How to turn down the volume and protect wildlife in your yard and garden

By JESSICA DAMIANO In the garden the start of the growing season means the return of dirt under our fingernails the scent of freshly spread mulch and the first blooming roses In my neighborhood and perhaps yours it also means an audible onslaught of lawnmowers leaf blowers and other tools of the landscaper s contract From a m through at least early afternoon five or six days every week the hum of power tools and other machines disrupts my peace But even more concerning is that my peace pales in importance to that of my property s other residents Birds squirrels rabbits frogs insects and other wildlife are critically affected by human-made noise They re outdoors right in the middle of what must seem to them a war zone with no escape And the battleground noises that surround them aren t merely nuisances they disrupt the basic instincts the animals lives depend on Instincts such as those that alert them to the presence of predators become masked under the gas-powered cacophony prevalent throughout most of of suburbia The unnatural sounds can also force birds bats and insects into changing their feeding nesting and mating habits says Kevin Munroe Long Island Preserve Director for The Nature Conservancy based in Cold Spring Harbor New York Quite a sparse animals communicate primarily through song and their songs are how they find each other Munroe declared Those with soft and quiet songs like warblers small species of owls bats and particular species of crickets for instance can be so badly drowned out by noise contamination that they literally cannot build families or reproduce he disclosed This Sept image provided by Bugwood org show an adult green frog David Cappaert Bugwood org via AP This March image provided by Bugwood org shows an American robin in Lakewood Ga Joseph Berger Bugwood org via AP This May image provided by The Nature Conservancy shows a black-and-white warbler Derek Rogers via AP Show Caption of This Sept image provided by Bugwood org show an adult green frog David Cappaert Bugwood org via AP Expand To illustrate the point Munroe likens the animals songs to navigation systems Imagine these songs are the birds roadmaps to each other and imagine you re using your GPS to get somewhere and all of a sudden it turns off and that s the only way you can find your family Now with it turned off there s no way you ll find your family That s what song is like for these animals he explained Artificial noises from power equipment traffic construction and industrial sources can also cause stress and hearing loss in animals A University of Georgia analysis even revealed that highway noises can elevate heart rates in monarch caterpillars Thoughtful planning can reduce the noise This may seem like a losing battle in modern society but there are attempts we can take to help The Nature Conservancy recommends changes to industrial practices that include accounting for sensitive areas when siting noise-producing facilities such as access roads and compressor stations and designing them to include sound obstructions such as walls vegetative screening and noise-absorbing equipment Altering the timing and duration of noisy exercises during breeding and hibernation periods could also reduce adverse effects on wildlife the organization stated What you can do at home On our own properties small changes can make a big impact Because birds do their majority critical talking to each other between dawn and a m Munroe recommends shifting noisy yardwork later Another critical time for multiple species of wildlife is after dark he explained You can play music and have fun but try not to make any loud noises he disclosed In addition creating sound buffers by planting dense native trees evergreens or deciduous shrubs and switching from gas- to battery-powered tools including leaf blowers string trimmers and chainsaws are simple things homeowners can do to avoid causing harm Educating and introducing change to local communities is central too Munroe suggests working with your homeowners association schools businesses and churches to limit loud destructive activity on their properties Talk to local municipalities about their noise ordinances and encourage them to create a sound sanctuary in the neighborhood to protect wood thrushes katydids and other wildlife he noted And inevitably observe noise ordinances at home and in masses places like parks Wild animals serve as pollinators affect pest control and have a positive effect on our agriculture and our financial sector Munroe commented We want them in our neighborhoods Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice For more AP gardening stories go to https apnews com hub gardening