What a treat to welcome you all to World Listening Day. It might not be on your calendar yet, but fortunately it’s on PRNSA’s calendar – an invitation to take a deep breath, slow down, and L-I-S-T-E-N.
Since last summer, I’ve been collaborating with PRNSA on developing a soundscape mapping project for the park. As part of their ongoing work to “map a park for all,” the project explores the relationship of sound, people, and the environment. We don’t yet know what all the layers of the interactive online map will be, but it will draw on a library of sounds recorded throughout this incredibly diverse park – including birds, mammals and marine life recorded at different times of year, in a wide range of habitats.
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Ten years ago I never would have imagined being involved in a project like this. As a documentary filmmaker, I’ve done a lot of field recording and sound editing, but nothing focused on nature…until I was seduced by the incredible sound of thousands of migrating snow geese lifting up from protected ponds in the Central Valley. This eventually led me to the Nature Sounds Society, a wonderfully quirky group of sound recordists that encourages its members to volunteer their services to national and state parks to help with interpretive and research efforts.
Sounds of the Seashore
I’ve loved Point Reyes for a very long time, so it was a natural fit for me to volunteer with PRNSA. As the capstone project for the California Naturalist class I took last fall, I made 4-channel recordings in Muddy Hollow, the first of many recordings that have followed since, including elephant seals at Drake’s Beach and a dawn chorus at Arroyo Hondo.
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I’m glad to say that I’m not alone in these efforts. Three other nature sound recordists – Ernst Karel, Kristina Dutton and Cheryl E. Leonard - have recently joined the project, and our first assignment together was to gather these sounds for World Listening Day (see below). We hope they encourage you to listen more deeply the next time you’re out in the park and experience it in a new way.
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Best wishes and happy listening, |
Mark Lipman
Filmmaker, Nature Sounds Recordist
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P.S. We're also celebrating Latino Conservation Week. Learn more below on how we can expand the concept of World Listening Day by listening to and honoring the voices of the Latinx community.
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Test your ears and enjoy some Seashore sounds gathered by our Soundscape Team HERE. A sound quiz will also be up on the PRNSA Instagram Stories today (only available for 24 hours). Be sure to have your sound on!
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Wed, July 20 at 2pm & Sat, July 23 at 11am
Latino Conservation Week (July 16 - 24, 2022) celebrates and engages the Latinx community in recreational activities and stewardship.
Join the National Park Service on a this 1-hour guided hike to celebrate LCW and learn about the park's cultural and natural history! Program will be provided in both Spanish and English.
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Music & Listening Field Institute Class |
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Playing the Music of Point Reyes
Saturday, July 30, 9:00am - 3:00pm
Using the acoustic instrument of your choice, participants will develop ways to hear the natural soundscapes of Point Reyes and discover, through both abstract and specific musical elements, how to express this pristine soundtrack in your own music.
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Party on the Pacific Plate |
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Mark your calendar for this year’s Party on the Pacific Plate, on Saturday, October 8. Our annual fundraiser is THE signature party in West Marin each fall. Sponsorships support our year-round education, conservation, and community building work and help us grow our work to welcome all to the park. Click HERE to learn more, or send an email to Heather at heatherc@ptreyes.org to become a sponsor today.
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We partner with the National Park Service to create opportunities for all people to experience, enhance, and preserve Point Reyes National Seashore for present and future generations. |
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Point Reyes National Seashore | (415) 663-1200 x 310
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