On the the afternoon of Sunday the 13th March 2011 Waikato Area Office will be hosting a bat monitoring training day. I would like to extend an invitation to members of conservation related community groups from the Waikato Area.
Waikato Area Office have utilised funding from Meridian Energy to purchase 10 Automatic Bat Monitors (ABM's) which will be available for use by community groups across the Waikato following this training day. It is hoped that with the appropriate training and tools your group will be able to detect and monitor bat activity at sites across the Waikato.
We have been very fortunate to secure Dr Stuart Parsons, bat expert and senior lecturer in ecology at Auckland University. Dr Parsons will hold a lecture session at the Pirongia Forest Park Lodge where he will cover aspects of bat ecology, there will be a particular focus on monitoring and detection of long tailed bats. Following the talk and Q&A session we will break for a light snack and then head out to the Forest Park and surrounds where Dr Parsons shall demonstrate the use of the different detection methods in the field.
It is hoped interested community group members might attend the training day and in turn train other members of their relevant groups, as numbers attending the training day will have to be limited. I therefore seek expressions of interest from your groups as soon as possible please. We expect only 3-5 volunteers per group can be accommodated.
Below is an approximate timetable for the day, though please note this is subject to change.
If you have any questions/suggestions or wish to discuss further please feel free to call or email.
Kind regards,
Michelle Lewis
Ranger- RMA/Concessions
Waikato Area Office
PH- 07 8508597
VPN 6112
Bat Monitoring Training Day:
Time: 3.30pm-9pm approximately
Venue: Grey's Road Forest Park Lodge
Timetable:
3.30- Lecture session and overview of detection equipment with Dr Stuart Parsons commences
6.15- Snacks and refreshments
7.00- Pirongia Forest Park commence bat detection.
9.00- End.
