Sonorous Landscapes: Using sound and creative design methods to capture and communicate biodiversity in an urban forest
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Lancaster Inst for the Contemporary Arts
Abstract
onorous Landscapes aims to address the challenge of engaging urban communities, urban design professionals, and policy makers in proactive biodiversity conservation within the context of urban woodlands and coppicing paddocks. Through Slough Borough Council's (SBC) Digital Urban Forest (DUF), the project will design and test the efficacy of innovative time-based methods for i) capturing changing levels of biodiversity through sound and ii) communicating these changes through creative digital methods that engage audiences with sensing and data. The research will encourage active community stewardship of SBC's green transition initiatives—specifically, the DUF's reforestation and rewilding activities. It will test the efficacy of its methods in changing perceptions of biodiversity and creating tangible evidence to support urban design and policy interventions that improve biodiversity. It will support climate and environment education initiatives that raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity in urban settings, spanning subjects from arts and humanities to design, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By designing exemplary means of engaging stakeholders in measures and discourse regarding biodiversity, the research aims to increase stewardship of urban ecologies and embrace the societal changes that are urgently needed to address the climate crisis.
The research will develop and pilot innovative unattended field-based recording methods, analysis, and creative time-based visualizations. It will build upon four sensor and creative communication projects previously delivered by the Research Associate Rupert Griffiths and funded by the Joy Welch Post-doctoral Fund, AHRC Impact Acceleration Account, Universität Bonn TRA Sustainable Futures fund, and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (DEFRA). These projects have laid a solid foundation for the proposed project, developing and testing the underlying infrastructure, technologies, and engagement techniques.
The research questions are:
RQ1: What values do communities, design professionals, and policymakers attach to urban biodiversity and rewilding?
RQ2: How can creative methods, bioacoustic sensors, and time-based visualizations articulate changes in biodiversity to broad audiences?
RQ3: How does live information about biodiversity influence stakeholder values, engagement, and stewardship towards the environment?
The research addresses challenges such as the need to uncover and understand values, perceptions, and cultural associations among urban communities towards biodiversity and rewilding. It aims to foster community engagement and involvement in conservation. By providing accessible live information about biodiversity within urban green spaces over various timescales, the project explores how data influences community engagement and values regarding biodiversity. This will contribute to green transition within cities and developing more sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems.
The research will develop and pilot innovative unattended field-based recording methods, analysis, and creative time-based visualizations. It will build upon four sensor and creative communication projects previously delivered by the Research Associate Rupert Griffiths and funded by the Joy Welch Post-doctoral Fund, AHRC Impact Acceleration Account, Universität Bonn TRA Sustainable Futures fund, and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (DEFRA). These projects have laid a solid foundation for the proposed project, developing and testing the underlying infrastructure, technologies, and engagement techniques.
The research questions are:
RQ1: What values do communities, design professionals, and policymakers attach to urban biodiversity and rewilding?
RQ2: How can creative methods, bioacoustic sensors, and time-based visualizations articulate changes in biodiversity to broad audiences?
RQ3: How does live information about biodiversity influence stakeholder values, engagement, and stewardship towards the environment?
The research addresses challenges such as the need to uncover and understand values, perceptions, and cultural associations among urban communities towards biodiversity and rewilding. It aims to foster community engagement and involvement in conservation. By providing accessible live information about biodiversity within urban green spaces over various timescales, the project explores how data influences community engagement and values regarding biodiversity. This will contribute to green transition within cities and developing more sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Nick Dunn (Principal Investigator) |
| Title | Animated Sound Spectrograms |
| Description | Stop-frame animations of sounds spectrograms taken at 15 second intervals for periods of 24 hours. Several sample rates were used to capture and emphasise different parts of the sound spectrum. High sample rates captured ultrasound, indicating the presence of bats; lower sample rates captured the audible spectrum, indicating the presence of birds as well as anthropogenic activity, such as cars, planes, etc. Lower sample rates capture low frequency sound and infrasound (below human hearing), indicating predominantly anthropogenic activity related to vehicles and machines. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | These animations were used in the workshops described elsewhere. The project ran workshops that introduced the project and its results to various groups, including the Green Slough Community Trust, the Herschel Park Volunteers group, and various urban designers, landscape architects and architects, a property developer, and ecologists. These workshops employed open-ended and semi-structured interviews with image-based elicitation (i.e., the various artistic and creative products described in this section). There were very positive results from all groups. The project's use of multiple time scales and multiple visualisation methods (sound spectrograms, diurnal and monthly light variations, and all-sky camera movies) was considered very comprehensive in its description of the environment and the activity going on within it. A major success of the workshops was the reported increase in awareness of the environment as a more-than-human space. Participants noted how the prototypes "flattened" human and non-human activities, situating human activity within a broader ecological understanding of the environment. The groups identified various use cases: awareness and understanding of the environment among community groups (stewardship), including advocacy support; ecologists saw great value in this approach in biodiversity net gain monitoring- particularly due to extended timescales-and presenting ecological data to diverse audiences; property developer saw possibility of both marketing for ecobuilds and building performance monitoring, as the sensor infrastructure can extend to all manner of sensors that can monitor moisture, temperature, etc., in void spaces, etc. The groups also independently proposed that artificial intelligence could be used to markup activity in the environment, although this was not considered necessary (including by ecologists) to get a broad understanding of biodiversity levels. The project's potential to present ecological data to diverse audiences in an accessible way was highlighted as a key benefit. |
