Underground Wonders: The Importance of Caves and Karst in Bat Conservation

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The year 2021 has been declared the International Year of Caves and Karst, designed to promote and celebrate the importance of caves and the karst topography that creates so many of the world’s fascinating cave systems. Although often located within the earth, hidden from sight, these distinctive land features benefit not only the world’s bat population, but also other wildlife and humans.  

In this webinar, bat experts and advocates will take the audience deep into some of these other-worldly landscapes and discuss why caves and karst formations must be protected. The panel will highlight the most pressing threats that bats face and explain how anyone can help make a bat-friendly community, above and below the ground, during this year’s Bat Week (October 24-31) and beyond.  

What you’ll learn:  

  • Why wildlife, including bats, depend on subterranean habitats for survival, and how cave ecosystems benefit humans (such as providing water) 
  • How to protect bat caves and how to enhance bat habitat above the ground, whether in a backyard, corporate landscape or community park 

Who should take this webinar:  

  • Corporate teams who wish to protect on-site cave or karst features, or other forms of bat habitat 
  • Anyone interested in learning about bats or planning a Bat Week event 
  • Agencies, NGOs and other partners interested in managing lands for bats or implementing bat education 

Presenters:  

  • Limaris (Lima) Soto, Caves and Karst Program Lead/USFS GeoCorps America Program Coordinator, US Forest Service, Minerals and Geology Management, Washington Office  
  • Mylea Bayless, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, Bat Conservation International; member of Bat Week committee 
  • Bat Week panel — representatives will be available to answer questions on bat biology, certification of bat projects, bat-related resources and education opportunities for Bat Week 
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