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Bats - methodology for environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessment
Bats — methodology for environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessment [PDF]

Why was this Manual written?
— To render in a systematic way the contemporary knowledge on bats in Bulgaria and specify the methods and periods of their study;
— To preserve bats in the regions with intensive landscape changes and more specifically in the zones of direct conflict;
— To assist experts involved with environmental impact assessments, environmental needs assessments and conformability assessments so that their reports propose applicable measures for decrease of negative impacts;
— To assist the different units of the Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Waters (RIEW) in the assessment of the quality of submitted reports on bat conservation;
— For assignors to come up with solutions on how to reduce the impact on bats in the conflict zones;
— To facilitate the practical implementation of a number of laws in Bulgaria which deal with the conservation of endangered species.

For whom was this Manual written?
— Experts of the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MEW), RIEW and the Executive Environmental Agency;
— Assignors and experts involved with environmental impact assessments, compatibility and environmental needs assessments;
— Experts from the NGO sector and everyone concerned with this topic.
Monitoring of breeding bat colonies in Bulgaria
Monitoring of breeding bat colonies in Bulgaria [JPG in Bulgarian]

Bat Research and Conservation Centre (BRCC)



Why BRCC was founded?


Biodiversity Conservation. Bulgaria has a uniquely high diversity of bats. Out of the 35 species established in Europe, 33 species are known to inhabit Bulgaria. All bats are strictly protected under the Bulgarian and the international legislation.
Implementation of plans and projects with national importance. Bats and their habitats are amongst the top priorities within the The National Biodiversity Action Plan (2005—2010) and the National Biodiversity Monitoring System.
Ecological Eurointegration and Partnership. In 1999 Bulgaria acceded The Agreement on the Conservationa of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS) and other international nature protection conventions, which requires effective implementation of the relevant recommendations and resolutions.
Conservation of the Bulgarian Natural Heritage. Bulgaria is one of the last refuges of populations of bat species, which are already threatened by extinction in the West European part of their ranges. That is why our responsibilities and importance for their protection are undoubted.

The mission of BRCC


BRCC was founded to study the distribution and biology of bats in Bulgaria, to promote their importance and to develop plans and strategies for protection and management of their important habitats.

Activities


Research
Organisation, coordination and participation in research projects on distribution and biology of bats.
Implementation of new and modern methods for bat’s study and protection in Bulgaria.
Coordination of the bat ringing in Bulgaria and maintenance of a data base.

Conservation
Development and implementation of a strategy for long-term national monitoring of the important bat roosts and habitats.
Regular monitoring of important underground bat roosts, forests and wetlands within the scope of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System.
Identifying of important bat sites and submitting proposals for establishment of new protected territories.
Developments of Action plans for threatened bat species.
Participation in the preparation of the Management Plans of Protected Areas.
Conservation measures (SOS BATLINE and others) and advice to people and organisations for solving of practical issues, which involve bats.

Information
Development and maintenance of an information database for the bat species, their distribution and conservation status in Bulgaria, including data for the important roosts/habitats, population size and dynamics, etc.
Maintenance of a library on the bat’s research methods, conservation projects, impact assessments, etc.
Bats in brief [DOC]

Education
Coordination and organisation of the European Bat Nights in Bulgaria. [XII European Bat Night in Sofia Zoo 2008 DOC; XIII European Bat Night 2009]
Training of students: presentations and practical courses.
Editing and publishing of information materials.
Collaboration and partnership with relevant organisations and institutions.

Consultancy and legal advice
Expert advice to people and organisations in cases of bats dwelling in houses, offices, storage rooms and other potential roosts.
Participation in the preparation of statements on Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessments reports. [Bats — methodology for environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessment PDF]
Increasing the capacity and training of the experts working in the Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Waters and the national park’s administrations in bat conservation issues.

International collaboration
Exchange of information and experience on species, roosts and bat habitats with regard to their conservation and monitoring on international level.
Participation and organisation of national and international meetings on bat research and conservation.
Assistance to foreign bat workers and teams for field research in Bulgaria.

The BRCC team


Sen. Assist. Dr Violeta Zhelyazkova — NMNHS-BAS
Assist. Nia Toshkova — NMNHS-BAS
Antoniya Hubancheva — Associate, PhD student at IBER-BAS
Stoyan Goranov — Associate
Stanimira Deleva — Associate
Dr Teodora Ivanova — founder of the BRCC
Dr Antoaneta Georgieva — physician, active volunteer

Projects carried out by experts from the Bat Research and Conservation Centre (2004—2011)

Monitoring of breeding bat colonies in Bulgaria — EEA, MEW (2010) [PDF] (In Bulgarian)

Report on the implementation of the EUROBATS Agreement in Bulgaria (September 2003 — December 2009). — Agreement of the Conservation of Populations of Europeans Bats, MEW, Sofia. MEW (2010) [PDF]

Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Osogovska Planina Mountain — Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation — 2008—2009 [PDF]

Research on bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the region of Madan municipality, Western Rhodopes Mt. — Association of Bulgarian Parks — 2008—2009 [PDF]

Survey on breeding colonies of cave dwelling bats in the Rhodope Region — UNDP Rhodope Project — 2008—2009

Bats and environmental impact assessment: tools for implementation of the European Habitat Directive and EUROBATS agreement in Bulgaria and Romania — Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality c/o BBI MATRA — 2007—2008

Guide for the assessement of the favourable conservation status of the NATURA 2000 species and natural habitats in Bulgaria — Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, Balkani Wildlife Society, BBI/MATRA — 2007—2008

Undeground world of the Rhodopes Mountain — UNDP Rhodope Project — 2007

Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Maglenik Ridge, Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria — Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation — 2007

Developing of Guidelines for management planning of Natura 2000 forest sites and pilot test in Lomovete and Shumensko Plato — Association of Bulgarian Parks — 2007

Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Natural Park ‘Vrachanski Balkan’ — Agrolespoject — 2006—2008

Ecology, behaviour and population genetics of the forest living Bechstein’s bat (Myotis bechsteinii) in two glacial refuges: South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus — Swiss National Science Foundation c/o SCOPES Program — 2006—2008 [PDF]

Population structure and ecology of the endangered forest-living Bechstein’s bat in its glacial refuge, the Bulgarian-Turkish Strandja Mountains — National Geographic — 2006—2007 [PDF]

Research on the fauna in the area of Uzana Resort, Natural Park ‘Balgarka’ — Department of the NP ‘Balgarka’ — 2006—2007

Research of caves and bats in four karst regions in the Western and Eastern Rhodopes Mt. — UNDP Rhodope Project — 2006

Research of caves and bats in three karst regions in the Western Rhodopes Mt. — UNDP Rhodope Project — 2005

Bats (Chiroptera) of Ponor Mountain — GEF, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds — 2005

Development and implementation of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System — part Bats — Ministry of Environment and Waters/Executive Environmental Agency — 2004—2009

Bats and bat-caves — new edition of the Red Data Book of Bulgaria — Ministry of Environment and Waters — 2004—2007