A year after the restoration of 5 hectares of the forest of Eu in Normandy, the ONF – Act for the forest fund and Kallista Energy have joined forces once again to preserve bats on the Brittany coast by giving a new use to blockhouses.
Located 15 kilometres south of Quimper, the commune of Fouesnant is one of the remarkable areas of the Cornish coast. Fouesnant is bordered by the white sea and the Beg-Meil-Mousterlin state forest, composed of cypresses, pines and a flora typical of dune environments. This forest is also home to blockhouses, remnants of the Atlantic Wall.
The ONF and Kallista Energy have joined forces to put these blockhouses to a new use by transforming them into a long-term winter shelter for the bats that inhabit this site. A few bats already frequent these spaces, but are very often disturbed during their hibernation by visitors. Bat hibernation usually lasts from September to April. The blockhouses have therefore been defended and facilities have been put in place to accommodate more bats and different species.
A special attention is given to the Great Rhinolophus (the largest bat species in Europe) which particularly appreciates cold shelters such as galleries or caves to spend the winter in safety. Members of the Kallista Energy team were equipped with torches, tools and gloves to assist the ONF in the construction of the blockhouses at the end of September.
An information panel was also set up near the bunkers to raise visitors’ awareness of the role of bats in our ecosystem and the importance of respecting their hibernation. Teams from the ONF (Office for National Forests) will ensure regular monitoring of the presence of bats in the blockhouses.
Kallista Energy and the ONF Act for the forest fund had already joined forces in 2021 for the restoration of 5 ha of the Eu forest in Seine-Maritime, following the Eleanor storm in 2018. The sponsorship agreement signed with the ONF-Act for the forest endowment fund reflects Kallista Energy’s desire to commit to the preservation of biodiversity in association with committed local players. For more information.
