Kawartha Conservation launches The Talking Forest at Ken Reid CA

FEBRUARY 9, 2021 – Come and experience Ken Reid Conservation Area like never before with the new Talking Forest App available now for Android.

The innovative app helps bring the trees to life, sharing their stories in their own words, allowing visitors to explore, learn and engage at their own pace, all while socially distancing in the great outdoors.

“We are excited to be able to bring this type of innovation and education for visitors to Ken Reid Conservation Area,’ said Kristie Virgoe, Director, Stewardship and Conservation Lands. “The Talking Forest app currently features the voices of 15 trees and helps to share their stories and teach visitors more about them.”

The Talking Forest app, produced in conjunction with digital transformation agency Treefrog, is an interactive interpretive trail experience that allows participants to hear the story of the forest from the trees themselves. There are 15 stations located throughout Ken Reid Conservation area that will provide information on forest ecology, local history, and fun facts at a level that all users can enjoy and understand. As you travel through Ken Reid you will encounter trees of various species that will explain who they are and why they are growing in a certain location. They may direct you to other points of interest throughout the forest.

The Talking Forest app is meant as a tool to enhance the users experience in nature, and is designed to promote learning, entertainment, and family interaction along the trail.

“We had a lot of fun putting together the voices of the trees with a number of local and regional voices taking part,” explained Ms. Virgoe. “We have a mix of young and old, including some local celebrities, that we feel have really captured the trees’ personalities.”

Andy Letham, Kawartha Lakes Mayor and Chair of the Kawartha Conservation Board of Directors said the new app is a great addition to Ken Reid Conservation Area and will be a welcome tourism draw, not only providing a new experience for local residents, but also for visitors traveling to the area to experience nature in a new way.

“The Talking Forest is a great initiative and a great example of continuing to move forward and think of innovative ways to continue to operate effectively during these challenging times,” said Mr. Letham. “We all know how important nature is and spending time outdoors, and this new app is another tool and another experience to help foster a greater understanding and appreciation of nature locally.”

Currently available on the Play Store for Android, plans are underway to be able to offer the App for download on the Apple App Store.

“We have a lot of enhancements and additions planned for future updates of the app, but we would love to receive feedback from users, what you like about the app and what you’d like to see added,” said Ms. Virgoe. “Whether you’re a frequent visitor to Ken Reid, or you’ve never been before, I would encourage you to download The Talking Forest app by Treefrog and come and experience nature in a brand-new way at Ken Reid Conservation Area.”

Learn more about the app and the Talking Forest at https://www.kawarthaconservation.com/talkingforest.