A Spotted Towhee in Chimacum Ridge forest. Photo by Kerry Tremain.
We’re delighted to share that the New York Times recently released an article focused on the exciting work of the Listen Up Collaborative, a pioneering regional partnership of which Jefferson Land Trust is a member.
The story, by Cara Buckley, is titled “In Washington, Birds Are Giving ‘Yelp Reviews’ of Forest Restoration Work: A collective of land trusts, conservancies and tribes is capturing birdsong with audio gear and A.I. for clues about habitat health.”
The piece is part of the New York Times’ prestigious “50 States, 50 Fixes” series, which highlights active environmental and climate solutions happening in every state. We’re honored and proud that the groundbreaking work of the Listen Up Collaborative was chosen to represent the state of Washington in this series.
The seven organizations in the Listen Up Collaborative use acoustic bird monitoring and share knowledge and resources to enhance habitat for bird conservation and climate resilience in Western Washington. The New York Times piece highlights how we and our partners are using affordable technology and citizen science to reverse declines in forest bird populations and ensure their long-term survival — and inspiring land trusts nationwide to adopt similar methods.
The Land Trust’s former Field Assistant Greg Sachs installing an Audiomoth birdsong recording device at a Land Trust preserve in spring 2025.
The story is available online now, and will appear in print in an upcoming edition of the paper in the next few weeks. (Please note that you will need a New York Times subscription, or a gift link from someone with a subscription, in order to read the full article.)
You can read more about the Listen Up Collaborative on our website, or on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s website.
