches. A stone measuring 18 × 22 inches would be about 3 inches thick and weigh 100 pounds.

Original cover of C Hullmandel's The Art of Drawing on a Stone with a lithographic print of a dark haired lady in a dress sat down painting onto a stone.The Art of Drawing on Stone, courtesy of archive.org

The lithographic printer Charles Hullmandel was responsible for all Elizabeth’s plates. His book, The art of drawing on stone (1824), has a vignette on the titlepage of a woman working on a stone. The first prints that came off his printing press – proof plates before lettering – were sent to Gould to approve. Then they went back to Hullmandel for him to add lettering to the stone according to Gould’s instruction (title = bird name, credits to the names of the artists, lithographer and printer). The proof plate after lettering, still a monochrome print, would go back to Gould again for her to colour to match her original watercolour.  This artist’s colour proof would go to Gabriel Bayfield, the proprietor of a firm of colourists used for all Elizabeth’s plates, for his employees to copy the proof print on the requisite number of copies of each plate that Gould ordered. 

Using this complicated and time-consuming process, each title took several years to complete. The books were sold by subscription (maximum number of subscribers often 250) who received parts, perhaps four times a year, and each part might contain 20 hand-coloured plates. The time taken to produce a lithograph would depend on the competence and confidence of the lithographer, and the complexity of the subject. 

Elizabeth’s life contained many intense hardships. Aside from her incredible artworks, is there much record of her personal life and experience, such as in letters and diaries?

Very little extant information exists about Elizabeth with only about 15 letters dating between 1838 and 1840 surviving, all of which are now preserved in the Mitchell Library in Sydney, Australia. They were written by Elizabeth to her mother and cousin who had moved into her house in London to look after the children while Elizabeth and John were in Australia. The letters record some details of their visit including the people she met, especially Sir John and Lady Franklin, who accommodated them for nearly 12 months in Tasmania. Other topics include some of the problems faced by European settlers, e.g. acquiring servants, schooling, and the adverse climate, John’s collecting trips and his helpful Aboriginal guides, and making plant drawings. She writes proudly about her new son Franklin, born in Tasmania in Government House, and regularly enquires about the health of her mother and children. She does, however, reveal profound sadness at being away from her three young children in London. 

In addition, there is one earlier letter written by Elizabeth in 1827 to her mother when she was working as a governess in London before her marriage. Only a fragment of a diary written by Elizabeth over the few days from 21st August to 30th September 1839 is known. It was written after she had left Tasmania and travelled to New South Wales to stay with her brother Stephen Coxen.  In it she describes seeing several unusual birds. 

From other sources it is possible to glean a few snippets about John and Elizabeth’s life in London. For example, she travelled with John to visit museums in Europe, and she probably accompanied him on some visits to Sir William Jardine’s estate. In a letter to Stephen, John Gould wrote in May 1841 that all the family had gone to stay in Egham for four months (Egham was then a village in the country).

3 page spread of Elizabeth Gould's illustrations of 2 European Blackbirds, 2 Spotted Bower Birds and a Short-eared owl.

In what ways does the industry of art for scientific publications differ today? Are there any similarities to the time in which Elizabeth was active? 

Elizabeth Gould’s bird drawings served the scientific community. Accuracy of posture, colours and pattern of plumage and external anatomy were particularly important, alongside the impact of an attractive image, all of which are still required for taxonomic identification today. This could be achieved by painting the figure on a branch or on the ground according to its natural habits, often in a profile position. For Elizabeth, we believe, she would have started with a pencil outline, following the sketch that John would have made to assist her assemble a life-like figure from a dried bird skin. Elizabeth’s first meticulous drawings were rather conventional figures of very static birds – a style which persisted for many years until it was broken by John James Audubon in the early 19th century.  Audubon spent many years in the field in North America and was the first to successfully paint the birds in their authentic natural habitat. Influenced by Lear and Audubon, Elizabeth would gradually develop her technique to produce more lively birds reaching a pinnacle in the Birds of Australia with the inclusion of appropriate flora and landscapes. 

Today, an aspiring artist might attend art school before specialising in natural history art. Those who progress onto becoming wildlife artists would still observe their subjects in the wild and have additional equipment and technology to assist them, including binoculars and digital cameras to record and perfect their art. The detail required remains the same in terms of studying the subject’s internal and external anatomy and showing in their illustrations the required detail to be able to determine differences between species. 

Bird art, however, includes many different styles and techniques which can change according to the artist’s preferences or the client’s requirements. There is, for example, a particular style used in field guides to compare large numbers of species on a page. Bird monographs, on the other hand, might just focus on a particular family and devote a whole page to an image of just one species showing male, female and juveniles, and so there is endless variety depending on the nature of the publication. Some bird artists, such as John Busby, also have a uniquely ‘casual’ style that is perfectly capable of depicting birds accurately and recognisably, but is very different from that of a more traditional modern bird artist such as the brilliant Robert Gillmor, who sadly passed last year. Those that illustrate for scientific purposes would also, just like Elizabeth, need recourse to examining bird skins or taxidermy in museum collections at some stage in their work. 

Digital photography has certainly made images of birds and the natural world more widely available for guides and species identification, but there is still definitely a demand for artists to illustrate new species and produce illustrations and detail that is not possible to achieve with a camera.

Do you have plans for any future projects or publications that you’d like to tell us about?

There are so many other collections and artworks held by the Natural History Museum that would be amazing to research and publish on. For Ann, who did publish a significant volume on the correspondence of John Gould, she has some additional research papers to complete and, if time permits, would like to publish a biography of Thomas Hardwicke, who was an army officer and naturalist in India. Andrea would like to work on the botanical artist Worthington George Smith and the natural history artist Denys Ovenden in addition to developing a new temporary exhibition on artworks in the Richard Owen collection at the Museum, for display in the Museum’s Images of Nature Gallery in 2024. 


Book cover of Birds of the World The Art of Elizabeth Gould showing a print of a red, black and yellow Toucan stood on a branch.

Birds of the World: The Art of Elizabeth Gould was published by Prestel in September 2023 and is available from NHBS – Wildlife, Ecology & Conservation

Interview with Stephen Moss, author of The Owl: A Biography

The fifth and latest book in Stephen Moss’s captivating Bird Biographies series takes us on a nocturnal journal into the mysterious world of owls. Covering the seven species that can be found in the UK: the Tawny, Little, Barn, Long-eared, Short-eared, Snowy and Eagle Owl, this beautifully written and wide-ranging book effortlessly interweaves facts about their biology and ecology with snippets of folklore and tales from the author’s own experiences around the world.

