Everyone is invited to record sounds heard when visiting national parks and upload them to a new soundscape map.
This soundscape project was developed by sound researchers from the UK Acoustics Network (UKNA), University College London (UCL), the University of Aberdeen and the University of Sheffield in collaboration with people who work for, visit and live in the UK's 15 National Parks.
Researchers are looking to create a map covering each National Park with sounds, recorded and uploaded by the public, representing the varied sounds we hear across our parks.
The team are inviting anyone to submit short recordings of no more than 30 seconds of the emblematic sound(s) of your park – using a smartphone or other equipment. The sound should mean something to you, be representative of the park, and one for which you can write a little bit of text about how it makes you feel. Sounds uploaded so far include windy Peak District Moors, Exmoor cuckoos and South Downs skylarks.
The project aims to help visitors and residents of each National Park engage more with the invisible, yet audible world of sound, encouraging more attentive listening and closer connections with the landscape.
Explore the sound map and find out how to record sounds and upload them: nplandingpagepublic — Pete Stollery
Hear Peter Stollery of the University of Aberdeen discussing the project on BBC R4 Today, at 2hrs 22 min: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001k0vw
