Work in progress: BATS

As part of the Life NatConnect2030 project, we have launched initiatives to protect chiroptera (bats). Two sites of importance for their reproduction have been identified:

The Mezzolombardo air-raid shelter

This is a system of tunnels dug by hand as an air-raid shelter in 1944 to provide refuge from bombing raids.
For many years, the shelter has played an important ecological role, particularly during the summer, for the breeding of two species of bat:

• the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
• the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)

It is also likely to be used as a wintering site and refuge by other species of bats.

                                                                                                                                                            ^{_{The air-raid shelter before the works}}

However, the site, which has been monitored since 2011, has shown a worrying decline in the number of individuals recorded, due to disturbance caused by visitors to the cave and the litter left behind. It was therefore decided, in agreement with the municipal council of Mezzolombardo and the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage, to clear the site of rubbish and to seal off the entrances with gates and grilles that would nevertheless allow the animals to pass through. 

                                                                                                                                                              _{^{Work carried out in 2026 at the air-raid shelter}}

The site will continue to be monitored over the coming years to determine whether the measures taken will lead to an increase in the bat population present.

The Forte Alto di Mattarello

This large fortification on the outskirts of the town is a particularly suitable habitat for bats, both due to the building’s characteristics and its location, situated between farmland and woodland. Three species have been recorded here:

• the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
• the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophushipposideros)
• the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis)

This roost is also particularly important during the summer breeding season.

                                                                                       _{^{The Mattarello High Fort in a photo on the website www.trentinograndeguerra.it}}

Here too, the problems that may arise include disturbance caused by unauthorised access and vandalism. Work will therefore involve restoring the fences and gate already in place around the perimeter, as well as clearing invasive vegetation from outside the fort. Over the coming years, there will be ongoing monitoring of the species and population sizes to assess their conservation status.

All the measures falling within the Life NatConnect2030 project are an extension of the actions set out in the provincial PAF.