Bat Projects in Parks: Keweenaw Heritage Site

Summary

Protecting Bat Habitat of Keweenaw Heritage Sites

PI: Nick Clark, Valeire Newman

This funding was used to 1) seal a collapsed mine cap at Adventure Mine, a Keweenaw Heritage Site, to restore a critical hibernaculum. The park entered into an agreement with Adventure Mine who then partnered with Michigan DNR, Dr Allan Kurta, and contractors to achieve a suitable cap to restore habitat protection. 2) A large scale education and training workshop was developed to meet the needs of all 21 of our heritages sites and Isle Royale NP. In total these sites receive the bulk of the park's visitation, totally in the hundreds of thousands of visitors. Much of the site's staff had never had any training or education regarding the bats or habitats found on their properties. The Park's heritage sites (mines) are home to upwards of 250,000 bats. 3) Park staff created wayside exhibits that will be installed at five of the park heritage sites that host hibernacula.

NPS Photo