Abstract

     Environmental sound recordings that fall beyond the scientific preserve of wildlife studies or the focus of ethnomusicological research, often lie abandoned, unrecognised as a resource in the study of our relationship to the soundscape. This paper explores the viability of an international environmental sound archive, using threatened musical sand phenomena as case studies to examine pertinent issues of climate change, pollution, urbanisation and evolution, and the importance of sound in culture. The paper also illustrates the need for an international database of environmental sounds, especially those recorded in detailed fieldwork, allowing for use in comparative studies and the advancement of education.