Definitely not, says Professor of Biology Patrick Bohlen.

UCF is home to thousands of bats, who for years have taken up residence in a storm drain near the UCF �������ǰ���ٳܳ�’s green house.

“A lot of the habitats these bats would reside in are being greatly reduced, and they like to roost over water and to be in caves, so that’s why they are attracted to this open pipe,” Bohlen says. “We like to celebrate them, especially around Halloween. It’s a way of just supporting some of the native species that would exist in this area in our urban infrastructure.”

As a tribute to our friend the bat, Bohlen shares some interesting facts and dispels some myths about these furry, flying creatures.

Bats are primarily insect eaters in this part of the world. Some of those insects are pests, so people have calculated there’s a value to that in terms of the insects they eat. We don’t normally think of other animals eating bats, but actually during the breeding season, barred owls, which are night predators, feed a lot on bats. So bats can actually serve a rope higher up in the food chain as well.

I think bats get a bad rap just because they’re associated with horror films. They come out at night so they’re nocturnal. They’re a little creepy because they’re the only mammal that flies. They have funny little faces. I think they just kind of have a scariness about them for a lot of people that stems from lack of knowledge. They’re really not very scary animals. There are three species of bats in South America that feed on blood, so I think that creates a Count Dracula association. But I think they have a bad reputation mostly because they’re associated with the darkness and they’re just kind of very unusual creatures that look funny.

Some bats, including some of the bats we have in Florida, have adapted so that they can survive extremely high ammonia levels. There are some caves that have bats in them where the ammonia level would knock a person out. But the bats have a way of dealing with ammonia by regulating the CO2 in their blood to neutralizes the excess ammonia. They can tolerate that high ammonia that’s produced from their waste, the guano that falls to the floor of the roost.

It’s not really fully understood why. They are social animals for the most part, so that plays a factor. It could also be in cold climates they benefit from thermoregulation to stay warmer.

In Florida we have 13 species of bat. I think we have possibly two or three species in the storm drain on campus, but I think the main one is called the Southeastern myotis, known by its scientific name as Myotis austroriparius. The fact that that species name has “riparius” in it means they are water-loving bats. They tend to roost in wet areas. Historically, they would have roosted in trees and bottomland, forests, swamps. So the storm water pipes are perfect for them because they like high humidity.

I had a student once who lowered a GoPro camera into the manhole we knew they lived in and took all of these photos. We then laid the photos out flat on a big single two-dimensional map and counted the bats. And there were 5,000 in that one manhole. There could be more, but there were 5,000 in that one roost.

People don’t need to be afraid of bats. They’re relatively harmless. If you see a bat on the ground in the daytime, I would stay away from it. They can carry rabies, so I certainly wouldn’t want to handle a bat that was in a situation like that. There are bat conservancy groups you could call if you find a bat on the ground. But for the most part bats are out at night, flying around and eating insects.

I think the best single place to go to learn about bats in Florida would be the Florida Bat Conservancy. Their website is floridabats.org.

The .15 acre garden, which is in the footprint of the planned tower, will grow to .2 acre, about the size of three tennis courts. It will be moved this month to be close to the �������ǰ���ٳܳ�’s greenhouse, which is east of the Counseling and Psychological Services parking lot.

The garden is part of the urban farming and garden program, focusing on organic produce, herbalism, medicinal botany, and classes on cooking and healthy diets.

“It is going to be a fantastic improvement over the existing program,” says Patrick Bohlen, a biology professor and director of the 80-acre Arboretum, campus landscape and natural resources. “Being closer to the greenhouse and propagation house will activate that area of the Arboretum and create closer synergy.”

The garden is open to everyone in the UCF and Orlando community to learn about growing and preparing food. The food is shared by the garden’s regular volunteers and given to the Knights Pantry, which helps UCF students in need. The gardeners harvest a variety of seasonal produce, greens, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

The gardeners also are expanding into cut-flower production, and a new site that Bohlen plans to develop for fruit trees. The whole area will be fenced to secure the garden and “keep out deer and critters,” he says. ����ֱ�� and community volunteers are always welcome to sign up to be part of the garden.

“Many segments of the campus need increased cellular coverage, as well as greater cellular capacity.”

The new cellphone tower will overlap where the current community garden now sits south of District Energy Plant 4. The tower will be 70 feet taller than the UCF water tower, which is 120 feet tall.

“Many segments of the campus need increased cellular coverage, as well as greater cellular capacity. This tower will greatly enhance cellular reception for this area of campus, assuming all major carriers mount equipment on the tower,” says Joel Hartman, UCF’s vice president for Information Technologies and Resources. In addition, public safety antennas will be moved from the WUCF transmission tower to this location to improve and extend reception for first responders.

UCF IT Telecommunications will design, own and maintain the tower, which is estimated to cost about $1.2 million, Hartman says. The bidding process hasn’t been completed so the contractor hasn’t been determined. Cellular carriers will be charged rent for placing their antennas on the tower.

The goal is to complete the tower late this fall.

“This will be a major step forward for increasing cellular and first-responder radio coverage on campus,” Hartman says.

