CONTEXT 180 : JUNE 2024 35 WHERE HERITAGE AND NATURE MEET DIANA EVANS, DAVID KNIGHT, SARAH ROBINSON, DIANA SPENCER, LISA WORLEDGE and KATE JONES Bats in churches There was a risk of congregations walking away from churches made unusable by bats, and of bats being prevented from accessing crucial habitat. What could be done? The 2019–2023 Bats in Churches project had its origins in decades of frustration, misinformation and distrust between the supporters of natural and built heritage environments. Bats and churches were both heavily reliant on the goodwill of volunteers to protect and care for them; the equally passionate volunteers all depended on professional expertise to keep their activities legal and each operated on shoestring budgets. Architects did not always understand the relevance of the Wildlife and Countryside Act when repairing church roofs and ecologists were not tuned in to the nuances of Faculty Jurisdiction. There was a real risk of congregations walking away from churches damaged or made unusable by bat colonies, and of bats being walled-in or prevented from accessing crucial habitat. Batpeople and church-people were equally outraged. Both felt nobody was listening. In a spirit of collaboration, Natural England, the Church of England, Historic England, the Bat Conservation Trust and the Churches Conservation Trust came together to respond to the situation. After several years of consultation and research, the Bats in Churches project was developed, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, project partners and grants. Bats in Churches identified over 100 churches where bats were making worship and community use of the building very challenging, historic fabric was being irreparably damaged and the morale of congregations was rapidly declining. Five key workstreams were selected: 1. Solving the conflict through practical listening, cleaning and capital works 2. Community engagement, bringing together congregations, bat enthusiasts, local people and wider audiences 3. Recruiting and training more bat volunteers Due to the large numbers of bats using St Lawrence in Radstone, services could no longer be held there. Following bat mitigation works, the church is back in use as a place of worship and community space. (Photo: Chris Damant, Bernwood Ecology) St Lawrence in Radstone before the bat mitigation works
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