2026-10-12T19:03:44Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/32805512 2026-10-01T16:15:29Z portal_1172 item_type_8 month_year_10_2026

Creating ecological soundwalks through an enmeshed ecoacoustic practice Robert Coleman (4238008) PUREID: 678048110 Soundscape soundscape composition soundwalk field recording ecological soundwalk bird language Ppace based Practice music composition site-specific composition ecoacoustic ecological sound art artscience activist art activism deep ecology biodiversity sound studies acoustic ecology climate change climate crisis This practice-based research investigates the intersection of place-based listening, ecoacoustic practice, and ecological sound art to explore ecological engagement and activism. While acoustic ecology has traditionally focused on promoting positive changes within the sonic environment, this project addresses a gap in the literature by extending its scope to engage with ecology and biodiversity more holistically. It situates sound-based practice within the context of the interconnected climate and biodiversity crisis, exploring the formation of ecological thinking and how this underpins ecological understanding and a considered response of environmental action.<br><br>Three contrasting core study sites across Ireland were investigated over a long-term period: the Vale of Clara, a native temperate rainforest and Special Area of Conservation; Glas-na-Bradan Wood, a developing native woodland undergoing planting by the public; and Belfast’s Botanic Gardens, an urban green space. Varied on-site listening, field recording, ecoacoustic and compositional strategies were utilised to gather and express ecological and contextual information, amounting to what the author describes as an enmeshed ecoacoustic practice.<br><br>A key insight from this research is the integration of creative sound practice and ecoacoustics with Deep Ecology, providing an ethical and philosophical foundation for ecological thinking, and a means to challenge anthropocentric viewpoints through creative ecological work. Embodied listening practices such as Deep Bird Language complement ecoacoustics, expanding it beyond a solely remote, technology-based discipline to a framework for meaningful human connection with nature. The ecological soundwalks emerged as the chief exploration and output of these frameworks allowing participants to engage with participatory place-based experiences emphasising an interconnected way of being through sound. The portfolio includes two concert works, which alongside these seven soundwalks, portray a varied spread of approaches to translating ecological thinking and research into public experiences. By integrating place-based scientific recording and analysis techniques with artistic practice, the project contributes to sound art and composition discourse while engaging with the urgent cultural work of fostering nonhuman awareness in an era of environmental crisis.<br> 2026-10-01T16:15:29Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32805512.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Creating_ecological_soundwalks_through_an_enmeshed_ecoacoustic_practice/32805512 All Rights Reserved