Bioacoustics
Module
October - December 2024
Salvador (Brasil)
"How can we use multimedia literary expression to tell the story of conservation of biodiversity in Brasil?"
This module focused on the connection between bioacoustics and nature conservation, and how to communicate scientific information in a creative and artistic way.
We went on multiple excursions, including a boat trip to record marine bioacoustics, an outing to a sustainable farm to learn about agroforestry, and a poetry and storytelling workshop. During our WeXplore in the Amazon (Santarém), we took inventory of frog and mushroom species, searched for bioluminescent and fluorescent organisms (such as mushrooms, frogs, spiders, etc), learnt about indigenous natural medicine and food sources, helped to reforest a beach, recorded and processed bioacoustic recordings, set up camera traps on the IpBio reserve, and took bird inventory along the banks of the Amazon river.
This was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had, and inspired me and my summative partner to write a song about nature conservation for our final product. Our song personifies nature as a woman in multiple exploitative relationships and takes inspiration from songs like 'cherry wine' by Hozier and 'Copacobana' by Barry Manilow.
