The LISTEN(N) PROJECT

“Encouraging Environmental Stewardship through Acoustic Ecology and Sonic Awareness in American Southwest Deserts”

The Listen(n) project is an interdisciplinary collaborative project that investigates the acoustic ecologies of the pristine, yet fragile southwest deserts in the United States. A unique and large-scale endeavor, Listen(n) explores how notions of belonging to landscape via ecologically indebted forms of listening can inspire environmental stewardship among local and global communities. Listen(n) specifically engages with the idea of local placemaking through creative workshops and other events for communities near selected National Parks, and globally through internet platforms for shared experiences of being remotely present in these environments.

The project is directed by Associate Professor Garth Paine at the School of Arts, Media and Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). Dr Paine is also a Senior Sustainability Scholar in the Global Institute of Sustainability.

Leah Barclay has been working on Listen(n) since early 2014 as a visiting researcher at ASU. During this time she has been instrumental in developing the community partnerships with National Parks across America and also actively involved in the creative development of the overall project. The other core team members are Dr. Daniel Gilfillan, Associate Professor, School of International Letters and Cultures, Arizona State University and Dr. Sabine Feisst, Professor of Music, School of Music, and Senior Sustainability Scholar, GIOS, Arizona State University.

Visit the official project website for further information and project updates: www.ecolisten.org

Listen to Leah Barclay talk about the field recording process with Garth Paine in Joshua Tree National Park

One of our dawn recording sessions in Mojave National Preserve