Bat Hibernacula & Gate Workshop (PA) Sept 21 - 25, 2026

Sponsored by: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Kennedy Above/Under Ground, LLC, and Bat Conservation and Management, Inc.

Engineering wildlife-friendly closures is much more difficult that it appears. The wrong approach can cause bats to abandon a site, and recognizing how to improve potential bat hibernacula can turn a mediocre site into critical habitat .Since 1997 a series of National Bat Gate Workshops have been organized, sponsored, and taught by some of the best cave and mine gaters in the world, with a cumulative total of over 100 years gating experience and over 1,000 successful gates built.

Lectures include bat gate evolution, gating do’s and don’ts, cave microclimate, bat cave and mine assessment techniques, project management, bat biology, and similar topics. We discuss closure options other than gates, and when they should and should not be used. Technical details of design, construction and logistics will be presented, along with case studies of restorations in PA and nationwide. Excellent handouts and certificates of completion will be provided to all participants.

Fieldwork features hands-on hands-on experience completely building one or more closures on abandoned mine entrances. Participants are involved first-hand with site management, materials handling, personnel safety, gate design, placement, construction techniques, and site restoration. 

Field Tour is a special visit to other nearby mines or tunnels which have been protected and the immediate vicinity enhanced to be more attractive for Pennsylvania's hibernating bats. 

The workshop therefore encompasses far more than physically building a bat-friendly enclosure, and is especially valuable for agency resource managers, conservationists, cavers, consultants, land developers, and gating contractors. All participants should be aware that they will be expected to do hard manual labor, and should come prepared to lift and carry heavy objects, and work in dark, cramped, and sometimes wet conditions. Helmets, headlamps, leather work gloves, and work boots are mandatory.  Old work clothes and a small pack with snacks, etc. are recommended at the field site. Field lunches and beverages will be provided on site. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from our lodging/lecture space in Wilkes-Barre to the gating site, but car pooling is available. Because we will be possibly visiting bat hibernacula that is WNS positive, follow all USFWS recommended decontamination procedures (wash clothes or seal in plastic for later wash) before returning to a WNS-negative area for bat work. (WNS info is at the White Nose Syndrome website at https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/static-page/decontamination-information.) White Nose Syndrome is a devastating disease that has already killed millions of bats, making our protection efforts at these hibernacula even more important.

Date and Time: Monday September 21-Friday September 25, 2026: 5 full days and evenings. Lectures occur on day 1, with gate construction fieldwork and field trips during the subsequent days. Each evening a gourmet dinner is provided, and during dessert one additional special lecture is provided. The first presentation is noon Monday September 21.

Location: Lectures and meals are provided at the Kirby & Kirby Episcopal House, 381 Sunset Rd, Mountain Top, PA 18707. Overnight lodging is provided at the Kirby House (a restored historic mansion), usually 2-3 people per room, with two rooms sharing one bathroom. On-your-own lodging is available from numerous nearby hotels. The field site is located just west of Glen Lyon, PA. 

Course objectives: Participants will learn how to assess bat hibernacula, identify important sites, how to not destroy important hibernacula, and most intriguing how to enhance sites to be more suitable for bats. Participants will understand the pros and cons of various cave and mine closure options, concentrating on bat-friendly closures. They will understand the closure process from initial assessment and prioritization to design, logistical planning, construction, and follow-up maintenance and monitoring. We will visit several examples of modern mine closures. You will gain hands-on experience in constructing a bat-friendly gate.

Topics Covered:

Cave and Mine Assessment for Bats
Historical setting of Project Site
The importance of Project Area to bats
Mine & Cave gating history, successes and failures
Microclimate monitoring and restoration
Bat Cave Assessment
PA Bat Hibernacula
PA Case Studies of Restoring and Enhancing Hibernacula

Gating details

• Equipment and personnel

• Site safety: note you may be exposed to heights, cliff faces, unexpected open shafts, falling/collapsing rock, ladders, airborne metal shards, sharp edges, bee stings, welding glare & smoke.

• Closure design and placement

• Materials and anchoring options

• Removable bars and swinging doors

• Signage and surveillance