CFRU to Host Webinar on Considering Bats in Forest Management

Join Dr. Erik Blomberg, Michael Thompson, and Wende Mahaney to learn more about federal- and state-listed bat species in Maine commercial forests, and how to consider them when managing your forests.

This webinar will begin with an overview by Dr. Erik Blomberg (University of Maine) of the ecology of tri-colored bats and their status as a species that has been recently petitioned for listing through the Endangered Species Act. Dr. Blomberg will also discuss a previous CFRU-funded project on the ecology of northern long-eared bats in Maine commercial forests.

After this talk, adjunct faculty member Michael Thompson (University of Maine School of Forest Resources), will speak on the role of forest certification in bat conservation. Landowners in Maine who are certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative or the Forest Stewardship Council must consider the impact of forest management on wildlife, including bats, with additional emphasis placed on conserving habitats for rare, threatened, and endangered species. This brief presentation will cover the obligations of certified landowners regarding conserving important wildlife habitats with more specific details regarding what to expect concerning bats during annual certification audits.

There will be time for questions following their presentations.

Wende Mahaney of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maine Field Office expert on bats, will introduce herself and be available to address questions as well.

This webinar will be held on November 14th, 2018 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.mEST using Zoom web conferencing software. This webinar is open to the public.

This webinar is pending approval for 1 Category 1 CFE credit from the Society of American Foresters.

For more information, click here.