Germany – Research and development services and related consultancy services – Forschungsprojekt - DZSF - Fledermausschutz bei Tunnelsanierungen

The objective of the research project is to enhance legal and planning certainty in relation to species protection conflicts in the context of the renovation of railway tunnels. The effectiveness and acceptance of various alternative roosts, as well as other bat conservation measures, will be investigated. Data on the species-specific design of classic and innovative alternative roosts, particularly with regard to hibernation, will be collected. The results should create standardisable foundations, accelerate procedures and support legally sound planning in permitting processes.

Railway tunnels are often used as roosts by various bat species due to their particular climatic conditions. All bat species occurring in Germany are listed in Annex IV of Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive) and are therefore among the strictly protected species according to § 7 Abs. 2 Nr. 14 BNatSchG. Therefore, corresponding access prohibitions apply to them. In the coming decades, several hundred railway tunnels will need to be renovated. Older railway tunnels are regularly used as bat roosts, so their renovation can have significant impacts on affected bat populations. The creation of alternative roosts as a compensatory measure (CEF measure) to avoid species protection prohibitions or as a population-supporting measure (FCS measure) in connection with a species protection exception is therefore of particular importance. Knowledge gaps regarding the roosting of bats lead to uncertainties, delays and cost increases in permitting procedures and hinder a quick, legally sound implementation of renovation projects.