View of Yellow River from LaPorte Street Foot Bridge
Article submitted by Jamie Fleury, The Pilot News
PLYMOUTH — Plymouth Parks and Recreation Maintenance Supervisor Dave Cooper coordinated with Cox Wood Removal to remove trees at the LaPorte Street Foot Bridge prior to April 1.
The Indiana Department of Transportation Protected Species Guidance published by the Environmental Policy Office Environmental Services Division prohibits certain tree removal and trimming during active bat season between April 1 and September 30.
The protections are in place to provide and protect suitable summer habitats for certain bat species, including the Indiana Bat which is on the endangered species list.
Though Indiana Bats tend to prefer the crevices beneath the loose bark of the Shagbark Hickory tree, females also rely on other species of dead or nearly dead trees as a maternity roost and sanctuary for having their baby in June or early July.
During the City of Plymouth Common Council meeting last week, City of Plymouth Attorney Sean Surrisi said that the timing was perfect to avoid additional expense of paying someone to observe the site to ensure that no bats landed in the trees; saving the City of Plymouth approximately $2,000 for that monitoring. “That’s very good news to share on that.”
Cooper confirmed that the trees were removed on Tuesday, the 29th of March which was two days ahead of schedule.
The foot bridge that crosses the Yellow River through River Park Square is historical. The team is eager to fortify the foundation of the bridge while maintaining the historical walking structure; while protecting the endangered Indiana Bat. Both goals were accomplished through Cooper’s leadership as the project can move forward as scheduled.
In a follow-up contribution Urban Forest and Flower Committee Member Byron Luke Felde said, “As responsible citizens and good stewards of God’s creation, it is our duty to conserve, protect, and defend bats and their varied habitats because they contribute and serve critically important functions in ecosystems and provide significant benefits to human health and welfare.”
A single bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquito-sized insects every hour. A single bat eats approximately 6,000 to 8,000 insects each night.
