Search is on for Brodick bats and wildflowers

A team of conservation experts will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Brodick Castle on Arran in search of bats on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 June.

A team of conservation experts will visit the National Trust for Scotland’s Brodick Castle on Arran in search of bats on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 June.

Rangers and volunteers will search the castle’s attic for a roost of brown long-eared bats which are known to reside there. The conservation charity is checking on the location of the bats before important fire prevention work can be carried out at the 800 year old castle.

Mr Lindsay Mackinlay, Nature Adviser at the Trust said:

“Bats and their roosts are legally protected so we need to be very sure we know exactly where the bats are before any work can commence. We hope to conserve the bats and make the castle safer from fire risk at the same time. It will also be interesting to see how the population is faring. Bats did seem to be in decline for a few years, but we are seeing some signs of recovery.”

The team will also carry out wildflower monitoring in Brodick Castle and Country Park’s Merkland Wood. It is hoped that native wildflower species will be re-established in the wood following extensive clearance of Rhododendron ponticum which has taken place over the last few years.

Rhododendron is an invasive non-native species which spreads so successfully that it crowds out native plant species making plants like violets, wood sorrel and bugle increasingly rare sights in many of Scotland’s western woodlands, where Rhododendron is at its worst. Conservation staff from the charity are hoping to see signs that once common woodland plants are taking hold in the woodland once again.

National Trust for Scotland senior ranger Kate Sampson said:

“We have invested a great deal of time and money in ‘rhodie bashing’ at Brodick, trying to reclaim large areas from the rhododendron which just spreads and spreads. We are very much hoping to see some of our native wildflowers breaking through the forest floor again. These are species which are not just important in their own right, but also act as a food source for the bumblebees and other insects. Hopefully by restoring the wild plants in Merkland Wood, we will enrich the habitat for a whole range of native insects and other animals.”

Brodick Castle and Country Park is one of Scotland’s foremost destinations for plant, bird and animal life. The ranger team runs a series of events for all ages designed to encourage visitors to explore the wonderful nature of Arran. Forthcoming events include:

Summer Wildflowers
Thu 9 July 2009, 14.00 – 15.30
A walk around woodlands and wildflower meadows to learn more about our native wildflowers. What’s that flower? Want to know more about the properties of yellow rattle? Join the rangers on this walk to discover some more about our native wildflowers and even how to create your own wildflower meadow back home. Free with entrance, meet Brodick Castle Reception Centre.

Seals and Shore
Thu 16 July, 14.00 – 15.30
Come with us to see the Kildonan seals at close quarters and find out about the creatures of the seashore along the way. Easy walking. Meet at Kildonan Village Hall

Wildlife Detectives
Thu 30 July, 14.00 – 15.30
Discover the secret world of the naturalist. Who did that? Was it a red squirrel or a field vole? A closer look at tracks and trails and other signs of wildlife around Brodick Country Park. Suitable for 7-11 years olds.

For more information and booking, contact 0844 493 2154.