In response to the Covid-19 country lockdowns around the world, Bramble Media’s Creative Director, Mitch Turnbull, recently set up a Facebook page and community - The Wild Listening Project. Her aim is to encourage people to reconnect with nature and their wild neighbourhood by listening to, and recording the found wild sounds they encounter. “As our cities and landscapes become quieter during lockdown, wild sounds can be more easily heard. Birdsong, the buzz of an insect and wind in the trees appear louder and more present. During lockdown we’ve been forced to slow down and pause. Now is a perfect time to reconnect with our wild neighbourhoods during permitted exercise or breath of fresh air from a balcony.”
Since setting up the page in early April, over 800 members have joined from around the world. Mitch’s intention is to keep the page going after the world has come out of lockdown. “The feedback from members has been wonderful - people have embraced its intention, are learning new and wonderful things about their wild neighbourhood and are posting extraordinary found sounds.”
The Wild Listening Project was born from Mitch’s passion and fascination for wild soundscapes (see EarthSongs). “We are sonically aware of our environment in order to survive. In the past we would have listened out for a bird alarm call, the roar of a lion or the snap of a twig. Today we tune into the sound of an approaching vehicle. Our modern way of living means that we’ve forgotten how to listen to the wild and in turn, lost a deep and intuitive connection to nature. If we pause and tune back into a wild soundscape, it reconnects us with the natural world and has a positive impact on our wellbeing and mental health. By listening to nature, I believe we’re addressing a deeply embedded human need that leads to a sense of security and peace.”
To see what the members are posting and to join the group, follow this link- https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWildListeningProject/
