Corvane Environmental, Inc.
Wetland science, ecology and permitting | Wooster, Ohio | corvane-env.example
Bat Habitat Assessment and Vegetation Survey
Tamsin Ridge Solar and Storage Project, Carroll County, Ohio. June 20, 2023.
1. Bat habitat assessment
Corvane assessed summer habitat for the Indiana bat, the northern long-eared bat and the tricolored bat from
June 5 to 9, 2023, following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2023 Range-wide Indiana Bat and Northern
Long-eared Bat Survey Guidelines. Forest covers about 41 acres: riparian forest along Sallow Creek, two
upland woodlots in the West Block and second-growth stands on the reclaimed ground in the East Block. The
draft layout clears about 38 acres of trees.
Suitable roost trees (shagbark hickory, dead and dying ash with exfoliating bark, snags with cavities) occur at
moderate density, about 6 per acre in the riparian forest and 3 per acre in the woodlots. Sallow Creek and its
riparian corridor are high-quality foraging and travel habitat. The habitat is rated suitable for all three species.
No caves are present. Two collapsed entries of the abandoned Elsby No. 2 Mine on Parcel 10 were inspected
on June 7: both are sealed with rubble and soil and have no opening a bat could use. No hibernacula are known
within 5 miles.
No presence or absence survey (acoustic or mist net) has been done. Recommendations: cut trees only from
October 1 to March 31, as ODNR and the Service recommend; leave the riparian forest within 100 feet of Sallow
Creek standing; if any clearing must occur in summer, run an acoustic survey first. With winter clearing, the
project would likely be found not likely to adversely affect listed bats, but the tricolored bat's proposed listing
could add conditions if it is listed before construction.
2. Birds
Quote starts. Bobolink and eastern meadowlark were seen in the hayfields of Parcels 12 to 14, and red-tailed hawks nest in Quote ends.
the West Block woodlots. ODNR records an active bald eagle nest about 0.9 mile east of the East Block, beyond
the 660-foot disturbance buffer. Recommendations: mow and clear outside April 15 to July 31 to protect nesting
migratory birds; recheck the eagle nest location before construction.
White-tailed deer are abundant. The layout uses wildlife-permeable fencing as ODNR recommends, and the
fence leaves a corridor along Sallow Creek so wildlife can move between the blocks.
Corvane Environmental, Inc. - Project 23-114 Page 1 of 2
The page
The outline marks where the quote begins on the page.
Cut trees only from October 1 to March 31, leave riparian forest within 100 feet of Sallow Creek standing, and survey first if summer clearing is needed.
With winter clearing the project would likely be found not likely to adversely affect listed bats, but the tricolored bat's proposed listing could add conditions.
