Lecture: Roommates in the Bell Tower – When the Church Tower Becomes a Bat Roost

Churches are places of worship—and at the same time valuable habitats for bats, birds, and other protected species. Learn how church congregations can contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and creation through knowledge and responsibility. Churches are not only places of faith and gathering, but also important refuges for bats, birds, and other protected animal species. In this way, church congregations make an important, yet often underestimated, contribution to species conservation—and to the preservation of creation. In many churches in the Stromberg-Heuchelberg Nature Park region, roof trusses and bell towers are used as bat roosts. But what does this mean in concrete terms for the church congregation? What responsibilities does this entail? What legal requirements must be observed—especially during renovations or alterations? The lecture introduces the species found in church buildings and their specific characteristics. It explains appropriate conservation measures and offers practical solutions for potential conflicts. The speaker is Dr. Christian Dietz. He is an expert specializing in species conservation on buildings, species conservation during building renovations, and bat conservation. Among other things, he oversees bat conservation programs in the administrative districts of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe and knows many churches and their inhabitants in the region personally. The event is aimed at sacristans, church attendants, pastors, those responsible for church administration and construction, as well as anyone else interested.