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The Indiana
Division of Reclamation's
Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program has undertaken multiple bat gating
projects in recent years. These
bat gates were installed not only to protect the public from dangers of
open mine shafts, but also to maintain the habitat that is so critical
to the bats that use these mines.
To
get these projects started, we initially contacted Bat
Conservation International (BCI) for guidance. BCI was very
instrumental in helping us properly design and implement our bat gating
projects. Then we contacted the Indiana Karst Conservancy
(IKC),
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a non-profit organization consisting entirely of volunteers that
is
dedicated to the protection of Indiana's
natural caves. They had gate
building experience at caves, and could easily apply those principles to
building gates at abandoned mines. They have
agreed to work with the AML Program because they realize that these
abandoned underground mines often exhibit many of the same
characteristics of natural caves, and therefore, provide habitat for
the same species that they try to protect. |
The Indiana AML Program is using this sealing technique because
it is very cost effective, it maintains critical habitat, and causes
minimal environmental impact. Because
all materials and equipment are generally carried in by hand, the installation
of bat gates has virtually no impact on the surrounding land.
No heavy equipment or clearing of any kind takes place.
The following is a brief description
and photographs for each site.
For more information contact Mark
Stacy, Indiana Department of Natural
Resources. |
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