| Title | Herschel Park LightClock |
| Description | A timepiece that visualised live environmental light data from Herschel Park. The clock shows changing patterns of light and dark over the day and night. Two lunar months are visualised as a helix, with each turn of the helix representing a 24-hour period. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | These animations and still images were used in the workshops described elsewhere. The project ran workshops that introduced the project and its results to various groups, including the Green Slough Community Trust, the Herschel Park Volunteer Group, and various urban designers, landscape architects and architects, a property developer, and ecologists. These workshops employed open-ended and semi-structured interviews with image-based elicitation (i.e., the various artistic and creative products described in this section). There were very positive results from all groups. The project's use of multiple time scales and multiple visualisation methods (sound spectrograms, diurnal and monthly light variations, and all-sky camera movies) was considered very comprehensive in its description of the environment and the activity going on within it. A major success of the workshops was the reported increase in awareness of the environment as a more-than-human space. Participants noted how the prototypes "flattened" human and non-human activities, situating human activity within a broader ecological understanding of the environment. The groups identified various use cases: awareness and understanding of the environment among community groups (stewardship), including advocacy support; ecologists saw great value in this approach in biodiversity net gain monitoring- particularly due to extended timescales-and presenting ecological data to diverse audiences; property developer saw possibility of both marketing for ecobuilds and building performance monitoring, as the sensor infrastructure can extend to all manner of sensors that can monitor moisture, temperature, etc., in void spaces, etc. The groups also independently proposed that artificial intelligence could be used to markup activity in the environment, although this was not considered necessary (including by ecologists) to get a broad understanding of biodiversity levels. The project's potential to present ecological data to diverse audiences in an accessible way was highlighted as a key benefit. |
| Title | SkyCam |
| Description | Stop-frame animations of the sky (180 degree field of view) in Herschel Park, Slough. Multiple movies and still images were captured. Each movie represented shows the sky from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | These animations and still images were used in the workshops described elsewhere. The project ran workshops that introduced the project and its results to various groups, including the Green Slough Community Trust, the Herschel Park Volunteer Group, and various urban designers, landscape architects and architects, a property developer, and ecologists. These workshops employed open-ended and semi-structured interviews with image-based elicitation (i.e., the various artistic and creative products described in this section). There were very positive results from all groups. The project's use of multiple time scales and multiple visualisation methods (sound spectrograms, diurnal and monthly light variations, and all-sky camera movies) was considered very comprehensive in its description of the environment and the activity going on within it. A major success of the workshops was the reported increase in awareness of the environment as a more-than-human space. Participants noted how the prototypes "flattened" human and non-human activities, situating human activity within a broader ecological understanding of the environment. The groups identified various use cases: awareness and understanding of the environment among community groups (stewardship), including advocacy support; ecologists saw great value in this approach in biodiversity net gain monitoring- particularly due to extended timescales-and presenting ecological data to diverse audiences; property developer saw possibility of both marketing for ecobuilds and building performance monitoring, as the sensor infrastructure can extend to all manner of sensors that can monitor moisture, temperature, etc., in void spaces, etc. The groups also independently proposed that artificial intelligence could be used to markup activity in the environment, although this was not considered necessary (including by ecologists) to get a broad understanding of biodiversity levels. The project's potential to present ecological data to diverse audiences in an accessible way was highlighted as a key benefit. |
| Title | SoundClock |
| Description | An artifact that visualises time-based sound data to create a timepiece that shows changing sound over periods of seven days. Sound is represented in a helical fashion with each turn of the helix representing 24 hours. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The SoundClock was used in the workshops described elsewhere. The project ran workshops that introduced the project and its results to various groups, including the Green Slough Community Trust, the Herschel Park Volunteers Group, and various urban designers, landscape architects and architects, a property developer, and ecologists. These workshops employed open-ended and semi-structured interviews with image-based elicitation (i.e., the various artistic and creative products described in this section). There were very positive results from all groups. The project's use of multiple time scales and multiple visualisation methods (sound spectrograms, diurnal and monthly light variations, and all-sky camera movies) was considered very comprehensive in its description of the environment and the activity going on within it. A major success of the workshops was the reported increase in awareness of the environment as a more-than-human space. Participants noted how the prototypes "flattened" human and non-human activities, situating human activity within a broader ecological understanding of the environment. The groups identified various use cases: awareness and understanding of the environment among community groups (stewardship), including advocacy support; ecologists saw great value in this approach in biodiversity net gain monitoring- particularly due to extended timescales-and presenting ecological data to diverse audiences; property developer saw possibility of both marketing for ecobuilds and building performance monitoring, as the sensor infrastructure can extend to all manner of sensors that can monitor moisture, temperature, etc., in void spaces, etc. The groups also independently proposed that artificial intelligence could be used to markup activity in the environment, although this was not considered necessary (including by ecologists) to get a broad understanding of biodiversity levels. The project's potential to present ecological data to diverse audiences in an accessible way was highlighted as a key benefit. |
