We don’t tend to think of the capital as being a particularly green space. But there are many areas of park and woodland, some of it ancient. Today, most are important as homes to native wildlife species, some threatened or endangered. That is certainly true of Hainault Forest Country Park. Few protection laws are as specific or as intricate as those applying to bats. The forest located in East London is an important haven for the native flying rodents. What’s more, it’s just received over £4m worth of lottery money for bat conservation cash.
What Will the Bat Conservation Cash Be Used For?
Hainault Forest Country Park will use its £4m bat conservation cash as part of its ongoing work. The scheme will engage groups from across London and into Essex. The UK is home to 18 different species of bat; some 11 of these species live within the park. That’s a large number for such a small area and the management are proud of what the forest has already achieved. Most impressive, it was the place where specialists saw their first rare barbastelle bat 2017, unseen in the UK for over 50 years. The money will go towards restoring some of the forest to a more natural state, creating areas ideal for bat colonisation to promote their numbers.
Its a welcome move for those pushing to create wilder green spaces in urban developments. A large percentage of the bat conservation cash will set up training courses for you people, pushing them towards careers in conservation. The hands on experience will be vital to the future of the industry, and guide careers in conservation, horticulture, forestry and much more. Once again, money from your lottery tickets is benefiting the countryside and urban development in the UK. It’s also helping to protect some of our most treasured species.