Chance to witness the wonders of bats
Posted on 15 August 2011
The events in the Fitzwilliam and Upton County Parks near Hemsworth are free and open to all and will be led by members of the West Yorkshire Bat Group and University of York postgraduate researcher Kevin Rich.
Taking place on 22 and 24 August, the walks are being held on behalf of the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) which encourages people to get outdoors and discover nature.
Using electronic ultrasound detectors participants will be able to experience the hidden voices of the night.
Kevin Rich, who is based in the University’s Stockholm Environment Institute, said: “Fitzwilliam and Upton Country Parks are both former colliery sites which have been regenerated into wonderful nature reserves. The two bat walks are a chance to discover the aerobatic and sonic wonders of the night and will provide an opportunity to witness some amazing aerial antics.
“Bats are very misunderstood creatures, surrounded by myth. They are certainly not flying rats, being more closely related to humans than rodents and as they use sound to navigate, they do not get stuck in your hair as some tales suggest!”
The two bat walks are a chance to discover the aerobatic and sonic wonders of the night.
Kevin Rich,
Stockholm Environment Institute
The 17 bat species account for nearly a quarter of all UK native mammal species and are protected by law from deliberate harm or disturbance. The survival of many bat species is under threat due to roost destruction and a reduction in the number of insects caused by pollution. A single pipistrelle – one of the most common and smallest bat species in the UK – is thought to consume up to 3,000 insects every night.
OPAL is a five-year programme, led by Imperial College London, with 15 partners, including universities and other institutions across England. Supported by The Big Lottery Fund, it is bringing scientists and the public closer together to explore environmental issues that have both local and global relevance.
The Stockholm Environment Institute, part of the Environment Department at the University of York, runs OPAL projects with communities across Yorkshire and the Humber.
The walks will take place at Upton Country Park on 22 August and at Fitzwilliam Country Park on 24 August, both at 7:45pm. Booking is essential. Please contact Kevin Rich at opalproject@york.ac.uk or phone 01904 324577.
Notes to editors:
- Fitzwilliam Country Park is on the site of the former Hemsworth Colliery. For more information visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk/attractions/thedms.aspx?dms=13&venue=2191310
- Upton Country Park is a former colliery site which is now mainly open grassland with several ponds and an area of woodland. For further information visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk/attractions/thedms.aspx?dms=13&venue=2191299
- Open Air Laboratories (OPAL), led by Imperial College London, (www.imperial.ac.uk), is a nationwide partnership initiative that inspires communities to discover, enjoy and protect their local environments. It aims to create a new generation of nature-lovers by stimulating interest through local and national projects which are accessible, fun and relevant to anyone who wants to take part. For more information, please visit www.OPALexplorenature.org
- The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been providing grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006. Full details of the work of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
- The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme was launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments. The programme funds a range of activities from local food schemes and farmers markets, to education projects teaching people about the environment. Imperial College London was awarded a £11,760,783 Changing Spaces grant for OPAL in August 2007.
- More information on the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York is available at www.york.ac.uk/sei
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