IN THIS EPISODE:

On this episode of Great Lakes Now: What can we learn by eavesdropping on forests? A global project based in Wisconsin has been finding out. Then, GLN host Anna Sysling heads to Lake Superior for a fishing trip with Michigan Out of Doors. And we ask: should nature have legal rights?

When to Watch?

Check your local station for when Great Lakes Now is on in your area.

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These scientists are eavesdropping on forests

SEGMENT 1 | MADISON, WI; THE BARABOO HILLS, WI

For over a year, the Soundscape Baselines Project has been capturing the natural sounds of forests around the world. Based in the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this effort is led by Zuzana Burivalova’s Sound Forest Lab and aims to record the unique soundscapes of diverse forest types. By planting microphones that listen 24/7, the project creates a crucial baseline for future researchers to track how these ecosystems are changing over time.

Working with a global network of scientists and local communities, the team has installed recording devices in six forests around the world. One of these is Wisconsin’s Baraboo Hills, an ecologically unique region in the Midwest. The recordings capture every chirp, croak, buzz, and song, offering a living portrait of these ecosystems. Already, these recordings are being used to explore the positive and negative effects of human interactions on the environment.

This story was produced in collaboration with Wisconsin Public Radio.

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Fishing for lake trout off the Keweenaw Peninsula

SEGMENT 2 | LAKE SUPERIOR

Since the early 1950s, Michigan Out of Doors has been a trusted source of outdoor adventures across the state. Each week, hosts Jimmy Gretzinger and Jenny Ciolek take viewers on outdoor adventures, including fishing, hunting, and just enjoying the great outdoors.

GLN’s Anna Sysling joined Jimmy and Jenny for a trout fishing trip on Lake Superior off the Keweenaw Peninsula, getting fishing tips from the show’s hosts and charter captain Travis White. Along the way, she learns more about the history of the long running PBS program and the comeback of lake trout in Lake Superior.

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Should the lakes have rights?

SEGMENT 3 | TOLEDO, OH

When we think about who has rights under the law, we usually think about people or organizations. But what about nature?

A growing movement argues that, just like people, natural resources should have guaranteed rights, including the rights to be protected and preserved. The Rights of Nature movement has inspired legislation to grant those rights to the Great Lakes. In Toledo, Ohio, voters approved a Lake Erie Bill of Rights that was later struck down by a federal judge. In New York, Assemblyman Patrick Burke has introduced legislation to protect lakes Erie and Ontario.

At the same time, Indigenous communities have long recognized these rights, inspiring a shift in how we interact with our environment. Professor Angelique EagleWoman explains how tribal nations incorporate those rights into their laws.