The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has implemented measures to protect bats in certain state forests by limiting the cutting of dead trees.
The move was made to comply with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit issued to DCNR to address impacts to the federally endangered Indiana bat and the federally threatened northern long-eared bat, during forest management activities on state lands.
Standing dead trees along roads also provide important habitat for the Indiana and northern long-eared bats. They roost and rear their young in the cavities and loose bark of standing dead trees. The agency’s Bat Habitat Conservation Plan identified conservation measures to avoid and minimize impacts to bats through firewood cutting when it is most critical to do so.
“It is critical we work to protect bats because of their importance in maintaining a healthy ecosystem,” said State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger. “DCNR understands that firewood is an important source of fuel for locals. We are providing this guidance to help ensure those who rely on firewood are able to collect it without disturbing the habitats of these bats at critical times during their life cycles.”
Bats are vulnerable in April and at certain points throughout the year because they are still waking up or require dead trees as habitats to rear flightless young bats.
To protect the bats during critical points in their life cycles, firewood cutting and harvesting will be limited on designated roads in Bald Eagle, Buchanan, Elk, Forbes, Gallitzin, Loyalsock, Michaux, Moshannon, Pinchot, Rothrock, Sproul, Tiadaghton, Tioga Tuscarora, and William Penn state forests now through August 31.
Cutting also will be limited on designated roads in Bald Eagle, Pinchot, and Rothrock state forest districts between Sept. 1 through Nov. 1 and between April 1 and May 14, 2022.
Roads in these districts were chosen because they had the highest quality habitat for the bats that were vulnerable to firewood cutting. Timber sales in the vicinities of firewood closures are often contractually suspended during the same periods of closure.
The Bat Habitat Conservation Plan was prepared by DCNR and the Pennsylvania Game Commission and approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which identifies activities that may impact bats and presents avoidance strategies.
Lisa Williams, wildlife diversity division chief with the PGC’s Bureau of Wildlife Management, expressed support for the measure to limit the cutting of dead trees on state land.
“Many of Pennsylvania’s bats have suffered catastrophic population losses from White Nose Syndrome. The PGC supports prudent measures that limit further losses in hard-hit populations like the Indiana bat, a species that uses trees for their summer maternity colonies,” she said.
The state legislature is also considering action to protect bats. State Rep. Kristine Howard, D-Chester County, introduced a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the current status of bat species in the state, along with management and conservation efforts that have been undertaken to protect and bolster populations. If approved, the committee will issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly. The measure was referred to the House Game and Fisheries Committee on July 30.
Bats are essential in managing insect pests and contribute to forest health. In Pennsylvania, bats can consume up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in an hour.
White nose syndrome, a fungal disease that appeared in bats and causes the animals to come out of hibernation prematurely, has caused populations of the eastern small footed-bat, little brown bat, northern long-eared bat, and tri-colored bat to decrease by an estimated 99%.
- This story originally appeared in PA Outdoor News
