Overview:

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There is limited consultation as to how solar farm developments may directly or indirectly affect bat ecology. This lack of information is recognised on an international and national scale, and makes the purpose of this project particularly relevant.  The aim of the project is to, where required, help advise appropriate mitigation for bats at solar farm sites in the UK.

 

This study is based across in the south-west of England, a prime location due to the combination of high bat diversity and abundance, as well as it being a hot spot for solar farm development.  This topic is being approached in three ways.  Firstly, a desk study to assess the location of solar farm developments within the ecological landscape, secondly by analysing bat abundance and diversity at solar farm sites using static detectors, and thirdly by analysing invertebrate abundance and diversity at solar farm sites.