Stephen Moss is a naturalist, author and broadcaster well known for his work with the BBC Natural History Unit working on landmark programmes such as Springwatch and The Nature of Britain. He currently holds the position of Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and is also President of the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Stephen recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer some of our questions about the book. We also chatted about the precarious status of the Eagle Owl in Britain, the likely impacts of the climate crisis on owls and his plans for continuing the Bird Biographies series.


A huge amount of research must go into writing a monograph such as this one. Did you learn or discover anything particularly surprising about owls during the process?

I always learn a huge amount about the subjects of these bird biographies! No matter how much you think you know about a bird’s lifecycle and cultural and social history, they always surprise you. Even really common species such as the Robin and Wren lead lives that we don’t totally understand. Because this book is the first in the series to include more than one main species (plus some material about other owls around the world) I learned something about every species – from the exact details of how Little Owls were introduced into the UK, to the many folk names of the Barn Owl, to how Tawny Owls dominate popular culture about owls. All absolutely fascinating, and will hopefully delight the reader!

What do you think are the most commonly held misconceptions about owls?

I think the main misconception about owls is that they are very rare – in fact there are about 50,000 breeding pairs of Tawny Owls in the UK, which is far more than Kestrels! Of course the reason we assume they are rare is that we hardly ever see them, because they are so nocturnal. I have seen Tawnies during the day, but only a handful of times in my entire lifetime. Other owls, of course, are far more diurnal (Little and Short-eared) or what birders call ‘crepuscular’, which means they are usually seen at dawn or dusk (Barn Owl). Only the Long-eared is as nocturnal as the Tawny – perhaps even more so, which is why we hardly ever see them! We also think of owls as friendly – or at least friendlier than hawks and eagles, which always look so fierce – perhaps because their eyes face forward, just like ours. And yet owls are lethal predators as well.

The final chapter in the book looks at the future of owls. How much do we know about the likely impacts of the climate crisis on owl populations in Britain?

Like any birds, owls are especially vulnerable to the climate crisis, and especially the unpredictable weather patterns, extremes of temperature, rainfall and drought, and the effects these will have on habitats and food supply – especially at a time when all bird species are facing issues such as persecution, pollution and habitat loss – and in the case of owls, also light pollution. And of course the Snowy Owl, which once bred in the northern extremities of the UK (on Fetlar in Shetland, where I saw one more than forty years ago) has now disappeared as a British breeding bird, and is very unlikely ever to return, as I explain in the book. Snowy Owls globally are also uniquely vulnerable to climate change, as they are the most northerly of all the world’s owl species.

I found the chapter on the Eagle Owl to be particularly captivating. However, opinions on its right to reside in the UK appear to be divided, even amongst conservationists. Leaving aside the argument about whether the species can be considered native or not, do you think concerns about its impact on other wildlife are justified?

This is a tricky one; and I do outline the arguments for and against Eagle Owls in Britain in the book. In some ways their impact on other wildlife is a red herring: as a top predator, their numbers are unlikely to ever rise so high that they cause major impacts on native species; indeed, if we want to save Hen Harriers (the occasional prey of the Eagle Owl) we would be better off dealing with their illegal persecution, rather than blaming the Eagle Owl.

Is there a species of owl you would still love to see in your lifetime?

Of all the world’s owls, I would love to see the largest – Blakiston’s Fish Owl of eastern Asia – and of course the smallest, the Elf Owl of North America. My son James lives in Japan, so perhaps I can look for the Blakiston’s Fish Owl when I visit him next year. But I’ve still only seen about 40 species of owl – about one in six of the world’s species, so there are plenty more to go!

Finally – what is occupying your time at the moment? And do you have plans to continue this series of bird biographies?

I’m just coming to the end of my dream job – teaching the MA in Nature and Travel Writing at Bath Spa University. I’ve led the course for eight years now, and loved working with such talented students and colleagues, but now it’s time to hand over to someone else, and spend more time exploring other projects. And yes, I’m working on a new bird biography – of one of my favourite birds, yet one that many people dislike – I’ll leave people to try and guess what that might be! I’ve got several ideas for future volumes and other ideas for books for the future. But I also want to spend more time with my grandson Sammy, who has just turned one, and get him into birding – and also travel, to see birds of course, in the UK and around the world.


The Owl: A Biography was published by Square Peg in October 2023 and is available from nhbs.com

This week in biodiversity news – 16th October 2023

Extreme heat from climate change may make parts of the Earth uninhabitable. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future and Purdue University College of Sciences modelled global temperature increases from 1.5°C to 4°C – a worst-case scenario. They found that a further increase of around 1°C would mean that 2.2 billion people would experience many hours of heat that surpass human tolerance thresholds. It would be particularly concerning for residents of high-humidity areas where heatwaves would be considerably more dangerous for human health. 

Dry Cracked Warm Earth by Live Once Live Wild via Flickr

Whales and dolphins in the US are losing food and habitat to climate change, according to a new study. Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that over 70% of American marine mammal species stocks are vulnerable to threats associated with warming waters. This includes shrinking food and habitat availability, changes to ocean chemistry and reduced dissolved oxygen levels. Large whales such as North Atlantic Right Whales and Humpbacks are most at risk from the effects of climate change. This comes on top of new research published in Nature Climate Change that suggests that marine heatwaves are infiltrating deeper parts of the ocean, the consequences of which could have widespread impacts on marine ecosystems. 

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Lunge Feeding by Gregory Smith via Flickr

Conservation 

Beavers have been reintroduced to west London for the first time in 400 years. The release of a family of five Eurasian Beavers to wetlands in Ealing comes as part of a push to improve biodiversity and mitigate the impact of climate change. There had been plans to spend money on flood prevention measures in the area but beavers were considered to be a more cost-effective natural solution. 

Canada rejects pleas from environmental groups to protect endangered owl habitat. One wild-born owl remains in British Columbia where logging has severely impacted the species’ old-growth forest habitat. The decision means that the future of the species is uncertain. The rejection of an emergency order for the protection of the owl comes after an eight-month delay since the environment ministry was required by law to recommend an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act. Environmental groups have responded with legal action following the delay. Biologists advise that the species could recover with adequate protection of old-growth forest habitat. 