| Description | The Sonorous Landscapes project successfully developed and deployed innovative methods for monitoring and visualizing urban biodiversity, including creative tools that engaged both local communities and professionals in ecological awareness. A key achievement was the installation of a prototype monitoring system at Herschel Park in Slough, which collected multi-band sound spectrograms alongside light data and all-sky camera imagery to provide a rich, time-based record of urban biodiversity. The project's methods were well received across multiple stakeholder groups, including community organizations, ecologists, urban designers, architects, and landscape architects. Workshops demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed visualization techniques in shifting public perceptions of urban environments by positioning human and non-human activity within broader ecological processes. These engagements exceeded expectations in fostering a sense of urban ecologies as more-than-human. The research also developed novel low-bandwidth environmental sensors capable of transmitting acoustic data over long durations, which could benefit biodiversity monitoring on a broader scale. Sonorous Landscapes expanded its reach beyond the UK, laying the groundwork for future international collaborations in biodiversity monitoring and urban ecology. The project successfully met its primary objectives: 1. Develop and deploy creative methods for biodiversity monitoring - The project installed sound and light monitoring equipment, and developed helical multi-day sound visualizations and spectrogram animations. 2. Engage communities, urban design professionals, and policymakers - Stakeholder workshops had a strong impact, with participants expressing new perspectives on biodiversity and identifying diverse applications for the methods. 3. Generate meaningful data to inform urban biodiversity strategies - The collected data provided insights into urban ecological rhythms, and potential applications of the methods for biodiversity net gain assessment, urban planning, and ecological advocacy were explored. 4. Test the effectiveness of creative data visualization in ecological engagement - The project's outputs, including exhibitions and public engagement activities, demonstrated the value of time-based environmental data in making biodiversity legible to broad audiences. In addition to fulfilling these objectives, the project surpassed its initial scope by: • Helping Green Slough Community Trust to secure further external funding, which will enable continued development and implementation of these methods. • Developing potential for new collaborations in China through presentations of the work at Beijing Jiaotong University in Weihai and Liverpool-Xi'an Jiaotong University in Suzhou. • Refining technical approaches to remote environmental acoustic monitoring using LoRaWAN and other energy-efficient transmission methods. |
| Exploitation Route | The project's findings will be taken forward through several pathways: 1. Continued Development & Funding - It is anticipated that the research associate will seek further grant funding to continue to develop and extend this research at Lancaster University. Green Slough Community Trust has secured a significant grant from the Forestry Commission's Urban Tree Challenge Fund, with additional funding applications in progress. A portion of these funds will support the further development of Sonorous Landscapes methods, with the research associate engaged as a consultant. 2. International Collaboration - The project has established links with researchers in China, opening opportunities for comparative studies of urban biodiversity monitoring methods in different environmental and cultural contexts. 3. Policy & Practice Integration - The project has demonstrated the value of community-engaged biodiversity monitoring, and its methods could be further integrated into urban ecological planning and green transition frameworks. 4. Creative & Public Engagement - Future public exhibitions, interactive installations, and digital platforms will continue to communicate the findings in accessible ways, fostering ongoing engagement. 5. Potential for Commercialisation - The methods and practices developed have potential applications beyond academia, particularly in ecological consultancy, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. By combining rigorous ecological research with creative visualization and participatory design methods, Sonorous Landscapes has established a strong foundation for future work in biodiversity monitoring and urban ecological engagement. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Environment |
| Description | Green Slough Community Trust |
| Amount | £450,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Forestry Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | Festival of Futures Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Flagship events, workshops and an exhibition of cutting-edge design research drawn from four centres of design research excellence across the UK. Presented work at conference and exhibition, which included early stages of Sonorous Landscapes project alongside previous related projects. Raised awareness of the Sonorous Landscapes project and provided opportunity to discuss its intended trajectory and its relationship to earlier projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fof2024/ |
| Description | Future Observatory Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Future Observatory to discuss and expand on the Sonorous Landscapes Project and the importance of biodiversity more generally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://futureobservatory.org/news/interview-biodiversity-sound-lancaster-university |
| Description | Herschel Park Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and open discussion of research methods and outcomes with Herschel Park Volunteers Group. Great interest in the outcomes, keen reflections among the group, and many ideas for future development of work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Regents Park Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and open discussion of research methods and outcomes with Landscape Architect and Urban Design Practice associated with partnership. The workshop revealed great enthusiasm for the approaches taken by the project and their potential integration into future public-facing urban and landscape design in Slough. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Urban Design Workshop 1 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and open discussion of research methods and outcomes with property developer. Exploration of potential applications of the research for this context - primarily to support ecological credentials of development in marketing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| Description | Urban Design and Ecology Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and open discussion of research methods and outcomes with urban designers, architects, landscape architects and ecologists. Workshops explored potential applications of the project's methods in ecological monitoring, urban planning, and biodiversity net gain initiatives. The workshop revealed multiple potential applications for the work and much enthusiasm for the methods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |