- Playing
- Listening for Frogs
- From
- Ed Herrmann
Each Spring, thousands of people spend their evenings listening to frogs and toads as they help assess the water quality of rivers and wetlands around the country. In this essay Ed Herrmann describes trying to hear frogs over the din of traffic, and explores the relationship of urban sprawl, nonpoint pollution, wetlands, and the health of amphibians. Includes the calls of several different species of frogs and toads as well as cars, trains, and planes.
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Piece Description
Each Spring, thousands of people spend their evenings listening to frogs and toads as they help assess the water quality of rivers and wetlands around the country. In this essay Ed Herrmann describes trying to hear frogs over the din of traffic, and explores the relationship of urban sprawl, nonpoint pollution, wetlands, and the health of amphibians. Includes the calls of several different species of frogs and toads as well as cars, trains, and planes.
2 Comments
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Review of Listening for FrogsI like the concept behind the piece - a nature lover explores his locality and discovers a nature still thriving. Also, the piece provokes the listener to examine his relation to nature and the relation of his society to nature - something that, I feel, happens far too little. |
Broadcast History
Originally distributed by the GLRC in 2004.
This piece includes the outcue, "For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I'm Ed Herrmann." If you would like this tag deleted or customized, please contact me and I'll modify it for you.
Transcript
EH: I've always enjoyed being outside and listening to nature. Recording nature sounds is a hobby of mine. So when I saw an ad asking for people to listen for frogs and toads I thought, "All right. Beats watching campaign commercials." I called up Friends of the Rouge (that's a local group dedicated to helping out the Rouge River watershed), and a few days later I got a package in the mail. It was full of maps and information, and had a CD with the songs of the local frogs and toads. I studied my area, and found some likely looking wet spots where I thought they might live. I memorized the sound of the Wood Frog (sound), Chorus Frog (sound), Spring Peeper (sound), and American Toad. Then, on the first night when the temperature and wind conditions were just right, I headed out to hear some frogs.
(sound of traffic roaring by)
I don't know what I was thinking. This is suburban Detr...
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
SUGGESTED LEAD: Each Spring, thousands of people spend their evenings listening to frogs and toads. It's not just for fun. They're helping assess the water quality of rivers and wetlands around the country. Ed Herrmann joined the search for amphibians, and has this essay.
Musical Works
only songs by frogs
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Rich Groen
Posted on April 26, 2006 at 05:25 PM | Permalink
Review of Listening for Frogs
Croaky and rural; suggested title: Where have all the Froggies gone?
Of course thery're there, but overwhelmed by the city.
Try west of Livonia, not Romulus.