Extinction Risk 

Almost half of flowering plants could be threatened by extinction, scientists have warned. Researchers analysed data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants, the world’s most comprehensive database of plants available, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species and found that 45% may be at risk of extinction. Other key findings suggest that 77% of the 19,000 new plants and fungi species discovered since 2020 are endangered and that only 10% of an astounding 2.5 million species of fungi have been discovered. 

Flowering Plant by Choo Yut Shing via Flickr

Similar numbers of male and female sea turtles give hope for the survival of the species. Papua New Guinea’s Conflict Group’s analysis of turtle hatchings between 1960 and 2019 showed that an average of 46.2% have been female. Sea turtles are susceptible to rising temperatures due to their sex determination being temperature dependent. Scientists suggest the results are “likely rare in the global context” with sand temperatures having risen by 0.6°C over the same period. Another study of Green Sea Turtles from the same latitude showed that more than 99% of hatchlings were female, spelling decimation for the population. 

Sea Turtle by Daniel Chodusov via Flickr

Discoveries 

A small West African crocodile can moo like a cow, audio recordings reveal. Scientists use audio recordings to monitor elusive crocodile species which are difficult to confirm via visual surveys. The tiny African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) inhabits the swampy forests of West Africa. Scientists believe that the crocodile is quite common given its common occurrence in the bushmeat trade. Consequently, they are using audio recordings to listen out for its calls and have discovered that the crocodile, surprisingly, moos like a cow. 

West African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) by Heather Paul via Flickr

 

Animals fear the sound of a human voice more than that of a lion, according to researchers. A study in South Africa’s Kruger National Park found that, when playing recordings of human voices, 95% of animals were extremely frightened and ran away. Snarling and growling lion recordings provoked significantly less alarm among the wild mammals. The response to the recordings, which included human speech from local languages, suggests that animals have learnt that contact with humans is lethal. Researchers have noted that this may present a challenge for areas relying on wildlife tourism, as visitors can inadvertently scare away animals. 

Supplier interview with Faunus Nature Creations

Black bat box on tree in foreground with a bunch of other boxes on trees in the background

Faunus Nature Creations is an ecological design agency established in 2018 as a subsidiary of NatuurInclusief. They focus on designing, building and selling fauna facilities to create nature-inclusive urban living environments and are widely recognised for their creative nest boxes. Most of their products are made in-house and they work closely with their suppliers and partners to ensure both functionality and beautiful design.

We had the opportunity to speak with Jarno Beijk, the founder of Faunus Nature Creations, about the company, their range of nest boxes and plans for the future.


What inspired the creation of Faunus Nature Creations?  

Faunus wood concrete General Purpose bat box in black.
Faunus General Purpose Bat Box.

Faunus Nature Creations (FNC) was founded in 2018 as a business unit part of ecological consulting agency NatuurInclusief.  At NatuurInclusief we regularly had to deal with mitigation projects as compensation for bat roosts getting disturbed. During field checks of these bat boxes, we discovered that the quality of the materials used were rapidly deteriorating. They did not meet any of the quality requirements and longevity that we wanted and expected from the bat boxes. From this moment the only solution we saw was to roll up our sleeves and design and build better nest boxes ourselves. Currently we are doing this with a team of ecologists, designers, engineers and architects. 

Could you tell us about the range of boxes produced by Faunus and which animals they are suitable for?  

In the beginning, our main focus was on roost boxes for bats, and nest boxes for House Sparrows and Swifts. The reason behind this choice is because they are the most strictly protected species by law. Fortunately, there is increasing awareness of building and designing in a more nature-inclusive manner, which means that there is increasing interest in nest boxes for other species as well. This includes species such as Kestrels, Storks, insects, and ground dwelling mammals etc. 

Integrated wood concrete bird box, Pino model, in a light brick wall with a swift poking its head out of the hole on the left hand side.
Pino built-in swift box.

Many of the boxes you offer are made from wood concrete. Could you tell us some of the benefits of using this material, both for the user and for the animal?  

All our fauna facilities are designed with the needs and requirements of the species in mind. Wood concrete has a long lifespan, also the hydrothermal modified wood that we use has a lifespan of more than 20 years. It is therefore mainly down to the preference of the user. 

Mario dual chamber wood concrete sparrow terrace box shown on the side of a dark red bricked house.
Mario dual chamber sparrow terrace box.

Wooden facilities are not suitable as a build-in option. For this, the better choice is going for wood concrete or even better for a ceramic option. The latter have the longest longevity. 

A great disadvantage of using wood-concrete and ceramics is that they do not lend themselves well for custom work. Therefore, wood is a very good option for custom work. That is why we make custom wooden bat boxes on request in all kinds of shapes and sizes. When customisation is required to be built-in, we make these on the basis of a cement board. 

Personally, we think wood is the most beautiful for external use, because it looks more natural, but other people appreciate the concrete look as well. You will not easily find plywood in our collection, because we find this material is insufficiently durable and has too short of a lifespan. 

Many of my colleagues have taken a liking to the names of your boxes, for example, Elisa and Gabriella. How do you decide these names?  

Three Faunus bat boxes, models Elisa and Gabriella, on the side of a red bricked house during the day with blue sky in the background.
Elisa and Gabriella bat boxes.

Every nest box or new design we develop and offer is a new family member to our collection. Each design therefore deserves a unique name and not just a code or number. The intention was to use the names of people in our team first, but some found it quite embarrassing if they had to promote a nest box that would bear their own name. We have therefore given the names a slightly Spanish twist. So, Roos became Rosita and Eva became Evita. Spanish names also sound more swinging than Dutch names. At the moment we have more models than employees, so we have now arrived at names of relatives, neighbours and friends. Our latest model nest box Milo is named after the newborn son of our colleague Roos. Furthermore, the mammal nest boxes have female names, and the bird nest boxes have male names.

Faunus Brigida bat box below the roof of a brick house on a sunny day.
Brigida bat box.

Have you found that environmental regulations have had an impact on the boxes you sell? 

In the Netherlands we have a quite strict Nature Conservation Act. Our authorities require many strict mitigation standards concerning fauna facilities, for example in the form of bat roost boxes and nest boxes. This is a major reason that many of our clients need to buy the products we make. We ourselves are not in favour of this strict legislation, because people will lack intrinsic motivation to do something good for biodiversity in the end. We ourselves believe that you can achieve more for biodiversity if you know how to make people aware and enthusiastic to do something positive for biodiversity. Legislation of this mitigation standards leads to “must do”, enthusiasm leads to “wanting to do”. 

Two Elisa bat boxes half way up two ivy covered trees in a woodland in winter with foliage in the foreground.
Elisa bat boxes on woodland trees.

