Strategies for Lowering Noise Levels and Conserving Wildlife in Your Outdoor Spaces
In the backyard sanctuaries of our neighborhoods, the rising chirps and blooms of spring herald the return of Mother Nature, coupled with the ever-present drone of power tools and other noisy machinery, turning tranquil havens into chaotic war zones for our less human neighbors.
Let's face it, the whirring, buzzing, and roaring landscape brutes take over every week from 8 in the morning until the afternoon, shattering the peace that should rightfully be theirs. But matters are worse than they seem: it's not just our relaxation that suffers, but the very survival and well-being of our four-legged, feathered, and scaled friends.
Noise pollution wreaks havoc on wildlife, causing stress, compromising their communication, and altering their behavior and habitats. Present right in the heart of this cacophony of QUIET-drowning chaos, our woodland friends find themselves wounded by invisible bullets. What can seem like merely an irritating din to us spells disaster for them, with no reprieve in sight.
Those headache-inducing, pinewood-serenading warbles and hoots we hear, essential for bird species' reproduction and communication, unwittingly transform into muffled undertones silenced by the incessant hum of power tools. Squirrels, rabbits, frogs, insects, and more are all affected, with their instincts drowned out and their daily lives thrown off kilter.
So what's a songbird to do? According to Kevin Munroe, Long Island Preserve Director for The Nature Conservancy, chances are things won't go as planned for them with those roadmaps -- the songs they rely on for finding each other -- disabled by noise pollution.
Imagine your GPS suddenly cutting out as you drive home, making it impossible for you to find your beloved house. That's what it feels like for these animals when their songs are silenced. Louder natural noises from power equipment, traffic, construction, and industry can cause further stress and hearing loss, possibly leading to heart disease in monarch caterpillars.
But despair not, my fellow eco-warriors! Despite the seemingly insurmountable time we live in, we can take matters into our own hands to restore a peaceful existence for both us and our wildlife comrades.
The Nature Conservancy proposes changes to industrial practices, such as siting noise-producing facilities in sensitive areas, constructing sound barriers, and carefully considering the timing of noisy activities. Homeowners, too, have a part to play.
Shift your yardwork to later hours when the wildlife has quieted down, avoiding loud noises after dark. Opt for battery-powered tools instead of their gas-guzzling counterparts, and consider planting dense native trees, evergreens, or shrubs to create sound buffers. Get active within your community to lobby local municipalities, schools, and businesses for stricter noise ordinances. Together, let's build noise sanctuaries in our neighborhoods, keeping tunes alive for the wood thrushes, katydids, and all our wild neighbors.
After all, these creatures play vital roles as pollinators, affecting pest control, and supporting our agriculture and economy. They deserve a place in our midst, and it's up to us to ensure they continue to find it. Jessica Damiano offers a wealth of knowledge on how to create a harmonious balance between our human lives and the lives of our woodland companions through her Weekly Dirt Newsletter here. Join us in creating a greener, quieter, and more peaceful world for all to enjoy.
- News headlines might read, "Noise pollution in urban backyards adversely affecting wildlife," as the insensitive hum of power tools disrupts the tranquil environment intended for our four-legged, feathered, and scaled neighbors.
- A study in environmental-science reveals that continuous noise exposure can have severe repercussions on wildlife, causing stress, altered behaviors, and compromised communication.
- As we revel in the beauty of home-and-garden, let's not forget the impact our choices have on our furry, winged, and scaled friends, whose daily lives and habitats are at risk due to noise pollution.
- To reduce noise pollution, we can adopt simple lifestyle changes, such as doing yardwork at quieter hours, using battery-powered tools instead of gas-guzzling ones, and creating sound buffers with native plants in the form of dense trees, evergreens, and shrubs.
- City administrations and businesses can also contribute by implementing stricter noise regulations and adopting more eco-friendly industrial practices, like siting noise-producing facilities in less sensitive areas, constructing sound barriers, and scheduling noisy activities at less disruptive times.
- By taking action towards quieter neighborhoods, we can support a thriving wildlife culture, improve the sustainability of our home-and-garden, and preserve our overall ecosystem and economy that relies on the essential services provided by our less human neighbors.
