Forest Megaphone Project Complete
Bemidji, MN. May 22, 2025. The Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society (MHAS), in collaboration with Bemidji State University’s School of Technology, Art & Design, has completed installation of a large-scale “Forest Megaphone” at the Neilson Spearhead Nature Preserve, just outside of Bemidji.
The cone-shaped, 11-foot-long, megaphone is designed to amplify the sounds of the forest, think birdsong, rustling leaves, distant woodpeckers. Forest Megaphone was designed and constructed by BSU senior capstone students and is now fully installed and open to the public.
Built from pressure-treated lumber donated by Northwoods Lumber Company, in Bemidji, the megaphone is designed to last for decades and fit into the forest landscape. Hikers reach the megaphone on the circuit trail around Spearhead Lake; hike along the Western trail to access it or paddle a canoe or kayak across Spearhead Lake.
“This megaphone is more than a listening tool, it's an experience,” says Beth Drost, Outreach Coordinator for the nature preserve. “It offers a quiet place to reflect and really experience the natural essence of the forest and the preserve.”
The Forest Megaphone is part of MHAS’s ongoing mission to connect people with nature and foster stewardship of nature. MHAS owns and manages the 466-acre Neilson Spearhead Nature Preserve, a nature preserve southwest of Bemidji, Minnesota. Donated by Katharine Neilson Cram in 1978, the land was placed under a permanent conservation easement with the Minnesota Land Trust in 1999. MHAS continues to protect its natural habitats while supporting experiential environmental learning, and research.
Founded in 1977 by concerned Bemidji citizens, the MHAS is a local chapter of the National Audubon Society, known for its grassroots advocacy and environmental education. With over 250 members in northwest Minnesota, the organization offers fun and experiential nature programs, educates about the environment, and helps people connect with each other and the natural world.
Learn more:
For interviews, or group visit inquiries, contact:
Beth Drost, Outreach Coordinator
Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society
Neilson Spearhead Nature Preserve
beth@spearheadmhas.org
http://www.spearheadmhas.org
