66 EMROP: Waihi North Project WAI-985-000-PLN-LC-0001_Rev0 clean 7 BAT MANAGEMENT PLAN (BMP) All native bats are protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 (s3) and areas of significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna (including native bats) are matters of national importance under the Resource Management Act 1991 (s6(c)). The habitats within and surrounding the WNP area could potentially support long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), a ‘Nationally Critical’ species that is threatened by habitat loss, fragmentation, and introduced predators (O’Donnell et al., 2018). The purpose of this Bat Management Plan (BMP) is to identify how the WNP will address potential adverse effects on native bats within the WNP area, especially in areas where vegetation removal (including exotic pine trees) is proposed (e.g. GOP, NRS and TSF3). Specifically, the BMP sets out procedures for how the potential adverse effects will be avoided or remedied or mitigated. 7.1 SUMMARY OF BAT VALUES AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS The presence of bats within the WNP area was previously investigated through targeted surveys in December and January of 2011 and 2017 (Bioresearches, 2020). The surveys utilised two types of bat monitoring devices, including Automatic Bat Monitors (ABMs) (heterodyne Digital Bat Recorder) and hand-held bat detectors (BatBox III). ABMs were installed at nine fixed at locations within and around the WNP area, including TSF3; GOP, and the NRS where potential bat passes, or potential roosting habitat, were considered most likely. The ABMs were installed and left to record for periods of two to four weeks over December–January 2011 and December–January 2017. In addition, hand-held bat detectors were carried opportunistically during all nocturnal VES undertaken for arboreal lizards. The detectors were set to 40 kHz, which represents the peak amplitude of long-tailed bat echolocation calls, and the range of detectors was approximately 50 m. The survey did not result in the detection of bats at any of the locations surveyed within the WNP area. An assessment of the habitat suitability for bat roosts revealed that at GOP and the NRS the vegetation was too young (i.e. the trees were too small) to provide suitable crevices, hollows, split/flaking bark required by long-tailed for roosting. However, it was recognised that with further maturity of the pine trees at GOP the potential for roosting habitat being present at the time of tree harvest could not be dismissed. Within the TSF3 footprint, large pine trees, pōhutukawa, and tree ferns with dense skirts were identified as potential roosting sites for long-tailed bats within the WNP area (Bioresearches, 2020). Yet, dedicated surveys at TSF3 did not record the presence of long-tailed bats. It was concluded that given the non-detection of bats during dedicated surveys and the apparent absence of bats in the immediate surrounding landscape (Wildlands 2009), that long-tailed bats were not considered likely to be present within the WNP, even on an intermittent basis. Notwithstanding this conclusion, the long commuting distances (up to 19 km between roosts and foraging sites) and large home ranges of long-tailed bats, historic records of bats within 10 km of the WNP and their ‘Threatened’ (Nationally Critical) conservation status (O’Donnell et al. 2018), requires precautionary
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