The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has developed a Bat Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to address the potential for covered forest management activities to cause incidental take of five listed or otherwise at-risk bat species over a period of 50 years. The plan covers Indiana, gray, northern long-eared, little brown, and tricolored bats.
The primary goal of the MDC Bat HCP is to obtain authorization for incidental take of the five covered species for specific management and monitoring activities as administered by MDC.
The plan covers forest and habitat management activities statewide on 42 million acres of habitat used by the five bat species. It includes measures to alleviate impacts of forest management on these species when unintentional take occurs. The covered area includes lands owned and managed by MDC as well as private lands where the agency financially supports private landowners to manage fish, forest, and wildlife resources. Coverage on private lands is available on a voluntary basis to any landowner participating in MDC cost-share programs.
MDC aims to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential impacts of covered forest and habitat management on these species while continuing to manage forests for long-term habitat benefits and recreational opportunities for Missourians. The HCP will be in effect for 50 years unless terminated by either MDC or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Questions about this project can be directed to Kelly Rezac.
MDC Bat HCP FY24 Annual Report (PDF, 764 KB)
This annual report is provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to meet the annual reporting requirement as described in HCP Section 6.3.3. The report describes MDC’s Bat Habitat Conservation Plan planning and implementation activities conducted during the second reporting timeframe (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024), compliance and effectiveness monitoring activities, and the results of the compliance and effectiveness monitoring during the initial reporting timeframe.
The goals of the annual report are to demonstrate to the USFWS and citizens of Missouri that the MDC Bat HCP is being implemented properly, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the conservation plan. If any implementation problems have occurred, they are disclosed with a description of corrective measures planned or measures that have been taken to address the problems. This report also identifies any responses to changed circumstances and adaptive management during the reporting period.
This report describes progress towards each of the Biological Goals and Objectives outlined in the Bat HCP. Implementation progress updates of particularly note during the FY24 reporting period include:
- Developed management plans for all Priority Bat Management Zones (PBMZ) (see Objective 3.3 in Section 4).
- Integrated bat-friendly BMPs into Professional Timber Harvester Training (see Objective 5.4 in Section 4).
- Continued PBMZ Monitoring: Acoustic surveys were conducted in 5 PBMZs in summer of 2024, including the northern long-eared bat PBMZ at Sunklands Conservation Area. Acoustic surveys have now been completed at all 6 northern long-eared bat PBMZs (Appendix J). Mist-net surveys will be conducted at any sites where northern long-eared bats are detected by acoustic surveys (see Status and Trend Monitoring in Section 5).
- Conducted 2 Regional HCP Implementation Workshops (see Staff Implementation Training in Section 1).
FY23_MDC Bat HCP_AnnualReport_Feb2026_0.pdf (PDF, 1 MB)
This annual report is provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to meet the annual reporting requirement as described in HCP Section 6.3.3. The report describes MDC’s Bat Habitat Conservation Plan planning and implementation activities conducted during the second reporting timeframe (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023), compliance and effectiveness monitoring activities, and the results of the compliance and effectiveness monitoring during the initial reporting timeframe.
The goals of the annual report are to demonstrate to the USFWS and citizens of Missouri that the MDC Bat HCP is being implemented properly, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the conservation plan. If any implementation problems have occurred, they are disclosed with a description of corrective measures planned or measures that have been taken to address the problems. This report also identifies any responses to changed circumstances and adaptive management during the reporting period.
This report describes progress towards each of the Biological Goals and Objectives outlined in the Bat HCP. Implementation progress updates of particularly note during the FY23 reporting period include:
- Developed and implemented Regional HCP Implementation Workshops (see Staff Implementation Training in Section 1).
- Completion of Priority Bat Management Zone (PBMZ) Management Plan templates specific to each covered tree-roosting species, to facilitate development of PBMZ Management Plans for each PBMZ by June 30, 2024 (see Objective 3.3 in Section 5).
- Initiated PBMZ Monitoring: Acoustic surveys were conducted in 5 of the 6 northern long-eared bat PBMZs during summer 2023 (see Status and Trend Monitoring in Section 5).
Missouri Department of Conservation Bat Habitat Conservation Plan FY22 Annual Report (PDF, 672 KB)
This is the first annual report developed by MDC and submitted to the USFWS to meet the annual reporting requirements. The report describes MDC’s Bat HCP planning and implementation activities conducted during the initial reporting timeframe (February 23 – June 30, 2023), compliance and effectiveness monitoring activities, and the results of the compliance and effectiveness monitoring during the initial reporting timeframe. The goals of the annual report are to demonstrate to the USFWS and the citizens of Missouri that the MDC Bat HCP is being implemented properly, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the conservation plan
Published on May 05, 2023 -Final Environmental Assessment for the MDC Bat Habitat Conservation Plan (PDF, 3 MB)
This is the Final Environmental Assessment for the MDC Bat Habitat Conservation Plan, which was developed in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Published on Feb 28, 2022Bat Habitat Conservation Plan Appendices (PDF, 20 MB)
Appendices to the MDC Bat Habitat Conservation Plan
Published on Feb 28, 2022Bat Habitat Conservation Plan (PDF, 3 MB)
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has developed this Bat Habitat Conservation Plan to address the potential for covered forest management activities to cause incidental take of five listed or otherwise at-risk bat species over a period of 50 years. The following bat species are covered in this HCP:
- Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). Federally listed as endangered.
- Gray bat (Myotis grisescens). Federally listed as endangered.
- Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis). Federally listed as threatened.
- Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Under status review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with the potential to become federally listed.
- Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). Petitioned for listing with the potential to become federally listed.