For the past decade, IERC has been heavily involved in studying the effects of illegal cannabis cultivation on wildlife. Although IERC scientists are revealing the impacts of this illicit activity on local meso-carnivores, these are not the only species affected by illegal cannabis grows. Birds, bats, and amphibians that inhabit national forests throughout California can also be impacted by activities associated with illegal cannabis cultivation. Nearly 500 species of birds are found in Humboldt County alone and amphibians, such as frogs, have permeable skin which makes them particularly vulnerable to pesticides. These three animal groups have one thing in common—they are vocal, and, as a consequence, can be studied using audio recorders.
IERC has teamed up with USFS LE&I to deploy a dozen audio recorders in California’s National Forests. Known in technical terms as “autonomous recording units” (ARUs), the recorders will listen for birds, frogs, and bats. Using this state-of-the-art equipment, we will be gathering vocals from songbirds during the day, and bats, frogs, and owls at night. ARUs will be deployed during the spring/summer seasons, which corresponds to the highest vocal activity of breeding birds and frogs. Bats are detected by their echolocation sound waves. This phase of IERC research should tell us if and how these animals are affected and will add another important piece to the puzzle of how illegal cannabis cultivation affects ecosystems on nearby public lands.
IERC has teamed up with USFS LE&I to deploy a dozen audio recorders in California’s National Forests. Known in technical terms as “autonomous recording units” (ARUs), the recorders will listen for birds, frogs, and bats. Using this state-of-the-art equipment, we will be gathering vocals from songbirds during the day, and bats, frogs, and owls at night. ARUs will be deployed during the spring/summer seasons, which corresponds to the highest vocal activity of breeding birds and frogs. Bats are detected by their echolocation sound waves. This phase of IERC research should tell us if and how these animals are affected and will add another important piece to the puzzle of how illegal cannabis cultivation affects ecosystems on nearby public lands.
Objective: IERC scientists designed this acoustic monitoring project to determine impacts of illegal cannabis cultivation on local species. Data from ARUs set at grow sites and nearby control sites will be analyzed to assess the impact of grow activities on avian, chiropteran, and amphibian habitat use. Acoustic recorders are a great tool for monitoring vocal wildlife that may be directly or indirectly impacted by illegal cannabis cultivation.