Yesterday on November 16, Rissa Citizen Science organized an event in Radioskogen, one of the last patches of forest left on the southern part of Tromsø island.
In this oasis of nature coveted by developers and threatened by urbanization, we have put up seven more nestboxes, bringing the total of nestboxes in this area to thirteen. This network of nestboxes is being monitored by the local community, as part of a research project led by Rissa's partner at the Arctic University in Norway/UiT. The project aims at better understanding the effects of light pollution on songbirds in the Arctic.
Let’s follow two-year-old Lazlo - Rissa's youngest citizen scientist - who inspires us grownups to reflect on the kind of world we want to leave for future generations: one dominated by asphalt and concrete, or one where we share space with nature.

The pink circle below marks Radioskogen, a small forest surrounded by rapidly expanding urban development. To the west (left), a cemetery and community gardens have so far remained untouched by developers. Elsewhere, the pressure on nature has never been greater. With rising housing demands in Tromsø, this surge of encroachement represents yet another example of unlimited growth, habitat destruction and its unavoidable result: biodiversity loss.

While the land owner supports the lucrative conversion of the forest into multistory apartment buildings, the local community is standing strong, trying to preserve this precious patch of nature in the city.
The case of Radioskogen adds depth to the public debate, raising important questions. For instance, can we, as a society, recognize the value of nature by considering the many benefits it offers to those living nearby? What if this seemingly "unproductive" piece of land holds greater worth than its real estate value? Haven’t we already acknowledged the financial, social, and societal advantages of providing urban populations with green spaces for walking, exercising, and maintaining their health?
Monetizing natural ecosystems may soon become a relic of an era when nature was abundant enough to be viewed solely as a source of financial gain. Perhaps this is not the kind of wealth we should prioritize. If our leaders are committed to slowing the global rate of habitat destruction, could they begin by preserving natural habitats at the local level?

While asking ourselves these questions, we put up seven more nestboxes in Radioskogen. Lazlo even added some hair from Hera, the neighbor's dog, to help the birds keep warm in winter. We will now give the nestboxes some peace and quiet, and we will come back in summer to check which ones have been used. Last summer, half of the nestboxes have been occupied, which suggests that Radioskogen provides an excellent habitat for songbirds. It may also reflect the lack of natural cavities in forests that are not given the time to grown old. And of course, there are always some inter-annual variations, with years that are better than others for a variety of reasons.

Several species of birds use the nestboxes in Radioskogen, including the great tit, the blue tit, the common redtsart and the pied flycatcher (photo below). Their presence directly depends on this forest for food and shelter.
Now, look carefully at this male pied flycatcher below. And imagine that it was probably born in Tromsø, before migrating to another patch of forest south of the Sahara desert. A few months later, it started its journey back, flying across North Africa, then above the Mediterannean sea, then cutting through Europe, some more sea, and Scandinavia all the way to this tiny patch of forest we call Radioskogen.
Hopefully, we can show pied flycatchers to Lazlo next summer, and the following years, and tell him the story of all these birds that go a long way to find their favorite patch of forest in the whole world, just across his backyard.

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