Greece creates 5,000 artificial bat shelters

A plan for the protection of bats, but also of crops from harmful insects that threaten production is being prepared by the Organization for Natural Environment and Climate Change (OFYPEKA), a body supervised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. In particular, the action includes the supply and installation of 5,000 artificial shelters for bats, which will be placed in lowland rural areas of the country with priority in places where there are no trees or other suitable places that can be used by bats as shelters. The action, which will be implemented by OFYPEKA, has a budget of 2,250,000 euros, a budget that will come from the operational program "Transport Infrastructure, Environment and Sustainable Development" (OP-YMEPERAA 2021-2027).

Bats are the most important regulators of nocturnal insect populations — many of which are harmful to crops or even humans — and the creation of shelters on farmland is expected to increase their use as feeding grounds. Thus the different types of bats will act for the benefit of the farmers as they will consume insects harmful to agriculture. In the second year this action is expected to lead to a reduction in the use of insecticides and pesticides and the conversion of conventional fields to organic farming.

Panagiotis Georgiakakis

At the same time, OFYPEKA is promoting a second action for the protection of caves and consequently bats, with a budget of 1,000,000 euros. It is based on the framework of priority actions for the NATURA 2000 network in Greece of the LIFE project - IP-4-NATURA- and the Action Plan for the bat caves prepared by the LIFE GRECABAT project and will include the installation of a new or replacement of the existing fencing in 50 caves of the country, which are considered important...