What can you tell us about plans for new products in the future? 

Faunus Nature Creations does more than just develop fauna facilities. Of course, we will bring new and improved models to the market, but we also design many large custom facilities for biodiversity, such as designing and building bat towers. We noticed that there is a great need for this as well. Governments and project developers would like to show off that they are doing something great and important to boost biodiversity and they would like to have the label extravagant for that too. We think it’s a sport to combine functionality, quality and aesthetics. Our motto is not without reason: Building for Biodiversity. Let’s create something valuable! 


Faunus Products

Black general purpose Faunus bat box with two entrances, one at the front and one on the bottom.

General Purpose Bat Box 

The tree hanging General Purpose Bat Box is designed to suite crevice and cavity dwelling bat species in the UK. Made from wood concrete, this is a durable, long-lasting and breathable bat box offering a thermally stable internal climate for roosting bats and features two entrances, one at the bottom and one on the front.

Green rectangular Elisa bat box with curved entrance at the bottom.

Elisa Bat Box 

The Elisa wood concrete bat box is designed to provide an ideal summer roost and nesting space for a variety of UK bat species. When installed it sits close to the wall to minimise the risk of being knocked off and features a single internal cavity with an entrance hole at the bottom. Supplied without fittings. 

Light brown wooden Faunus Kiki bat and swift hybrid box with two entrances at the bottom.

Kiki Bat and Swift Hybrid Box 

Some swift and bat species can inhabit urban areas and each rely on buildings for roosting and nesting locations. To accommodate for both species, the Kiki hybrid box has four compartments: three for bats and one for swifts. This box can be hung from buildings and provides a suitable habitat for summer roosting. 

Grey wood concrete built-in Pino swift box with a small oval entrance hole on the bottom right hand side of the block.

Pino Built-in Swift Box 

Swifts often create nests in cavities and crevices in the eaves of buildings. The Pino built-in nest box is made from durable and breathable wood concrete, providing a stable internal thermal environment for any inhabitants, and is suitable for house sparrows, starlings and other small urban birds. 


Faunus bird and bat boxes are available to order from nhbs.com.

 

 

UK Fungus Day 2023

Image by E. Dronkert via Flickr.
What is UK Fungus Day?

UK Fungus Day takes place on Saturday 7th October and is organised by the British Mycological Society. This annual celebration of fungi is an open invitation to everyone in the UK to experience and appreciate the wonder of fungi and to find out more about these fascinating organisms. There really is something for everyone: as well as traditional fungal forays where you can join an experienced mycologist to find and identify fungi in the wild, there are also open days at UK university laboratories, special museum exhibits, talks, films, craft activities and quizzes.

Why are fungi important?

Often described as the 5th kingdom, fungi are neither plant nor animal, and our knowledge of their biology and ecology is increasing all the time. They are incredibly important to the functioning of almost all ecosystems on earth (and have even been found in space!).

One of their key roles is as a decomposer. Fungi convert organic matter from dead organisms into a form that other plants or animals can more easily utilise, making them a vital part of the food chain. They also form essential symbiotic relationships with plant roots, providing nutrients to the plant and protecting them from parasites and infection, while they themselves feed on the plant.

Although we usually think of fungi as the mushrooms that are visible above ground, they also create huge networks of strands, known as hyphae, which stretch out beneath the soil. These hyphae contribute to the structure of the soil, holding particles together and helping the soil to retain moisture where it would otherwise rapidly drain away. This underground network is considered to be so important that a project is underway to map the “circulatory system of the planet” in an attempt to protect it from damage and improve its ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide.

As well as these key ecosystem functions, we also value fungi for their role in our own diets. Whether that is by eating them directly, or utilising their ability to ferment foods such as bread or beer, they have been an important gastronomic ingredient for thousands of years. They also contribute to human health in other ways. In the 1920s penicillin was discovered, an antibiotic produced by the mould Penicillium which has since saved countless numbers of lives and changed the entire face of modern medicine.

Fungi may even have a role to play in remediating polluted environments. Current research is looking into whether they could be used to break down petroleum products, heavy metals and plastics, and even absorb radiation following nuclear disasters.

How do I get involved in UK Fungus Day?

To find out what events are on near you on UK Fungus Day, head over to the Fungus Day website where you can find a list of all the activities planned for 7th October. On their website you will also find information on how to enter this year’s photo competition, as well as quizzes, and a host of other activity ideas for you to celebrate UK Fungus Day in your own home.

Further reading

Take a look at the NHBS Conservation Hub for useful guides on identifying common UK fungi species, identifying puffballs or read of our interview with Merlin Sheldrake, the author of Entangled Life. Alternatively, browse some of our favourite field guides and fungi books below.

Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms & Toadstools: A Photographic Guide to Every Common Species

A superb guide that allows anyone to identify mushrooms found in Britain and Ireland. The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, featuring the species you are most likely to see. By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides.

Collins Fungi Guide: The Most Complete Field Guide to the Mushrooms & Toadstools of Britain & Ireland

Written by one of Europe’s leading mycologists and horticultural scientists, Stefan Buczacki, and illustrated by two of the world’s leading natural history illustrators, Chris Shields and Denys Ovenden, this is the ultimate field guide for mushroom and toadstool lovers.

The Fungi Name Trail: A Key to Commoner Fungi

A useful key to some of the more easily recognised fungi present in Britain’s woods and fields. For this key, fungi have been grouped according to their shape. The name trial takes you through a series of yes or no questions to help you identify your fungi.

 

Entangled Life: (The Illustrated Edition) How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures

The 2nd edition of this smash-hit bestseller now includes over 100 spectacular full-colour images, showcasing this wonderous and wildly various lifeform as never seen before.

   Read our Q&A with Merlin Sheldrake on the NHBS blog.

Finding the Mother Tree: Uncovering the Wisdom and Intelligence of the Forest

Suzanne Simard was working in the forest service when she first discovered how trees communicate underground through an immense web of fungi. In Finding the Mother Tree, she reveals how the complex cycle of forest life – on which we rely for our existence – offers profound lessons about resilience and kinship.

Conservation volunteering with Wild Planet Trust’s Seagrass Project

I recently had the opportunity to witness first hand a team from the Wild Planet Trust working to survey seagrass meadows in the Torbay area. The ‘Save Our Seagrass’ project, which has been going for some years, involves repeated survey work throughout the year to assess the meadows’ health and the diversity of marine life that they support.  Having lost over 90% of seagrass meadows around the UK in recent centuries, these surveys provide vital information about the growth or decline of existing meadows, as well as potential impacts from factors such as global warming.

