Lakes States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan

Bat populations are rapidly declining due to the fungal disease white-nose syndrome, and more species may soon be reclassified as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. Once a species is reclassified as endangered, direct harm to individuals of that species is prohibited by the Endangered Species Act. The DNR is committed to the conservation of Minnesota’s wildlife and forest ecosystems, and by managing for healthy forest habitat, we can help Minnesota’s imperiled bat populations. In partnership with the Wisconsin DNR and Michigan DNR, we developed the Lake States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan (Bat HCP). While unintended impacts to individual bats may result during forest management activities, the states will support the recovery of the bat species and conserve bat habitat through the implementation of the Bat HCP. The biological objectives outlined in the Bat HCP and implemented by the states will offset any unintended impacts to individual bats and will benefit bat species populations as well as individuals.

What is a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)?

An HCP is a mechanism for compliance with ESA for a given set of activities and protected species. This HCP describes the potential positive and negative impacts of forest management on bats and details biological objectives to offset forest management impacts on bats. An HCP is required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as part of an application for an incidental take permit (ITP). An ITP will ensure forest management activities in endangered bat habitat can continue without additional consultation with USFWS.

The DNRs for Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan developed the HCP to provide a plan and compliance strategy for the sustainable forest management activities performed as land administrators. Other eligible non-federal public or private landowners may be able to have their forest lands covered by the provisions of the Bat HCP through a Landowner Enrollment Program. Landowners have the option to develop their own HCP or other Endangered Species Act compliance strategy through the USFWS, if desired. The USFWS Habitat Conservation Plans website has more information about HCPs.

How to get involved?

The Bat HCP has been finalized and the Minnesota DNR has received the Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for the four covered bat species in the Bat HCP. Through the ITP, the DNR can extend take authorization to eligible nonfederal landowners through a Landowner Enrollment Program (LEP). The DNR is currently developing the internal programming that is needed to begin making the LEP available for landowners. Landowners will also have the option to develop their own HCP or other Endangered Species Act compliance strategy through the USFWS, if desired.

Sign up below to receive updates on the Bat HCP and LEP.

What should I know?

• Fast-spreading white-nose syndrome is increasing the likelihood that federally threatened bat species will be reclassified as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act in the near future. On November 30, 2022 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced that the northern long-eared bat has been uplisted from threatened to endangered. The uplisting becomes effective on March 31, 2023.
• The Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan DNR have developed a joint, large-scale Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The HCP describes the potential positive and negative impacts of forest management for bats, and details conservation objectives to offset forest management impacts on bats.
• Other eligible non-federal public, tribal, or private forest landowners in Minnesota may be able to cover their forest lands under the provisions of the HCP through an enrollment option. They have the option to develop their own HCP through the USFWS, if desired.
• The HCP integrates forest practices with conservation objectives to support bat populations. Input from forest landowners, forest managers, conservation groups, and other stakeholders is essential to developing an effective HCP.

Why are Minnesota's bats important?

• Bats are a critical component of a healthy ecosystem. A bat can consume its weight in insects every night, reducing the need for agricultural pesticides and decreasing mosquito populations.
• White-nose syndrome has caused up to 97-100 percent declines in infected bat populations across the country. Many cave-hibernating forest bats are at risk because of this disease.
• Forest management activities benefit bats and other wildlife, while maintaining healthy forests and generating income for landowners and timber companies.
• Many of Minnesota’s bats spend spring, summer, and fall in the state’s forests, roosting in tree cavities and crevices and under loose bark. Female bats give birth to young while in these tree roosts. Before they are able to fly, young bats may be vulnerable to impact by normal forest management activities that include tree removal and prescribed burning.
• During the winter, many bats hibernate in caves and other structures throughout Minnesota.
• Minnesotans want healthy bat populations that have access to the habitat they need to thrive and reproduce.

Why does Minnesota need a Habitat Conservation Plan?

• In 2015, in response to the effects of white-nose syndrome, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated the northern long-eared bat as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
• The 2015 designation included special provisions to allow for continued management of forest habitat through a 4(d) rule.
• In 2022, the northern long-eared bat was reclassified as endangered, effective March 31, 2023. Once that happens, the special provisions under the 4(d) rule will no longer be available.
• An Incidental Take Permit (ITP) will allow forest management to continue with modifications, while also allowing for the potential for the incidental take of bats.
• The USFWS can issue an ITP only if the applicant develops a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
• The HCP describes the potential positive and negative impacts of forest management on bats, and biological objectives designed to provide a net positive impact on bats.

