Since late April 2024, we have been recording continuous soundscapes at six sites in the Baraboo Hills that encompass a range of forest types – upland woodlands, stream gorges, mesic hardwood forests, swamps.
We are one of several Soundscape Baselines Project research teams, located throughout the world. This project was started by the Sound Forest Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The goal is to document biodiversity baselines in some of the world’s most intact forests to support evidence-based conservation. You can find our new research paper here!
In the Baraboo Hills, we are using bioacoustic data, in combination with traditional field measurements, to understand how healthy forest ecosystems sound throughout the year – to answer questions about species diversity, phenology, conservation, and more. Check out our other research pages to learn about how we use bioacoustics to study woodland restoration, and fall migration.
Additionally, archived bioacoustic data can function like a time capsule to be returned to in the future – by scientists, educators, artists, or other listeners. These recording can also be used like a reference library for forest conservation projects throughout the Midwest.
You can learn more about the Baraboo Hills Soundscape Baselines Project research through Wisconsin Public Radio, or this Great Lakes Now feature:
Curious how the global soundscape baselines data are being used? Read a paper led by Laura examining the daily phenology of temperate and tropical forests.
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Baraboo Hills Ecology Research Collective 