Bat Conservation International

grant award: $297,424; year awarded: 2022

Agaves are a keystone species that support important pollinators like endangered nectar bat species. They are also important for biocultural values and livelihoods of tribal communities who use agaves for beverages, food, livestock fodder, and construction material. However, climate-change-driven warming and drying conditions leading to drought and wildfires are disrupting the ranges of agaves and nectar bat species – specifically in the southwestern US. Bat Conservation International is working with local landowners and community groups to protect and restore agave habitat, establish sustainable land management practices, and improve overall ecosystem health. As part of this grant, they will collect seeds from healthy native agaves and plant 3,000 new agaves in a critical transboundary “nectar corridor.”