Northern Arizona is home to at least 20 species of batsor two-thirds of the bat species found in the state (Cockburn 1960, Hinman and Snow 2003). Only a couple of these species live exclusively in ponderosa pine forests while the rest inhabit a variety of ecosystem types from desert scrub to pinyon-juniper to ponderosa pine-Gambel oak and mixed conifer (Arizona Game and Fish Department 1996, Hinman and Snow 2003). Bats are an important part of the forest ecology of northern Arizona because they prey on insects such as midges, moths, beetles, flies, mosquitoes, termites, and ants. They typically roost in the cavities of live trees and snags, under loose tree bark, in tree stumps and logs, in rock crevices, or in caves. As the new era of ecologically restoring forest ecosystems in the Southwest moves from experiments to full implementation, the question arises:What effects will restoration treatments have on forest wildlife, including often forgotten or poorly understood animal groups, such as bats? Thinning, for instance, might remove snags where bats roost, and burning could inadvertently destroy or alter such roosting sites.While its true that fire will create new snags, given the present forest conditions, they will be younger, smaller-diameter snags that are more susceptible to fire, and not the 27-inch-plus-diameter snags bats most often use. In this working paper, we look at research and studies that provide some recommendations about ways to maintain bat habitat while restoring forest tree health and vitality.

Although bats are often thought of as cave dwellers, many species depend on forests for all or part of the year. Of the 45 species of bats in North America, more than half depend on forests, using the bark of trees, tree cavities, or canopy foliage as roosting sites. Over the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that bat conservation and management are strongly linked to the health of forests within their range. Initially driven by concern for endangered species—the Indiana bat, for example—forest ecologists, timber managers, government agencies, and conservation organizations have been altering management plans and silvicultural practices to better accommodate bat species. Bats in Forests presents the work of a variety of experts who address many aspects of the ecology and conservation of bats. The chapter authors describe bat behavior, including the selection of roosts, foraging patterns, and seasonal migration as they relate to forests. They also discuss forest management and its influence on bat habitat. Both public lands and privately owned forests are considered, as well as techniques for monitoring bat populations and activity. The important role bats play in the ecology of forests—from control of insects to nutrient recycling—is revealed by a number of authors. Bat ecologists, bat conservationists, forest ecologists, and forest managers will find in this book an indispensable synthesis of the topics that concern them.

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is widespread throughout western North America and is a significant concern for land managers conducting restoration treatments in southwestern ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper forests. It is common on a few restoration treatment areas in northern Arizona, on severely burned mature/old growth pinyon-juniper sites at Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado (Floyd et al. 2006), throughout wildfire areas in Zion National Park in southern Utah (U.S. National Park Service 2007), and on areas consumed by wildfire in northern Arizona (Sieg et al. 2003). There is concern that cheatgrass populations may expand further with an increase in the scale and frequency of restoration treatments in southwestern ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper ecosystems.

This book focuses on central themes related to the conservation of bats. It details their response to land-use change and management practices, intensified urbanization and roost disturbance and loss. Increasing interactions between humans and bats as a result of hunting, disease relationships, occupation of human dwellings, and conflict over fruit crops are explored in depth. Finally, contributors highlight the roles that taxonomy, conservation networks and conservation psychology have to play in conserving this imperilled but vital taxon. With over 1300 species, bats are the second largest order of mammals, yet as the Anthropocene dawns, bat populations around the world are in decline. Greater understanding of the anthropogenic drivers of this decline and exploration of possible mitigation measures are urgently needed if we are to retain global bat diversity in the coming decades. This book brings together teams of international experts to provide a global review of current understanding and recommend directions for future research and mitigation.

Bringing together leading scientists and professionals in tropical forest ecology and management, this book examines in detail the interplay between timber harvesting and wildlife, from invertebrates to large mammal species. Its contributors suggest modifications to existing practices that can ensure a better future for the tropics' valuable--and invaluable--resources.