Homegrown Honkers

Instrumentation: Woodwind Quintet

Duration: 6 min

Program Notes: Homegrown Honkers is a piece for woodwind quintet that shines a spotlight on the history of the Canada Goose in the United States. In the early 1900's the Canada Goose was thought to be extinct due to a dramatic population decline from overhunting and habitat loss. In the 1960's a small population of Canada Geese was found in Rochester, Minnesota. Since that moment, scientists and conservationists worked together to restore Canada Goose populations in the United States. One of their efforts includes publishing a book called “Homegrown Honkers” which is a manual used to help people start Canada Goose flocks in their own neighborhoods. This project worked almost too well because not only was the Canada Goose saved from extinction, but now they are literally everywhere. Homegrown Honkers was wildly successful at repopulating the Canada Goose, but it didn’t really help the small population of migratory geese, rather it lead to the creation of “resident” Canada Goose populations that don’t migrate between the seasons. The Canada Goose is a reminder that regular people can make a big difference and no act is too small to help protect the environment.

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