Numbers of horseshoe bats in the UK have seen a steep decline over the past 30 years and the species is facing extinction in some parts of the country.

To address this problem in the southwest, Bath and North East Somerset Council trained 50 volunteers to identify and monitor populations, and to increase the number of places locally where the bats could thrive. These bat wardens carried out hands-on conservation work, for example working with farmers and other landowners to protect vital hedgerows and woodland edges.

Education was an important part of the project and the volunteers ran a range of free public events such as bat walks. The wardens delivered sessions for 15 classes of school pupils and workshops with the Freeways Group, an organisation for adults with learning disabilities in Bristol.

The team worked in collaboration with the RNIB to offer nighttime bat trails with audio guide CDs and bat detectors with information in Braille. Volunteers also made changes to a woodland nature reserve so that it could be accessed and enjoyed by wheelchair users.

The work of the bat wardens resulted in a marked increase in the region’s horseshoe bat population. Local communities are now much more aware of how they can help support bat populations. The volunteers themselves developed a wide range of skills.

Watch the project's video on YouTube to learn more about the work of the volunteer bat wardens.