October Meeting – Bats of Florida

Our October program will be presented by Shari Bissett-Clark

“Florida’s Forest Bats”
Not long ago Florida was adorned with old growth forests, clean
waterways, and wide expanses of connected scrublands. These habitats
supported the most diverse plant and animal communities in North
America, each one closely dependent on the health of the other. One of
the most significant players in habitat health, bats darkened the sky
with their nightly emergence to hunt insects; no habitat was left
untouched by these fast-flying mammals that consumed their own weight
in bugs each night. These masters of the night sky kept insect
populations balanced and contributed to the overall health of Florida’s
diverse landscapes.

But Florida is a very different place today; deforestation,
agriculture, and urbanization of Florida’s land, water, and air has
resulted in the disappearance of countless plants and animals; entire
ecosystems are changing rapidly and the remaining flora and fauna are
left to quickly adapt – or die.

Florida’s bats are fighting to survive but they are unjustly persecuted
because of myth and misconception, poisoned by insecticides and
pollutants, and left homeless by careless human disturbance to roosts.
This program dispels the myths and replaces them with the fascinating
facts about bats, their irreplaceable contribution to Florida’s habitats
and their partnership with native flora and fauna. Bats provide
important environmental services that factor heavily into human health
as well, and discussions will include conservation strategies and
simple steps that anyone can take to help these beneficial mammals.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet live Florida bats after the
program and bat houses will be available for purchase.

Shari Blissett-Clark
Florida Bat Conservancy / Bat Belfrys Inc.

Shari is a long time member of the Florida Bat Conservancy, Bat
Conservation International, the Xerces Society, and the Florida Native
Plant Society. Shari currently serves on the Board of Directors for the
Florida Bat Conservancy and Bat Belfrys.

Shari has devoted most of her adult life to conservation and holds
degrees in biology and conservation management. Shari worked in the
field for nearly 30 years before forming Bat Belfrys in 2009, a
privately funded conservation organization dedicated to conserving
Florida’s bats, primarily through public education and advocacy.

Shari and her husband, John, build and install bat houses throughout
Florida, travelling the state to represent bats at forums, festivals,
and events. Shari presents public workshops and programs aimed at
educating people about the value of bats, and all proceeds from these
activities support the conservation initiatives of the Florida Bat
Conservancy and Bat Belfrys.