Specific programme: CEDR Transnational Road Research Programme. CEDR Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife - Cost-efficient Mitigation Strategies
UPV/EHU Partner Status: Beneficiary
UPV/EHU PI: Inazio Garin
Project start: 01/09/2014
Project end:   30/06/2016
 

Brief description:  Roads may have a negative impact on bat populations. Roads induce increased mortality rates in the populations due to collisions with road traffic. Roads may also impact bats indirectly by acting as barriers in the landscape or by reducing habitat suitability through noise and lighting pollution. Some bat species fly relatively close to the ground, forest edges or hedgerows, and may attempt to cross roads at low altitudes and experience a high collision risk. Bridges, elevated road stretches and roads near roosting sites may also pose a risk to other bat species which normally commute and hunt at higher altitudes.

The Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) has commissioned this project to evaluate bat mitigating strategies on roads in Europe and the evidence of effectiveness of the mitigation and compensation measures. The results of the project will benefit road and nature agencies and managers, bat researchers and consultants by provide better evidence for decision making on cost-effective methods to reduce the impact by roads on bats and improve the conservation status of bats.