Megan and her team of volunteer divers met with me early on a Saturday morning to travel out into the bay to survey three specific meadows: Fishcombe Cove, Torre Abbey and Breakwater Beach. Each of these meadows carry unique characteristics derived from their locations. Torre Abbey is situated close to the harbour entrance of Torquay and is very shallow during low tides. The Breakwater Beach area is home to local swimmers and tourists.

The third site, Fishcombe Cove, near the fishing town of Brixham, holds a key to solving one of the problems that has contributed to the deterioration of the meadows. There are typically many reasons why a meadow sustains damage and/or gets wiped out, the most obvious being where fishing nets are trawled across the seabed. But more and more these days, casual leisure boat users cause damage by dropping their anchors. When damage occurs, it can take ten years or more to recover, assuming that the conditions are favourable.

An innovative approach to solving this problem has been using the deployment of “no anchor” buoys such as those that are situated in Fishcombe Cove. Designed to allow up to three boats to moor without dropping anchor, these buoys are chained to the seabed and have smaller submerged buoys attached to them which keep the chain from scraping the seabed and damaging the seagrass.

The surveys such as the one I observed use two different methods: a transect and a spiral form, and each dive team is equipped with a float with a GPS unit that stays on the surface and records their location as they move through and around the seagrass meadows. Each diver carries two hours’ worth of oxygen to be able to carry out the surveys at anywhere up to ten meters depth.  With underwater cameras they record the general health of the area and any unusual sightings along with expected marine life.

One of the observations from the divers from the surveys that I attended was the extent of life that had grown on the chains for the buoys, along with shoals of Bib (Trisopterus luscus) that were using the seagrass for cover. Around the meadow near Torre Abbey, plenty of additional life was found including Pipefish (Nerophis ophidion), Common Cuttlefish eggs (Sepia officinalis), Hermit Crabs (Pagurus bernhardus), gobies, periwinkles and Sea Slaters (Ligia oceanica).

All the data from the dives will be collated and, following a single additional dive day schedule in October, the team at the Wild Planet Trust will start the process of analysing the collected date from this year, looking at how the meadows have changed in comparison to previous years.


Learn more about the Wild Planet Trust’s ‘Save Our Seagrass’ project on the Wild Planet Trust website, where you can also find out more about their other work and ways to support them.

This week in biodiversity news – 2nd October 2023

Policy

Oil-rich states should pay a climate tax, says Gordon Brown. The ex-prime minister has argued that soaring oil prices have caused an inordinate transfer of wealth to oil-rich states from the world’s poorest countries, with global oil and gas revenues soaring to a record $4 trillion. His suggestion of a $25 billion levy would be used as part of a climate fund for poorer countries who are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.

Oil rig, California by ElMelindo via Flickr
Conservation in action

Several Wildlife Trusts have launched a new Welsh-English project to restore nature and boost rural prosperity across the historic Marches region. The name of the new project “Wilder Marches” describes the unique natural and cultural landscape spanning the Welsh-English border region. The region measures approximately 100,000 hectares and includes a wide range of natural habitats including ancient woodlands, peatland, flower-rich meadows, and wood pasture. There are also areas of intensive farming and forestry in the region, and the project involving the Herefordshire, Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Shropshire Wildlife Trusts seeks to encourage regenerative farming and local sustainable food production.

Meadow by Andrew Gustar via Flickr

Hampshire County Council has secured funding to save endangered UK orchids. The council has secured £98,000 from Natural England to aid its nature recovery project aiming to boost Red- and Long-leaved Helleborines, some of the UK’s rarest orchids. The county contains the East Hampshire Hangers, known for its rare ancient woodland, which provides a habitat for the rare orchids.

Science and research

Psychologists have received funding for a three-year project to investigate meerkat responses to human emotions. The scientists at Nottingham Trent University are seeking to better understand the impact of zoo visitors on animals. The research will investigate whether meerkats demonstrate empathy by mirroring people’s emotions. They hope that the study will improve our understanding of human-animal interactions and may have implications for how zoo animals are managed.

Meerkat by Ulrika via Flickr

Carbon offset schemes in the United States may be ineffective according to new research. Researchers looking to assess farmer perspectives on soil carbon offset programmes put in place since 2017 found that farmers were largely using the schemes as “gravy on top” of what they were already doing. They largely considered payments to be too low to incentivise new adoption of practices that would increase carbon sequestration. As a result, carbon credits have largely been generated from farmers who were already motivated to improve soil and crop health with the aim of securing long-term economic sustainability.

Extinction risk

Global rhino numbers are recovering despite poaching and habitat loss. In a win for conservation, rhinoceros numbers have bounced back to 27,000, new figures show. Black Rhinos, native to east and southern Africa, and Southern White Rhinos, found in the south of Africa, have seen an uptick in their numbers since last year. The increase has been attributed to efforts by conservationists to establish new populations which have continued to grow. Javan and Sumatran Rhinos, however, appear to remain on course to go extinct with only tiny pockets remaining in southeast Asia. Experts believe there may be as few as 34 remaining in a fragmented forest landscape where finding mates is increasingly difficult.

Rhino, Caprivi, Namibia by s9-4pr

One in six species are at risk of extinction in Great Britain, according to a new report. The 203-page State of Nature report, produced by more than 60 conservation organisations, found that 16% of 10,000 amphibians, birds, insects, mammals and plants are threatened. Iconic species such as the Turtle Dove and the Hazel Dormouse are among the list. Nature conservation organisations urge more investment in nature and an increased uptake of environmentally-friendly farming practices. Studies have shown that such practices can boost both production and biodiversity, likely due to the increased presence of insects that pollinate plants. The government has highlighted its pledge to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030, but conservationists have argued that more needs to be done to reverse declines.

Climate crisis

Antarctic sea ice is at a ‘mind-blowing low’, experts have warned. The quantity of sea ice surrounding Antarctica is far below previous winter levels. The total area of ice this year measures 1.5 million square kilometres less than the September average, a reduction equivalent to five times the size of the British Isles. Polar experts have warned that such low levels of sea ice could have major global consequences. Antarctic sea ice regulates the earth’s climate by reflecting light back into the atmosphere and cooling Antarctic waters. Dark areas of the ocean exposed as sea ice melts absorb sunlight and this leads to further warming.

