![Assessing and Preserving Soundscapes in National Parks](/sites/default/files/2023-06/soundscapes-national-parks-cairngorms.jpg)
The BioDT project took part in the workshop "Assessing and Preserving Soundscapes in National Parks" held on a sunny Sunday, May 28th, 2023, at the Braemar Village Hall in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland. This workshop shed light on the significant role of the UK-SCAPE long-term environment monitoring conducted at the ECN site and its connection to groundbreaking research aiming to create a digital twin that would link the park's recreational potential with its biodiversity.
Jan Dick (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology), alongside Tin Oberman from the Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering at The Bartlett, University College London (UCL), and Simone Torresin from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering at the Università degli Studi di Trento, captivated an audience of approximately 25 young acousticians, sound artists, engineers, and both academic and professional individuals. Notably, members of the Cairngorms National Park authority were also in attendance.
Throughout the 1.5-hour workshop, participants delved into the significance of preserving and appreciating soundscapes, exploring the science behind human perception of soundscapes using ISO standards, incorporating long-term standard monitoring observations from the eLTER program, and recognizing the value of soundscapes in the context of tourism. The workshop provided a unique opportunity to highlight the intersection of the BioDT project's objectives with the broader field of sound preservation and its implications for national parks.