Save Ohio’s bats, don’t cut down trees, state advises | News, Sports, Jobs

State officials urge Ohioans to not cut down trees through October in an effort to save the state’s endangered bats.

If you want to cut down a tree, April to October is probably the wrong time to do so.

That is according to Sarah Stankavich, bat survey coordinator with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Various endangered species of bats are using trees to nest during that time, she said. Cutting down trees could be detrimental to the already dwindling species that calls Ohio home.

Four species — the tri-colored bat, the little brown bat, the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat — are on the state’s endangered list. The northern long-eared also is on the federal endangered list.

From April 1 until Oct. 1, ODNR encourages that trees not be chopped because it not only removes the bats’ habitat, but it could kill bats sleeping in the trees. If a tree is cut and bats are killed, ODNR can go after those in violation, Stankavich said.

“If someone cuts down a tree and harms these species, we could pursue restitution charges against that person. It’s kind of ‘cut at your own risk,’” she said.

Stankavich said 10 species of bats are found in Ohio. She noted all are in some way on the state endangered list, but the four mentioned take precedent to an extent.

“Harming any of the species could still lead to restitution charges, but doing your due diligence before cutting down trees is more favorable if something were to happen,” Stankavich said.

When it comes to picking a home, bats tend to look at trees that have loose pieces of bark.

“It’s more about the structure of the trees. Any old or dying trees with peeling bark or small openings are most likely to house the bats,” Stankavich said.

“One way to tell if you have bats roosting in a tree you want to cut down is to observe the tree around dusk or 15 minutes before sunset to see if any bats fly around the tree,” she said. “If there are none, you can cut the tree down, preferably within 24 hours because bats move around each night. Because they move frequently, new bats could have already called that tree home.”

Davey Tree Expert Co., headquartered in nearby Kent, has operations throughout North America and is an industry leader in arboriculture, horticulture and environmental services, according to its website. It also knows about the guidelines set by ODNR and strives to abide by them, an official there said.

“Davey Tree is aware of the issues and regulations around the various bat species, and our crews follow the pertinent guidelines for trying to protect the bats,” Jim Zwack, vice president and general manager of The Davey Institute, said. “We help protect the habitats of the bats because we understand the myriad benefits that they provide.”

A good majority of bats already are at risk due to a fungus that was introduced to the United States from Europe in 2006. Since 2006, anywhere from 6 million to 10 million bats have died due to the disease called white-nose syndrome, caused by the fungus.

While the fungus typically affects species found in caves, Stankavich explained the fungus hits the bats when they hibernate.

“The fungus thrives in cold weather,” Stankavich said. “In the winter, the bats’ body temperature decreases so much the fungus can grow on the bats themselves.”

[email protected]