May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 44

The Bats of Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation monitors bat
populations in its urban park/nature preserve system
By Chris Matthews

T

he Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department (MCPR) is typical of most park and recreation departments nationwide in that we provide
high-quality leisure facilities and programming for the residents of Charlotte, North Carolina. However, MCPR is also one of the leading municipal
park agencies to focus on natural-resource stewardship by having an entire division
dedicated to natural resource protection, nature preserve land management, and facility operations and environmental education.

Why Bats?
Currently, one of our focus areas is understanding the dynamics of bat populations
in our urban park/nature preserve system. Why bats? Well, Bat Conservation
International notes: " Earth without bats
would be a very different and much poorer place. More than 1,300 species of bats
around the world are playing ecological
roles that are vital to the health of natural
ecosystems and human economies.
Bat species consume vast amounts of
insects, including some of the most damaging agricultural pests. Others pollinate
many valuable plants, ensuring the pro-

Photo courtesy of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation
42

Parks & Recreation

Mecklenburg County Division of Nature Preserves and Natural Resources'
mission is to " protect the region's biodiversity and natural heritage for its inherent
value and for the benefit of future generations by promoting open-space preservation, conserving natural communities,
and fostering awareness and stewardship
through environmental education and outdoor recreation. " MCPR nature preserves
protect and enhance air and water quality;
contribute to the public understanding of
natural systems and native species; provide
sites for educational activities, outdoor recreation, wildlife observation and nature
appreciation; and preserve the unique features and natural beauty of Mecklenburg
County. Our dedicated natural resources
staff collects and analyzes scientific data
used for land management, planning and
in the land use decision-making process.
Staff identify, inventory and monitor natural areas; maintain the largest wildlife
database in the region; manage for rare,
threatened and federally endangered species; and provide technical assistance to
government agencies, outside organizations and the public.

Natural Resources staff members get help installing their first bat monitoring site at Reedy
Creek Nature Preserve.
| M AY 2 0 1 8 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G



May 2018 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2018 - Parks & Recreation

May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 1
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 2
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 3
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 4
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 5
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 6
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 7
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 8
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 9
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 10
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 11
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 12
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 13
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 14
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 15
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 16
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 17
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 18
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 19
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 20
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 21
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 22
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 23
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 24
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 25
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 26
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 27
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 28
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 29
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 30
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 31
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 32
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 33
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 34
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 35
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 36
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 37
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 38
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 39
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 40
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 41
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 42
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 43
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 44
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 45
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 46
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 47
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 48
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 49
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 50
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 51
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 52
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 53
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 54
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 55
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 56
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 57
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 58
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 59
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 60
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 61
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 62
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 63
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 64
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 65
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 66
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 67
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 68
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 69
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 70
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 71
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 72
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 73
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 74
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 75
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 76
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 77
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 78
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 79
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 80
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 81
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 82
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 83
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 84
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 85
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 86
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 87
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 88
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 89
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 90
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 91
May 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 92
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com