Join us on our Bat Ecology 1-day Short Course to gain a foundation to bat biology, ecology and conservation on Saturday 1st July with Just Mammals!

Designed for those new to bats and wanting to develop a broader understanding of the species we have here in the UK, their ecology and lifestyle, the threats they face and the conservation actions being taken to protect them. 

This course is split into two sessions:

Day Session from 9.30am - 3pm

Evening Session from 9pm - 11pm

You can book for both sessions, or just one!

What will I do and learn?

Day Session: 

• gain a general overview of bat ecology
• learn how bats use buildings and trees
• discover their roosting habits
• learn about the different species in the UK, and locally common species to Wales and Talgarth
• look at the threats to bats 
• find out ways to encourage them to roost
• finish the session with a practical task, assessing the suitability of buildings on site to support bats, as well as inspecting crevices within trees and buildings, assessing these and (where appropriate) searching for live bats, amongst other activities.

Evening Session: 

Rejoin us later that evening at sundown (9pm) to join a walk led by an experienced ecologist with a number of bat detectors. 

• learn how to use the equipment 
• understand the ecologists’ interpretation of the bats heard in real time
• see the bats flying for yourself!
• hear their echolocation calls

Key Information

Date: Saturday 1st July 2023 from 9.30am – 3pm, and then rejoin us (optional) at 9pm for a practical bat detection session!

Location - meet at Talgarth Car Park, LD3 0PQ. Our campus is a car free site, and we encourage participants to meet at 9.30am at Talgarth carpark to walk up to the campus ready to start the course for 10.30am. This is a moderate uphill walk of 35-40 minutes. If you are unable to do so we will organise lift-shares from the Car Park. You will be able to drive to the evening session!

What you need - you should wear suitable, weather-dependent PPE including good, sturdy boots for walking (it may be muddy!). Please bring a water bottle. Tea and coffee provided. Please bring a packed lunch! 

Who will I learn from? 

Grace Dooley (course leader)

Grace is a Senior Ecologist with Just Mammals Limited and has worked in the ecology sector since 2013. She has experience in surveying for habitats, bats, great crested newts, reptiles, birds, dormice, otter and badger and has experience in project management on a variety of scales.

Grace holds survey licences for great crested newt in Wales and England, and a survey licence for bats in Wales including handling and the use of a hand net. She has previously held EPS development licences for a variety of construction projects where bats were found to be present, which facilitates the development’s progression while maintaining the bats’ use of the site.

Phoebe Williams (assistant)

Phoebe is an Ecologist with Just Mammals Limited and has recently completed her MSc in Wildlife and Conservation Management at the University of South Wales. 

She has practical experience with bats and habitat surveys, mammalian and reptile surveys. Prior to Just Mammals Phoebe volunteered for over three years with Gwent Wildlife Trust, carrying out practical conservation management tasks. Phoebe has a great crested newt licence for Wales. 

How much does it cost?

Day Session Price - £50, £40, or £30 (pay what you can)

Evening Session Price - £15

To attend both sessions - £60, £50, or £40 (pay what you can)

We would like our short courses to be as accessible as possible cost-wise, whilst ensuring we are still able to cover material and teaching costs. We, therefore, ask you to pay what you can towards this event based on our tiered system. 

We have tickets available for the DAY session at £30 (support rate), £40 (actual cost) and £50 (pay it forward).

We have tickets available for BOTH sessions at £40 (support rate), £50 (actual cost), and £60 (pay it forward).

Consider contributing more on the scale if you:

• have the ability to comfortably meet all of your basic needs
• have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
• travel recreationally
• own the home you live in
• have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.)

Consider contributing less on the scale if you:

• have difficulty covering basic expenses
• are supporting children or have other dependents
  
• are an elder with limited financial support 
  
• have unstable housing and/or limited access to reliable transportation
  

If you select an amount at the higher end of the scale, you will make possible future offerings. Thank you!

We have 5 free tickets available to those who may be unable to pay for the course, or who may be only able to offer a lower amount. If you are unable to pay for the course and would like to be considered for a free or subsidised place, then please complete this form. You will be contacted by a member of our team 2-4 weeks prior to the course starting. 

Tickets are non-refundable. Depending on the uptake of the course we hold the right to cancel it, in which case you will be refunded.

Please note that spaces on this course are limited. We operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Accessibility

This course is rated as 2 (some access) on our scale of accessibility. Read more about our accessibility policy here.

Please see our booking terms & conditions upon checkout for more information.

We will follow the most recent COVID measures and protocols in order to keep everyone safe and healthy for the duration of the course.