BatLife Europe is an international non-governmental conservation organisation built from a partnership of national bat conservation organisations that are committed to promoting the conservation of all bat species and their habitats throughout Europe. We are registered as a charity in the Netherlands.
The founding partners of BatLife Europe are the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT), the Dutch Mammal Society (DMS), Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Romanian Bat Protection Association (RBPA), Stiftung Fledermaus and Société Française pour l' Étude et la Protection des Mammifères (SFEPM), and we are working to expand the partnership to include many more European organisations.
The founding trustees were responsible for setting up BatLife Europe and the current board recruit potential trustees for election by Partner Organisations.
History of BatLife Europe
History of BatLife Europe
The idea of BatLife Europe was first proposed by the IUCN Chiroptera
Specialist Group at the European Bat Research Symposium at Le Havre in
2002.
Then, at the 11th meeting of the EUROBATS Advisory Committee in Luxembourg in 2006, it was agreed that the work of the many European NGOs committed to bat conservation would be enhanced by trans-boundary communication and coordination.
The Bat Conservation Trust was invited to establish BatLife Europe and accepted.
Organisational Structure
Organisational Structure
BatLife Europe has a membership of partner conservation organisations, each representing and working in partnership with BatLife Europe in its own
territory.
A Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the strategic direction,
management and reporting progress. Trustees are unpaid and are elected at Partnership meetings.
Thank you to Tony Hutson, Peter Lina and Professor Paul Racey for all of the
work they put into the development of BatLife Europe.
Our Vision for working together
Our Vision for working together
The broad aim of BatLife Europe is to promote the conservation of all wild bat species and their habitats throughout Europe, for the benefit of the public. Initially we will rely on partners to establish projects and activities, until funds have been raised for projects with staff.
It is proposed that, in the longer term, BatLife Europe should:
Facilitate international communication and knowledge sharing
Identify European conservation priorities
Develop pan-European projects
Fundraise for international projects
Develop best practice guidelines
Assist in capacity building
Provide support and technical advice for EUROBATS initiatives
Co-ordinate action in relation to special threats
Collect / manage data
Assist national bodies in developing / implementing national conservation
plans / strategies
Give international status to national NGOs
Provide international support for national matters of concern
We welcome input from other organisations working in the sector who wish to be involved in the partnership. Please feel free to contact us.
Greater mouse eared bats in a Slovakian church (© P Briggs)
Arborists Training Course (© Bat Conservation Trust)