“Our designation as a Bee Campus USA builds on our ongoing commitment to address global concerns over the decline in pollinators, especially in urban settings,” UCF’s Arboretum director Patrick Bohlen says. “It also builds on other pollinator initiatives we have joined, including the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and the Nature Conservancy Monarch Initiative.”

“Our designation as a Bee Campus USA builds on our ongoing commitment to address global concerns over the decline in pollinators.”

In 2016, the Arboretum worked with UCF’s Landscape and Natural Resources to plant the campus’s first pollinator gardens. Since then the campus has established another large pollinator garden near Colbourn Hall. The university’s horticultural staffers are using these areas to test different native and non-native pollinator plants to determine which species perform best on campus.

Last year, the university also placed three honeybee hives in the Arboretum to help improve pollinator activity on campus. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 80 percent of worldwide pollination.

“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of 90 percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species,” Bee Campus USA director Phyllis Stiles says. “UCF is a stellar example of the influence educational institutions can have on their students and the broader community. Their talented faculty, staff and students offer an invaluable resource for Central Florida residents in seeking ways to manage ornamental landscapes in more wildlife-friendly ways.”

Chase Mason and Barbara Sharanowski, two professors from the Department of Biology, also serve on UCF’s Bee Campus USA committee with Bohlen. The Arboretum supports student research projects and internships, which helps the campus meet the expectations of the Bee Campus USA program.

“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of 90 percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species.”

The Bee Campus USA program requires the university to develop policies and procedures to minimize hazards of harmful chemicals to pollinators. Experts in UCF’s Integrated Pest Management program are working to develop more environmentally sustainable pest-control practices. Landscape and Natural Resources is also working to find alternatives to certain pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to pollinators and other beneficial insects.

The UCF Arboretum will soon publish a webpage with information about UCF’s Integrated Pest Management Plan, native plants on campus and links to student research on pollinator issues. In the meantime, the Arboretum will also post information about upcoming events through its and other UCF media outlets.

Each certified campus must reapply each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year, Stiles says.

The new greenhouse will stand on the east side of campus near Physical Sciences and will provide the Arboretum and the Department of Landscape and Natural Resources with a place for research and year round plant propagation.

Programming will also include flexible multipurpose space for students and teachers to use for projects and plant storage that also will benefit the different volunteer and outreach programs offered by the Arboretum.

“The Arboretum has a tremendous impact on UCF,” said Patrick Bohlen, director for the Arboretum and Department of Landscape and Natural Resources. “It supports thousands of student volunteer hours and provides a platform for student research and independent study projects. Through its close association with the Department of Landscape and Natural Resources, it helps create our beautiful campus environment, and provides many opportunities for people to interact with and increase their understanding of nature.”

The Arboretum was established in 1983 by then UCF President Trevor Colbourn. The 12-acre plot has expanded to 82 acres with more than three miles of hiking trails and a community garden.

As part of its education initiative, there are independent study opportunities in which students can conduct hands-on research.

One current project involves the irrigation system at UCF. Angelica Cabrales, an environmental studies senior, is helping to prevent water waste while still maintaining healthy plant life by researching different ways the irrigation software at UCF can monitor ground water levels on campus.

Another project in development is a plant database that will map all the plant species on UCF’s 1,415 acres of campus in order to help locate them more efficiently.

“A lot of biology and science classes deal with these species, but students are not instructed on where to find them. Hopefully this will make it easier for students to locate them,” said Alexis Acernese, a senior majoring in biology who is working on the database.

The database will include a picture of the plant, where to find it on campus and basic facts about each plant species. The end goal is to have a Google map or smartphone app that will guide users to each plant.

With more than 3,000 volunteers annually and about 4,000 volunteer hours donated, there are many ways for students of all majors to get involved with the Arboretum. Two of the biggest programs are the community garden and the Adopt-A-Pond/Road Program.

The one-acre community garden harvests fruits, vegetables and herbs, and is mainly managed by student volunteers, where they learn about soil and compost and the best practices on how to grow their own food.

“I didn’t think it was so easy and feasible to grow your own food, and it’s so healthy for me, too,” said Eliezer Perez, a sophomore volunteer. The Arboretum also donates some of the food from the garden to the , a campus program that provides free food and essentials to UCF students who may be in financial hardship.

The Adopt-A-Pond/Road Program was designed for student groups to adopt a designated road or retention pond on campus. The organization becomes responsible for cleaning the vicinity of the adopted area, which results in collecting hundreds of pounds of trash yearly. After three months of maintenance, the group is given the opportunity to have its name posted on a sign in their area.

For more information about the Arboretum and its different programs, visit .

An event being held at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, will feature a panel of explorers who traversed 1,000 miles across the proposed corridor and a showing of the documentary they made that tells the story of their expedition. The event is free and open to the public.

Bear biologist Joe Guthrie, conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, photojournalist Carlton Ward Jr., and cinematographer Elam Stoltzfus embarked on the 100-day journey through the wildlife and participating farms and ranches to raise awareness of the potential to establish a viable, continuous wildlife corridor across the state.