Antarctica by Pedro Szekely via Flickr

UK firefighters are heading to Spain for specialist training after a twofold increase in recorded wildfires last year. Once a rarity in the UK, the EU’s Copernicus earth observation system has recorded the burning of 126,618 hectares since 2006. Accordingly, UK fire services are investing in new equipment and specialist training with some firefighters being sent to Catalonia – a region with a long history of tackling blazes. With temperatures exceeding 40°C for the first time last summer, the expectation is that wildfires will continue to become both more frequent and extreme.

 

This Week in Biodiversity News – 18th September 2023

Policy and diplomacy

The House of Lords will debate mandatory Swift bricks in England. New homes may be required to build Swift bricks into new homes if the amendment is passed in parliament. The hollow bricks are unobtrusive and are relatively easy to install. The presence of these bricks in new homes would help to revive a rapidly declining Swift population and other red-listed cavity-nesting species such as House Martins and Starlings. Swift populations have declined by more than 60% since the mid-1990s.

Swift bird perching on a barbed wire in the air
Swift perching on a wire. Image by Jo Garbutt via Flickr.

The UK government is preparing to revoke the ban on new onshore windfarms, according to reports. New guidance will require action from developers on the concerns and suggestions of residents, and council approval will depend on community support. The new rules will also give local authorities more discretion over the location of new onshore projects. Since 2015, there has been a de facto ban on new onshore windfarms as only a single objection is needed to prevent construction.

African leaders demand more support and financing as the first Africa Climate Summit opens. Africa has a population of 1.3 billion people and is projected to be worst hit by the effects of the climate crisis, despite contributing relatively little to the problem. Consequently, frustration has mounted in some countries at being asked to develop in cleaner ways than richer, more polluting countries.

Leaders meeting in front of flags at a summit.
African leaders meeting at a summit. Image by Embassy of Equatorial Guinea via Flickr.
Climate crisis

Respiratory illness patients are most at risk from climate change, according to an expert report. People with conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Higher temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events will likely lead to an increase in airborne allergens, air pollution, humidity and mould. Babies and children, whose lungs are still developing, are thought to be particularly at risk.

Groundwater depletion rates could triple in India as climate warms, according to researchers. A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan has revealed that rising temperatures have led to an increase in the withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation by farmers in India. This could result in tripled groundwater loss by 2080, posing a threat to food and water security, as well as the livelihoods of over a third of India’s population of 1.4 billion.

Tractor and farmers with a big pile of hay on a road with green vegetation around it
Indian farmers close to the city of Madurai. Image by Surajram Kumaravel via Flickr.
Science and Technology

Scientists have discovered a technique for turning plastic waste into tiny bars of soap. The researchers found that it was possible to “upcycle” plastic waste into high-value surfactants. Surfactants are a key ingredient in a range of products from lubricants to soaps and detergents. Only around 10% of plastic waste is recycled and so experts are increasingly exploring solutions for turning waste into valuable materials. The technique only produces tiny amounts of surfactant at a time, but the hope is that the process can be scaled up in the future.

Extinction Risk

St Kilda has seen a dramatic fall in seabird numbers. Since the previous census in 1999, there has been a 64% decline in seabirds on the remote archipelago west of Scotland. The National Trust for Scotland conducted the first full survey in 24 years, finding a steep decline in the numbers of Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes. Kittiwakes were found to have fallen by 84%, Razorbills and Guillemots by more than 35%. Fulmar numbers dropped by over 45,000 on the islands. The dramatic declines are thought to be due in part to climate change and reductions of natural prey.

Guillemots sitting on the ledge of a cliff
Guillemots at Blackers Hole, Dorset. Image by Donald Macauley via Flickr.
Conservation

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest continues to decline according to Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (INPE). This marks the fifth consecutive month of decrease in deforestation in the region. The INPE’s deforestation alert system DETER showed that there was a 66% decline in forest clearing compared to the same month last year. The system has likewise shown a 43% decline in deforestation in the first eight months of 2023 when compared to the previous year. This follows commitments by Brazil’s president Lula da Silva to curtail the enormous forest losses seen over the past four years under the previous administration.


Read More

See our previous biodiversity news stories covering topics from bee-killing hornets to an flooding-earthquake disaster in California.

Author interview with Graham Tucker: Nature Conservation in Europe

This informative and wide-ranging book examines the nature conservation responses of the UK and twenty-five EU Member States, analysing their achievements and failures and providing notable case studies from which comparisons and lessons can be obtained. Covering topics such as biodiversity pressure, legislation and governance, biodiversity strategies, species protection, protected areas, habitat management and funding, the book provides an incredibly in-depth appraisal of our management of European ecosystems and species and how this has contributed to the current concerning state of nature in these regions.

Editor Graham Tucker is an ecologist and a leading authority on European nature conservation policy, with a particular interest in its achievements and failures. He currently works as an independent consultant and proprietor of Nature Conservation Consulting. Prior to this he worked for Birdlife International and as Head of the Biodiversity Programme for the Institute for European Environmental Policy.

We recently chatted with Graham about the book and about the necessity for international co-operation in conservation, the importance of funding, stakeholder engagement and societal support in the creation and maintenance of protected areas, plus his plans for the future.


This is an impressive endeavour into covering the enormous topic of conservation across Europe. What inspired you to create this book?

Several things drove me to prepare the book. Firstly, like many others, I am concerned by the ongoing decline in many species and degradation of habitats in Europe, and that nature conservation has not been able to halt, let alone reverse most losses. Whilst there have been successes for some species, they have been insufficient, and consequently biodiversity targets have been repeatedly missed. Secondly, having had the privilege to work over the last few decades with many nature conservation experts across Europe, I realised the reasons for these failures varied between countries. Whilst the broad approaches to nature conservation have been similar, there have been significant differences, especially in their implementation and outcomes. Comparing national experiences could therefore provide valuable lessons in terms of which nature conservation measures have, and have not worked, and why. However, nature conservationists have tended to mainly draw lessons from national experiences, in part because of language barriers and the other difficulties with finding relevant key information.

Therefore, there seemed to be a need for a book that describes and critically examines the nature conservation objectives and actions that have been taken in Europe, primarily through individual country chapters written by national experts with a deep knowledge of what has really happened. Having discussed the idea with some nature conservationists I found that there was considerable enthusiasm for the book and many willing to contribute, despite the huge amount of work it would involve. This was also inspiring and persuaded me to go ahead as its preparation has depended on the hard work, generosity and patience of many people; of which I am especially indebted to the 52 co-authors.

