Bat species can differ as much from one another as a swallow does from a mallard.

Perhaps more so than for any other wildlife issue, the potential effect on bats is
independent of the scale of the operation concerned. Very small structures can be important to large populations of bats or to species of critical conservation importance. All highway projects should take account of the potential presence of bats.

Although the preservation of traditional commuting routes is important, “bats continue to seek new connections in a changing landscape. We must therefore not just aim at maintaining existing and highly important routes but also at a general ‘permeability’ of the landscape.