Sounds of the Forest on Scala Radio
Hear atmospheric forest sounds in Mark Forrest's Joybringer from 29th March
Last updated 29th Mar 2021
For two weeks from 29th March, you can hear Sounds of the Forest on Scala Radio, as Mark Forrest (Monday - Friday from 10am on Scala Radio) takes listeners on a musical tour of the UK's forests with special Joybringer sounds.
The Joybringer is a favourite feature amongst Scala Radio listeners, pairing atmospheric sounds with uplifting classical music and can be heard every weekday at 11.30am. From 29th March, you will hear wonderful sounds that have been taken from a global interactive project called ‘Sounds of the Forest’, which invites people across the world to record sounds from their local forest or woodland.
The first forest soundmap of the world was created by outdoor arts events company, Wild Rumpus. They are the team behind Timber Festival — an annual celebration of forests and trees, set in the heart of The National Forest in the Midlands.
When the physical festival had to be postponed last year due to Covid, the organisers wanted to find a different way of helping people to bring people together.
"Once the restrictions around movement and gatherings were in place due to the global pandemic back in March, we knew we would need to find a different way of helping people to connect to and be inspired by nature,” say Rowan Cannon and Sarah Bird, directors of Wild Rumpus.
Users around the world can submit sounds of nearby trees, forests and woodlands and upload them for all to hear. So far more than 1000 sounds from over 70 countries across 6 continents have been submitted to the audio library, and more recordings continue to pour in.
Sarah Bird said “as well as those recording and submitting sounds there have been thousands of people who have logged on to listen to the forest sounds and be transported across the globe. The sounds range from the slow breathing of a three-toed sloth crawling through the rainforest in Honduras, to a grove of redwoods in California that was recorded in May but has since been badly damaged from the summer’s wildfires."
The map also serves as an archive of ecosystems being rapidly transformed by climate change.
It’s well documented that time spent in nature can help to lower heart rate and improve health and wellbeing.
“We want ‘Sounds of the Forest’ to inspire people to get outside and really connect to nature, to tune into the bird song, wildlife and sound of the wind in the canopy”, says Bird. “But the map is a place where anyone, no matter where they are, can listen to those beautiful forest soundscapes be transported across the globe”.
The map continues to be an open source library of nature recordings for all to listen to and use.
Timber Festival takes place over 3 days from 2nd July this year, and as part of the festival, artists will be drawing inspiration from the forest recordings for their work. The festival has asked musicians Erland Cooper, Hinako Omori and Jason Singh to use the soundmap as a muse for their live performances in 2021.
Tickets are now on sale, with day and weekend options available.
How to get involved in Sounds of the Forest
Discover how you can get involved in Sounds of the Forest and the Timber Festival.