How human-generated noise disrupts wildlife: The unseen impact of outdoor recreation

Sylvia Kantor; Katherine Zeller; Mark Ditmer; John R. Squires; Jesse Barber; James Wilder; Ashley Egan

Treesearch

How human-generated noise disrupts wildlife: The unseen impact of outdoor recreation

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Sylvia Kantor, Katherine Zeller, Mark Ditmer, John R. Squires, Jesse Barber, James Wilder, Ashley Egan

Year:

2025

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 71. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 11 p.

Download (PDF 12.91 MB)

Download (PDF 12.91 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69006.pdf

Abstract

We often turn to nature to get away from the clamor of urban life. Doing so has been shown to lower our stress levels, reduce blood pressure, and help us sleep better. But seeking nature to improve our health may have a paradoxical effect on the denizens of these areas. The sounds we create and carry into the natural soundscape, from our conversations to the whir of mountain bike wheels or the roar of off-highway vehicles (OHVs), can be stressful to wildlife. The next time you walk with friends or family on a trail in a local park, the mountains, the woods, or a wilderness area, take notice with your ears. What may seem like a peaceful walk to you and your companions can have an entirely different effect on the animals that share the landscape with you.

Keywords

human-generated noise, wildlife, outdoor recreation

Citation

Kantor, Sylvia; Zeller, Kathy; Ditmer, Mark; Squires, John; Barber, Jesse; Wilder, James; Egan, Ashley. 2025. How human-generated noise disrupts wildlife: The unseen impact of outdoor recreation. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 71. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 11 p.