Bats and Campers Benefit from Eagle Scout Project at Land Between the Lakes

Golden Pond, KY – Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area recently benefitted from a local Eagle Scout Project that placed four bat roosting boxes at Wranglers Campground.

After much planning, preparation, and gathering of donations, Liam Parker led fellow Scouts from Murray, KY’s Boy Scout Troop 45 in installing the boxes on August 18th.

“Liam’s project will really help out our resident bat population,” said Woodlands Nature Station Interpreter, Aviva Yasgur. Bats face numerous threats from habitat loss to diseases; these boxes, which can hold 50-100 bats each, will give them a safe place to roost during the day.” As part of LBL’s Respect the Resource initiative, installing these bat boxes will provide natural pest control and benefit local bat species by providing valuable shelter.

Visitors to Wranglers Campground, both human and equine, will benefit from the project. All 16 native bat species in Kentucky are insect eaters; in fact, bats are the main predator of night-flying insects such as mosquitos and moths. A single little brown bat can eat up to 1000 mosquito-sized insects in a single hour!

Protecting bat populations is a priority for LBL and all federal and state land management agencies.  Since 2006, a fungus known as White Nose Syndrome has had a major impact on bats and agriculture in the eastern U.S. So far 1 million bats have been wiped out, leaving fewer bats to help control insects and leading to farmers having to use more pesticides.

“Everyone can help our native bat populations and benefit from fewer insects by building a bat box,” said Yasgur.  “Visit Woodlands Nature Station to find out how or download information from Bat Conservation International at www.batcon.org/ .”

Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area.  Managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Land Between The Lakes provides outdoor recreation, lake access, and environmental education for the public to enjoy.

Visitors are encouraged to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org often for Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, temporary trail and road closures, and additional LBL information, or call 800.LBL.7077 or 270.924.2000.

Follow LBL on www.Twitter.com/LBLScreechOwl or www.Twitter.com/LandBtwnLakes.