Chapter 3 discusses the international drivers of nature conservation and their impacts on policies in Europe. How important is international co-operation and coherency in policy to nature conservation? Do you think there is enough large-scale international conservation?

International cooperation and coherence are vital for effective nature conservation. This is most obviously the case for migratory species, as well as rivers, seas and ecosystems that cross national borders, and transboundary protected areas. This has been widely recognised, so there is now a reasonably complete nature conservation framework in Europe, including the global UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) and, of most influence, the legally binding EU Birds and Habitats Directives. These agreements have aided cooperation such as through sharing programmes of work, knowledge and funding. Most importantly, they have helped raise ambitions by creating a level playing field – which gives countries the confidence to act, knowing that they would not be alone.

Unfortunately, the UK’s departure from the EU has undermined this cooperation and alignment, resulting in potential divergence in ambitions, policies and legislation, both between the UK and EU and between the UK nations. So far there has been little divergence in UK practices and standards are being maintained. But this could change with time, especially in England as a result of the Retained EU Law Bill.

Chapter 5, ‘Conclusions, Lessons Learnt and Implications for the Future’, mentions that, while nature conservation has likely slowed the rate of decline, many habitats such as wetlands and semi-natural grasslands forests have continued to be lost or degraded. Do you think large-scale commitments such as the one to increase the UK’s and EU’s protected area network to 30% of both land and sea by 2030 will generate the right amount of funding, stakeholder engagement and societal support to create effective, large-scale conservation?

I am sure there is wide public support for the improvement and expansion of the protected area network, both on land and sea, in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. This is because the potential nature and wider related social and economic benefits of protected areas are increasingly appreciated. However, in most countries it is more important to improve the effectiveness of the existing network, in particular with stronger nature conservation objectives and better practical management. This requires more funding and stronger regulation, which I am doubtful that most governments are currently committed to.

This chapter also mentions that nature conservation is dependent on enforced legislation, funding and motivated people. Which do you believe is the hardest to obtain and therefore is the biggest threat to current and future conservation efforts?

All three are needed, and they are to some extent interrelated and dependent upon each other. However, the lack of funding, which is in part due to insufficiently motivated politicians, is currently the main constraint in most countries. This hampers the enforcement of legislation, as well as limiting practical nature conservation and restoration actions in protected areas and the wider environment.

Whilst public support for nature conservation is substantial in many countries, especially the UK, it varies greatly. Political support also tends to lag behind public support, in part due to the influence of powerful lobbying groups. Wider and deeper societal engagement is therefore essential to stimulate stronger political support, funding and regulations. It is therefore encouraging that support for nature conservation is growing. This is needed now to counter recent calls from some politicians in the UK and EU to weaken some environmental ambitions and slow down actions.

What impact do you hope that this book will have?

I hope that the book will clearly show that nature conservation works when it is properly implemented – such that it can halt biodiversity declines and even restore ecosystems. Therefore, the ongoing biodiversity crisis is not because we are doing the wrong thing. On the contrary, we need to massively scale up what we are doing already. As said, we know what we need: strong and enforced regulations, more and better targeted funding, and more deeply motivated people to call for and help conserve nature. We should still seek to improve the effectiveness of nature conservation measures, basing policy and practical decisions on evidence, but be wary of calls for radical changes in approach.

Of all the countries discussed within this book, which do you believe are leading the way in nature conservation?

Unfortunately, this is not easy to answer as it is often difficult to reliably compare data across the countries. For example, some countries have large protected area networks (e.g. Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia) in contrast to others (e.g. Belgium, Finland, Ireland and Sweden). However, the statistics are not always reliable as some countries, such as Bulgaria, Denmark and UK include areas that do not meet internationally recognised protected area definitions. Furthermore, the effectiveness of protected area network is not necessarily closely related to their size, but more their conservation objectives and the effectiveness of their practical management. Similarly, comparing the adequacy of funding is difficult because needs vary and it is not always clear how much goes towards species and habitat conservation priorities, and what it actually achieves.

As described in some detail in the conclusion chapter, all countries have both strengths and weaknesses, so it is difficult to identify overall leaders. As regards the UK, we have been leaders in some respects in particular in relation to science and the strong role of NGOs, and producing a wealth of strategies, including the first Biodiversity Action Plan in the world in response to the CBD. However, the UK has underperformed overall, primarily due to poor implementation of its strategies and other initiatives, largely as a result of limited political support and therefore weak regulations and inadequate funding.

Do you have any future plans that you’re able to share with us?

As the book has taken over five years to prepare, I am having a bit of a break from writing for the moment. But I am continuing to work on EU and UK nature conservation issues, especially in relation to climate change.

The impacts of climate change on nature are of growing concern to me, as I think they will be much worse than many people realise. In addition to the increasing disruption to ecosystems, there is the likelihood of huge impacts from climate change mitigation measures and adaptation actions over the next 30 years. Whilst it is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many proposed responses can be highly damaging for nature, including widescale inappropriate afforestation, use of bioenergy, solar farms and hydro-energy. Damaging climate change adaptation measures are also likely to increase, such as increased water abstraction from wetlands, as is already affecting the Coto Donana in Spain. At the same time, well designed ecosystem-based measures can contribute substantially to mitigation and adaptation, whilst being beneficial for nature – but these are being underused. Maybe, in time, I will prepare a book on this.


Nature Conservation in Europe: Approaches and Lessons was published in May 2023 by Cambridge University Press and is available from nhbs.com

Interview with Jan Collins: Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists 4th Edition

Purple cover for Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists with lots of images of bats.The 4th edition of Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: Good Practice Guidelines is the latest update of the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) Guidelines and features new content on biosecurity, night-vision aids, tree surveys and auto-identification for bat sound analysis. Several key chapters have been expanded, and new tools, techniques and recommendations included. It is a key resource for professional ecologists carrying out surveys for development and planning.

Portrait image of the author Jan Collins

Jan Collins is the Head of Biodiversity at the Bat Conservation Trust and a former ecological consultant. Her fascination in bats began when participating in a bat biodiversity survey on a Vietnamese expedition in 1999 and she has worked in bat conservation ever since. She has been in her current role for the last 10 years and has played a central role in the editing and refining of the BCT Guidelines.

In this Q&A we had the opportunity to speak with Jan about some of the key aspects of the 4th edition of the BCT Guidelines and its consequences for ecologists.


What led you towards a career specialising in bats?