“The corridor concept is to physically link various preserved land areas and waterways all the way from the Everglades to southern Georgia,” said Patrick Bohlen, director of the UCF Arboretum and Landscape & Natural Resources. “There really is an opportunity to one day walk from the Everglades to Southern Georgia and stay on either conservation land or ranchland that has conservation value but is in private hands.”

Bohlen said that while some of the land the team traveled across was private ranchland, if a concerted effort were made to protect chunks of land from development, other areas could be preserved to establish a fully connected corridor.

“The early pioneers in Florida carved lives out of the wilderness, and these new pioneers are finding a way of carving wilderness out of what’s left,” Bohlen said. “Florida has a great opportunity to do that, and if we throw the idea out there that we could have 20 million-plus people in the state and still have this kind of corridor, and have the two compatible, while there will obviously be a lot of pressures, it’s very doable.”

Following the opening reception at 5:30 p.m., the team’s documentary, Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee, will be screened. At 7:30 p.m. following the film, three of the four members of the expedition will be on hand for a panel discussion to provide further comment on the corridor concept and answer questions about the opportunity Floridians have to establish a wildlife corridor.

For more information, visit .

The Environmental Studies senior is studying the Florida sandhill cranes that live on the 1,415-acre campus. She is establishing a baseline understanding of the UCF birds and the factors that influence them.

That’s where “citizen scientists” – anyone with a camera phone and an interest in the project – can help. To assist Zimmerman in determining where the cranes spend most of their time, their patterns, where they nest, food sources, and other information, she is asking for anyone who sees them on campus to snap photos of the birds in their habitat and send them to her.

“Florida sandhill cranes nest and forage on our campus and I couldn’t think of a more appropriate animal to study,” Zimmerman said. “To me, the Florida sandhill crane is symbolic of Florida. They were always around my Florida homes as I was growing up, and I had always admired them. When I moved away from Florida, I found myself missing the cranes and was glad when I came to UCF that they were here.”

Even though the cranes are seen around urban areas, they are listed as threatened because of habitat destruction, mostly due to development. (Read more about sandhill cranes below this story.)

“I thought this was my opportunity to help our UCF population,” she said. “I am taking this data to determine what areas on campus these cranes would benefit most from preserving. The more sightings the more accurate my conclusions will be. That’s why I’m thankful for everyone’s help.”

At one point, she said she had documented 16 of the birds living on campus.

The research is being conducted through UCF’s Research and Mentoring Program at the Arboretum.

“Sandhill cranes are one of our most charismatic native bird species,” said Patrick Bohlen, a professor of biology and director of Landscape and Natural Resources and Arboretum. “We are very interested in basic questions such as how many resident birds there are on campus, which habitats they use, where they are breeding, and, more regrettably, what risks they face in the urban environment.”

He said the “citizen scientist” component of the project not only enables Zimmerman to collect more data, but also provides a way to get people interested in making observations and contributing to an understanding of our campus ecology.

Zimmerman will accept photos until November. She will present her conclusions next spring at UCF’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence. After she graduates, she hopes to earn a master’s degree in behavioral ecology.

“I have always had a passion for anything nature-related, especially animals,” Zimmerman said. “Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to be an ecologist – even before I knew what an ecologist was.”

She hopes this is just the beginning of research on UCF’s sandhill cranes.

“I hope this project doesn’t end. I hope it expands…to study the changes in population density and habitat use over the years to help us protect this species and understand them even more,” she said.

To submit a photo of UCF’s cranes, send to nature@ucf.edu with the subject line “Cranes.” Include the time, date, number of cranes sighted and any other descriptions observed, such as life stage and behavior.

Florida sandhill cranes

Florida sandhill cranes are gray, heron-like birds that stand about 4 feet tall with a patch of bald, red skin on top of their heads.

The threatened species is found in inland shallow freshwater marshes, prairies, pastures and farmlands – and on lawns. They do not adjust well to changed environments and high human populations. Sandhill cranes usually are seen in small family groups or pairs. Mature cranes stay with the same mate for several years and young sandhills stay with their parents until they are about 10 months old.

They are omnivorous and some of their favorite meals include seeds, plant tubers, grains, berries, insects, earthworms, mice, snakes, lizards, frogs and crayfish.

The call made by the sandhill crane is one of the most distinctive bird sounds in Florida. This bugling or trumpeting sound can be heard for several miles.

Sandhills live to be older than most birds, some up to 20 years.

The Zora! Festival commemorates the life of African-American author Zora Neale Hurston, who lived in Eatonville. This year’s Jan. 21-29 event coincides with the city’s 125th anniversary.

As part of the festival, UCF will offer:

Moderator Everett L. Fly, a licensed landscape architect, will lead the discussion with panelists Patrick Bohlen, professor of Biology and director of the UCF Arboretum, and Bruce B. Janz, chair of Philosophy and a professor of Humanities. They will be joined via Skype by Kimberly Smith, associate professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies at Carlton College in Northfield, Minn.

For more information about the Zora! Festival, go to .