The Northern Long-Eared Bat is Now an Endangered Species

THE NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT

IS NOW AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

Read how this affects your upcoming projects.

THIS STATUS CHANGE WILL LIKELY ADD TIMING DELAYS TO ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT MAY IMPACT THE NLEB.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

V3 routinely consults with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to ensure we are following the latest Federal, state and local agency requirements involving any listed threated or endangered species. As of March 31, 2023, the Northern Long-eared Bat (NLEB) was re-classified from threatened to endangered, which will now require additional research, investigation, and agency coordination to ensure that projects will not jeopardize continued NLEB existence.

ACTIONS INCLUDE

CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE, OPERATION, AND/OR REMOVAL OF: Roads & trails, Communication towers, Transmission & utility lines, Bridges & culverts, Oil & gas pipelines, Solar power facilities, Hydroelectric facilities/dams, Canals, levees, or dikes

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING TREE CLEARING

COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, & RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

HABITAT RESTORATION & ENHANCEMENT

IMPACTS TO WETLAND OR WATERBODIES

How this may impact you :

Tree removal is most often the first step in project work, but more severe tree restrictions will likely cause timeline delays. Our team will need to perform additional research and investigatory steps in order to secure proper permitting, meaning more time will be added to your overall scope.

The USFWS has determined a shortened construction window in alignment with the NLEB’s hibernation schedule. Our goal is to keep your project moving forward as efficiently as possible; we recommend planning ahead to minimize delays and stay within regulations. As your partner, we will oversee the process and keep you up to date on any changes.

It is not advisable to conduct any tree clearing work between April 1 – September 30 unless you have sign-off from IDNR and USFWS that bats are not likely to occur in the area or will not be affected.

V3 can help coordinate this on your behalf. Additionally, any tree clearing of 10 acres or more is strictly prohibited without direct coordination with USFWS.

April 1 - September 30

Construction activities that involve tree clearing activities should not occur without T&E sign-off.

June 1 - July 31

Tree clearing activities are prohibited during the NLEB pup season.

October 1 - March 30

Winter tree clearing is acceptable.

ADDITIONAL TIMING CONSIDERATIONS

Added due diligence will be necessary to secure increased permitting. When planning projects, we need to factor in more time for research and investigation by our V3’s biologists, ecologists and arborists. While we cannot give an exact estimate of how much more time this will take, planning ahead will put you in the best possible scenario.

ABOUT THE NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT (NLEB)

Bats play important roles in our ecosystem by eating pests, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds. The northern long-eared bat is one of several endangered bat species, and without these mammals of the night, many ecosystems will suffer.

37 States and 8 provinces across North America are home to the NLEB

THREATED VS. ENDANGERED SPECIES

“Threatened” and “endangered” are two different risk levels to a species’ survival. Endangered is the highest classification, giving the affected species automatic protection against harm to its existence. There are approximately 2,150 total species currently under protection of the Endangered Species Act.

97-100% of the NLEB population has declined across the species’ range $1 billion savings in pesticide costs based on annual bat eating habits