Plans are well on the way for a Bat Reserve at the National Trust for Scotland's Threave Estate, near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway. This is exciting news for the Trust as we believe it will be the first reserve especially for bats in Scotland!

The Threave Estate is special because at least 7 of Scotland's bat species can be found there, more than any other place in Scotland. We are also confident that more species will be found in coming years.

From summer 2010, visitors to the Threave Bat Reserve will be able learn all about bats by stepping into the Bat Mobile - our interactive bat information zone. You will also be able to follow a ‘bat trail' around the estate which will take you through a variety of bat habitats. If you visit at dusk you'll even get the chance to witness bats in flight. Ever used a ‘bat detector'? We'll show you how so that you'll be able to hear the bats as they pass by!

Whilst at Threave, you can also visit the internationally important Threave Nature Reserve, Threave Castle, Threave Gardens or simply enjoy some good food at the restaurant.

Threave Bat Reserve will open in summer 2010, we look forward to welcoming you there.

The Threave Bat Reserve project is supported by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Click here to find out more about Threave Estate.

In the summer of 2006, the Trust carried out a thorough week-long bat survey throughout the Threave Estate.

From this, and subsequent follow up surveys, we can confirm that 7 species of bat can be found within the Threave Estate. These are Bandit pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Daubenton's, Brown long-eared, Noctule, Natterer's and Whiskered – this last species is very rare in Scotland.

Threave provides a wide variety of habitats perfect for bats, including the River Dee, woodland and Threave Gardens. Bat roosts at Threave have been found in all sorts of buildings from the largest house to the smallest shed! Roosts are under tiles, in potting sheds, in attics, in stonework crevices and even old sacks.

Tree roosts have also been identified, which are currently used by Noctule bats. Threave is a great place to see Daubenton's bats, which favour feeding over still pools on the River Dee.

If you want to know more about the Threave Bat Project of 2006, click here.

The Trust carries out a variety of bat work throughout Scotland. As Scotland's leading conservation charity, we take bat conservation seriously and work hard to protect their roosts and their environment.

Our skilled and experienced staff count and monitor bats and do all we can to maintain habitats in which these amazing creatures can thrive. This includes restoring hedgerows and wetlands as well as retaining gaps in castle walls to allow bats to return after the completion of restoration work.

Establishing accurate records of bat presence at Trust properties forms a vital part of planning for essential building and tree maintenance work. It is against the law to disturb a bat roost or bats themselves, but through good planning, having a bat roost does not usually cause many problems.

Surveying all 130 Trust properties for bats is an enormous on-going task. In recent years much progress has been made, with over 180 surveys carried out. In 2008 the Trust successfully completed a project to survey 17 properties in the Central Belt with follow-up work carried out in 2009. Surveys of all Trust properties will be completed by the end of 2013.

Click here for a copy of the Trust's Bat Conservation Action Plan 2009-2013 or contact lmackinlay@nts.org.uk.

An exciting development for 2010 onwards will allow a bat researcher to study bats at Threave. Echoes Ecology Ltd, a specialist bat consultancy who hold bat training courses at Threave, have very kindly agreed to sponsor the successful applicant with an annual grant of between £500-£1,000.

The grant is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as private researchers.

Free accommodation will be provided by the Trust at Threave. Please note the successful applicant will also be expected to sometimes help with the day to day management of the Bat Reserve!

Please send your research proposals to Lindsay Mackinlay, Nature Conservation Adviser for the National Trust for Scotland, who will also be happy to discuss any proposals over the phone. Email lmackinlay@nts.org.uk or phone 0844 493 2454. Proposals will be assessed by the Trust and Echoes Ecology Ltd.

Closing date for research proposals is Friday 26 February 2010.

Echoes Ecology are also running 2 training events at Threave during 2010.

Bat Ecology, Surveying Techniques & Survey Guidelines - Tues 18th to Fri 21st May 2010

Bat Echolocation, Detectors & Sound Analysis Software - Tues 7th to Thurs 9th Sept 2010

For more information or application forms for the courses, please click here.

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