Roofing Contractor Helps RAF Conserve Native Aviators

COMPLETE ROOFING SYSTEMS is helping the Ministry of Defence protect and conserve the wildlife on its RAF accommodation stations by installing homes for bats.

The Warrington based roofing contractor regularly works for the MOD and currently has a contract to renew the roofs of the RAF Valley station base on Anglesey and the main helicopter bases at Ternhill in Shropshire.

Explains Mike Wharton, CRS Chief Executive, “The MOD is sensitive to bats because its stations are away from urban areas and often surrounded with a lot of trees and other habitats that the bats are attracted to.

“The MOD has consulted Natural England when bats are found, who come in and do surveys to identify the species present and how they can be protected.

“We also have consulted with our manufacturer partner, BMI Redland to discuss suitable roofing underlays and roof access for the bats. After extensive additional discussions with the MOD we now only use 1F felt when bats are present to ensure that they do not become trapped in the finer fibres of air permeable membrane underlays.”

Preserving flight paths

Complete Roofing Systems’ roofers have custom made roof access points in lead to recreate the preferred entries and exits in the roofs where bats are found. This preserves the bats’ familiar flight paths – something the RAF client can no doubt fully appreciate!

Adds Mike, “The lead ‘tiles’ create permanent access into the roof space. That’s the only way to be sure to keep the bats using the roof space as a roosting site.

“We follow Natural England advice and the specification to the letter to do our bit in conserving these native species.

“It can cause some progress issues for us when we find bats. It can delay work while the surveys are being carried out and after liaising with the main contractor quite often the specification is then changed.”

As well as preserving roof space access for bats, CRS installs numerous bat boxes in the tress surrounding the station. Mike says all the roofers on site are delighted when they spot the bat boxes being inhabited.

Now, Complete Roofing Systems is extending their care for the wildlife found on sites by considering installation of other types of bird nest boxes. Mike has recently installed some owl boxes, which at about 1.5m wide, are much larger, more substantial installations featuring two-sided 1m pitched roofs. Siting nest boxes for owls is also a more demanding challenge with orientation, surrounding flight path obstacles, such as fences, and height all being factored into the calculation.

The company is also thinking about whether it could offer swift boxes to clients, “I think we could do more as installers while we are working at height and it’s definitely something we will consider,” says Mike.