Bridge for bats in the Netherlands

The new bat bridge, photo by Raymond Rutting

Translated from the Dutch Mammal Society:

Architecture award for Westland bat bridge

Nov 26, 2015 – In October 2015 in the municipality Westland a “bat bridge” was opened. The bridge across the Vlotwatering is part of the landscape redevelopment of the Poelzone, an elongated area located in Westland, between the towns of ‘s-Gravenzande, Naaldwijk and Monster.

LOLA Landscape made for this area a design aiming at strengthening the existing green and ecological connectivity, where natural and recreation values complement each other. This green leisure link contains many ecological aspects: a cycle route along the Vlotwatering and the Monster canal and a bridge as well. This bridge you make then of course an ‘ecological’ bridge. A good initiative by Westland and Lola Landscape! And if you’re at it, then why not a “bat bridge”, so thought NEXT Architects. The courage to do that has won NEXT Architects a nice price.

This bridge was built especially so that various local bat species could stay there, both in summer and in winter. Local bat species are common pipistrelle and Nathusius’ pipistrelle, Daubenton’s bat and pond bat, serotine and noctule bat.