Because of significant declines in bat populations throughout the country, it is important to ensure that remaining populations have healthy habitats to support their continued survival.  With financial support from a Community Engagement Grant, funded by the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change,  Millersville biology student Carter Farmer has been working with local citizen scientists to survey for bat species on Lancaster County Conservancy Preserves.

In this project, citizen science volunteers help monitor bat species using auditory detection equipment.  The purpose of this project is to develop and refine an active bat survey protocol for citizen scientists.  Ultimately, citizen science efforts can potentially help in identifying important bat sites and save biologists’ and agencies’ time and money, thus (hopefully) aiding in the conservation of these critical species.

Citizen science survey efforts have led to the identification of rare bat species on Lancaster County Conservancy Preserves, such as the Little Brown Bat and Tricolored bat.