Imagine stepping into the lush expanse of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or George Genereux Urban Regional Park, where a symphony of sounds greets you. Each sound tells a story, weaving together the intricate tapestry of life in this vibrant ecosystem.
As you stroll along the winding paths, your ears first catch the distant rumble of the Canadian National Railway yards. Trains, with their rhythmic clattering and deep, resonant horns, serve as a constant reminder of the importance of railways in our community. These iron veins stretch across the country, facilitating economic growth and prosperity, connecting cities and enabling the flow of goods that enrich our lives. The trains’ steady presence, though distant, highlights the balance between human progress and natural serenity.
Closer to you, the natural chorus begins. A smart phone app named “Merlin” by Cornell Lab can be your guide in this sonic exploration. It allows forest visitors to identify the myriad bird calls that fill the air. The Black-capped Chickadee, with its distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call, flits through the trees, while ducks and geese add their own melodic contributions to the forest’s soundscape. If you’re fortunate, you might even hear the rhythmic tapping of one of the four types of woodpeckers that call this forest home. Their drumming is a testament to their busy lives as tree doctors in their search for insects under the bark of trees. Did you know the red cap usually designates a “male woodpecker?” Discover the birds of the afforestation areas or with this pamphlet checklist.
As you listen more closely, you’ll notice the persistent hum of grasshoppers and crickets. Their songs create a lively backdrop, signalling the arrival of warmer months and adding a playful note to the forest’s acoustic environment. These insects and others, small yet significant, contribute to the richness of sound in the afforestation area. The free smartphone app iNaturalist has a few insect names recorded on these two projects: Baker Area Eco-Quest BA EQ for Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Genereux Park Eco-Quest GP EQ for George Genereux Urban Regional Park
The forest itself speaks through the rustling leaves of trembling aspen trees. As the wind dances through their delicate leaves, a soothing rustle fills the air, adding a whispering undertone to the more assertive sounds around you. This gentle sound is a reminder of the ever-present, calming influence of nature.
Don’t overlook the American Red Squirrel, whose chatter provides a burst of energy to the forest soundscape. These squirrels are busy preparing for the winter, storing food in their “refrigerators” or middens at the base of spruce trees. Their animated noises, punctuated by sharp, high-pitched calls, reflect their industrious efforts and add a touch of lively chaos to the serene environment.
The sounds of the forest are a delightful mosaic of natural and artificial sources. From the trains’ distant growls to the intimate whispers of leaves and the lively chatter of squirrels, each sound contributes to a greater understanding of the physical properties of sound, such as pitch and loudness. The balance of these sounds reveals how different frequencies and volumes impact our perception of the environment.By exploring these sounds, we gain insights into how humans and animals detect and interpret auditory information. The sounds we hear shape our experience of the forest and inform our understanding of the interaction between natural habitats and human activities.
In reflecting on the impact of sound-related technologies, like the Merlin Bird ID app, we see how modern tools enhance our appreciation of natural sounds, allowing us to connect more deeply with our environment. This technology, while modern, integrates seamlessly with the timeless beauty of the forest, illustrating how advancements can coexist with and enrich our experiences of nature.
What will you hear in the afforestation areas?Activity 1: Sound Exploration Walk
Activity: Take students on a walk through different environments within the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or George Genereux Urban Regional Park, such as the forest, forest clearing, meadow, wetlands, and shoreline. Have students use recording devices or their senses to capture and identify various sounds they hear in each location. Are more sounds heard overhead in the sky, in the tree canopy, in the forest undergrowth, along the path, in the grass, in the far distance?
Questions:
- What different types of sounds did you hear in the forest compared to the meadow?
- How did the sounds of the wetlands differ from those of the shoreline?
- Which location had the loudest sounds, and why do you think that is?
- How do the sounds in the forest change from daytime to nighttime?
- What patterns or changes in sound did you notice as you moved from one environment to another?
Activity 2: Sound Characteristics Investigation
Activity: Have students investigate the characteristics of different sounds, such as why some sounds are louder or softer, and why they may sound different. Provide students with sound samples from various sources (e.g., train horns, bird calls, rustling leaves) and let them compare their volume, pitch, and tone. Before or after the trip to the afforestation area search for bird songs of the various bird species of the afforestation area on online platforms such as CornellLab All About Birds, Audubon, Bird-Sounds.net Why will one bird species have various bird song styles? Watch the MarshWatch webinars to learn about waterfowl calls, and frog sounds.
Questions:
- Why do some sounds, like a train horn, seem louder than others, such as a cricket chirp, or bird call?
- How does the pitch of a sound change depending on the source?
- What makes the tone of a rustling leaf different from the tone of a woodpecker’s tapping?
- How does the environment affect the way sounds travel and are heard?
- What can you infer about the source of a sound based on its volume and pitch?
Activity 3: Cultural Sound Study
Activity: Explore how different cultures use sound. Discuss traditional uses of sound in various cultures and how they are similar or different from modern uses. Have students create a presentation or artwork based on their findings. Do any cultural sounds take inspiration from sounds from nature?
Questions:
- How do different cultures use sound for communication or rituals?
- What are some traditional instruments or methods used by Indigenous peoples to produce sound?
- How do modern technologies compare with traditional methods of creating sound?
- What role does sound play in celebrations or ceremonies in different cultures?
- How can learning about cultural uses of sound help us understand its importance in our own lives?
Activity 4: Sound and Animals Simulation
Activity: Conduct a simulation or role play where students act out different animals and their use of sound in the wild. This could involve mimicking animal calls, explaining their purposes, and how these sounds help with survival, communication, or mating.
Questions:
- How do different animals use sound to communicate or find food?
- What types of sounds do predators and prey make, and why?
- How might an animal’s hearing ability impact its survival?
- How do animals use sound to navigate their environment?
- What challenges might animals face if their natural sounds are disrupted by human activity?
- If humans are present in the forest, what type of call did you hear? Would animals make an “alarm call” if humans were near? Why or why not?
Activity 5: Sound Composition Project
Activity: Have students create their own sound compositions using natural sounds from the afforestation areas or other sources. They should focus on elements such as rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and pitch to produce a piece that represents the environment. Can you incorporate sounds of nature with melodies from voice or instruments, with rhythms of foot tapping, or hand clapping?
Questions:
How did the different sounds you chose reflect the environment you were representing?
How can you use rhythm and tempo to represent the sounds of the forest?
What dynamics (loud and soft) did you use in your composition to convey different environments?
How did you incorporate high and low pitches into your sound composition?
What textures (layers of sounds) did you include to create a rich auditory experience?
For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park
For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
For more information:
NEW P4G District Official Community Plan
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area
Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Twitter: St Barbe Baker Charity Twitter:FriendsAreas
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )
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United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
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- Let’s Bring Back Forests
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““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”
Richard St. Barbe Baker
The afforestation area, with its diverse and harmonious sounds, offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the intricate interplay between human-made and natural acoustics. It’s a reminder that every sound, whether the distant train horn or the rustling aspen leaves, is part of a grand, interconnected symphony.
Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life. 