From a young age I was interested in being outdoors and engaging with nature. My studies followed this route, with a degree in Environmental Sciences and a Masters in Ecology and Management of the Natural Environment. I was first introduced to bats on a Frontier expedition to Vietnam in 1999 where we were trapping bats as part of a biodiversity survey. I was immediately hooked (what an amazing group of animals, with unique behaviours, and so very diverse!) and sought both voluntary and paid work involving bat conservation upon my return. I was an ecological consultant specialising in bats for over 10 years before joining Bat Conservation Trust in my dream job as Head of Biodiversity almost exactly 10 years ago now.

Grey long eared bat flying with wings spread at night with leaves in the background
Grey Long-eared Bat (Plecotus austriacus).

Could you tell us briefly about the work that the BCT does?

BCT is a dynamic, influential and growing national charity. We are the leading non-governmental organisation in the UK devoted solely to the conservation of bats and their environment. Our work represents the gold standard in bat conservation providing a lead for the rest of the world. We work to ensure that bat conservation is acknowledged as an integral part of sustainable development. Our work ranges from best practice guidance, advice and training through to engaging wider audiences so that we can get more people to understand the importance of bats and their conservation. A lot of our work also involves working with partners on the ground, local bat groups play a huge role in all aspects of our work. More information about all of our work can be found in the most recent annual review, found here or take a look at the Bat Conservation Trust Website here.

The 4th edition of Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: Good Practice Guidelines is due to be published in September 2023. What have been some of the key challenges in getting this ready for publication?

One of the key challenges for this edition was gaining consensus from the Technical Review Board on some of the recommendations. This included the continued use of transects for bat activity surveys and how tree surveys for bat roosts should be carried out, acknowledging the various limitations, and how approaches should be adapted to different types of projects. Another challenge has been how much to include on night vision aids such as infrared cameras. BCT are planning a kick-off meeting for a working group to develop separate night vision aid guidelines in the autumn (to include infrared and thermal imaging cameras) and therefore many aspects are still to be discussed and decided. We will also run a public consultation on night vision aids to help us to understand current practice and expectations from new guidelines on this topic.

Infrared camera setup in foreground pointed at a house in the background for bat survey
Infrared camera setup. Photo and setup by Richard Crompton.

How has the outlook for bat populations in the UK changed since the last edition of the Guidelines?

Data from the National Bat Monitoring Programme indicate that populations of the bat species we monitor in the UK are stable or recovering. However, it should be remembered that these trends reflect relatively recent changes in bat populations (since 1999 for most species). It is generally considered that prior to this there were significant historical declines in bat populations dating back to at least the start of the 20th century. This suggests that current legislation and conservation action to protect and conserve bats is being successful, and it is vitally important that this continues. Detailed information on trends for the 11 species monitored can be found in our National Bat Monitoring Programme reports here. We are also seeing signs of regional variations that deviate from the overall positive trend at the national level and we want to gain a better understanding of those. More data would help this process so we would encourage everyone to join in with one or more of the National Bat Monitoring Programme surveys. There are surveys that are suitable for anyone regardless of experience or equipment.

What are some of the key changes in the Guidelines?

A number of chapters have been expanded and new tools, techniques and recommended best practice incorporated. Below are a few of the changes but we will be developing a webinar in the coming months, detailing all of the changes so readers should watch out for that!

  • A new section on Biosecurity has been added to Considerations for Bat Surveys chapter, recognising that precautionary approaches are needed to protect both ecologists and bats from potential health risks.
  • Chapter 6 on Surveying Trees and Woodland for Bat Roosts has grown from five pages in the 3rd edition and now includes details of newer technologies and sources of information such as night vision aids, motion activated camera monitoring, The Bat Tree Habitat Key and the Bat Roost Tree Tag Project as well as updated guidelines for categorising the suitability of potential roost features.
  • Chapter 7 focuses solely on dusk emergence surveys, with dawn re-entry surveys removed as a standard approach due to the improved quality of emergence surveys with night vision aids and the variability in the time that bats return to their roosts.
  • Chapter 10 on Data analysis and Interpretation incorporates information on auto-identification systems and has a new section on data science which includes details on elements such as tidy data, minimal data requirement and data standardisation. There are also case studies to help illustrate key points.

How will the new Guidelines improve the way ecologists approach bat surveying?

The guidelines are the key resource for professional ecologists carrying out surveys for development and planning. The Biosecurity section in the 4th edition will ensure that ecologists carry out their work in a safe way, minimising health risks to both themselves and to bats. The latest edition acknowledges the constraints involved in surveying trees for bat roosts and offers different approaches to surveys depending on the nature, scale and timeline of the project. A new categorisation system for Potential Roost Features (PRFs) and trees reduces the subjectivity in initial assessments of trees. Dawn re-entry surveys are no longer recommended as there are questions around their efficacy for presence/absence and because emergence surveys can be vastly improved by the use of night vision aids. A stepwise approach is offered to those using auto-identification systems to analyse acoustic datasets and the section on Data Science aims to standardise approaches to data management. The guidelines also make reference to a wealth of resources that can be used to improve surveys and, in particular, interpretation of survey data.

Horseshoe bat hanging from a rock by its feet with its face facing the camera.
Horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

Nocturnal survey equipment such as night vision, thermal imaging and infrared cameras are becoming more important in bat survey with the 2022 Interim Guidance Note providing clarification of their role. How will the 4th edition of the Guidelines impact the way ecologists conduct bat surveys using these types of equipment?

The 4th edition supercedes (but is consistent with) the Interim Guidance Note published in May 2022. It emphasises that surveys should usually be carried out with night vision aids and that if they are not used this should be justified in reporting, with reasons provided (e.g. at known roosts when bats are known to emerge early or in situations/locations with higher levels of natural or artificial light). Dawn re-entry surveys are no longer recommended as a standard approach because the use of night vision aids vastly improves the quality of emergence surveys, when used properly. The new guidelines state that a still shot must be taken at the darkest point of the survey to show the field of view and that appropriate illumination has been used. They suggest that the use of night vision aids can be used to reduce the number of surveyors but only if the cameras/lighting reliably match or exceed what a surveyor can achieve, with evidence provided. See the 4th edition for more information on use of this equipment!

BCT are planning a kick-off meeting for a working group to develop separate night vision aid guidelines (with much more detail) in the autumn (to include infrared and thermal imaging cameras) and therefore many aspects are still to be discussed and decided. We will also run a public consultation on night vision aids, to help us to understand current practice and expectations from new guidelines on this topic.


Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: Good Practice Guidelines is now available to pre-order from nhbs.com.