What is the DNR's role in the Habitat Conservation Plan?

• In partnership with the Wisconsin and Michigan DNRs, we have developed the Lake States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan (Bat HCP).
• DNR experts in bat conservation and sustainable forest management guided development of the Bat HCP.
• While the Bat HCP was developed by all three state DNRs, each applied for their own Incidental Take Permit (ITP) from the USFWS. Each DNR may extend its take authorization (through the ITP) to other non-federal and non-state landowners via a Landowner Enrollment Program.
• The Bat HCP has allowed us to apply for an ITP. The ITP will have a 50-year permit term during which the HCP provisions will be implemented.

What is in the Lakes States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conservation Plan?

• The Bat HCP is comprised of eight chapters and several appendices. It provides a framework to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for potential site-level effects on bats while allowing the state DNRs and eligible landowners to conduct forest management activities in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Input from forest land owners, forest managers, conservation groups and other stakeholders was essential to developing an effective HCP.
• The Bat HCP covers three of the cave-dwelling bat species found in Minnesota: Northern Long-Eared Bat, Little Brown Bat, and Tri-colored Bat. The Bat HCP also covers the Indiana Bat, which is not found in Minnesota.
• The covered lands of the Bat HCP includes all forestlands not owned or managed by the federal government and occurring within the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. State DNR-owned or managed lands will be definitively covered by the incidental take permit. Other nonfederal lands (county and municipal, Tribal, and private forestlands) are eligible lands that can be covered by the permit through a Landowner Enrollment Program if program criteria are met.
• Covered activities in the Bat HCP include:
  • Timber harvest and related forest practices, including regeneration harvest, intermediate harvest, salvage/sanitation, and temporary forest roads
  • Construction, maintenance, and use of roads and trails for forest management and recreational use on State DNR lands, as well as county lands covered by the landowner enrollment program
  • Prescribed fire, including fire breaks and burning
  • HCP implementation including bat monitoring and habitat restoration
• The Bat HCP Conservation Strategy includes five main biological goals to:
  • Maintain Healthy Forests
  • Protect Roosts and Foraging Habitat
  • Promote stewardship on other lands
  • Protect Hibernacula
  • Avoid/Minimize Negative Effects of Covered Activities

What do forest land owners need to know?

• If any of Minnesota's bats are reclassified as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, forest landowners may need to consider the effect of their activities on the endangered bats.
• Eligible non-federal public, tribal, or private forest landowners in Minnesota may be able to have their forest lands covered by the provisions of the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) through the Landowner Enrollment Program (LEP). Landowners may be eligible to enroll in the LEP if their land contains known roost trees or hibernacula, or if their landholding is large enough that bat presence is likely.
• Participation in the HCP is voluntary but will be an option for some landowners to demonstrate compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
• Participants in the HCP will know they are complying with federal regulations and will provide conservation benefits to bat species while managing their forest.
• Landowners also have the option to develop their own HCP or other Endangered Species Act compliance strategy through the USFWS, if desired.

What is the Landowner Enrollment Program?

• DNR’s take authorization (through our ITP) may be extended eligible landowners through participation in the Landowner Enrollment Program (LEP). This includes county, municipal, private, and tribal landowners. Landowners may be eligible to enroll in the LEP if:
  1. they are conducting one or more covered activities on their lands, which includes timber harvest and related forestry practices; construction and maintenance of county forest roads and trails; prescribed fire; and HCP implementation such as bat monitoring and habitat restoration; and
  2. they meet one or more of the following eligibility criteria:
     • their land contains known occupied maternity roost trees or is within a quarter mile of a known hibernacula entrance
     • their landholding is large enough that bat presence is likely (in Minnesota, this is 10,000 or more acres)
• Participants will be responsible for implementing portions of the HCP Conservation Strategy on their enrolled lands. The conservation actions for LEP participants is a subset of the HCP Conservation strategy for which the DNR is responsible (See the dropdown above for more information on “What’s in the Lake States Forest Management Bat Habitat Conversation Plan?”).

Contact

Please email questions to [email protected].