Vol. 1 No. 1 (2000): Listening

We are excited to present to you the first issue of Soundscape—The Journal of Acoustic Ecology. Af- ter having had to work hard in the last few years to establish a better-functioning network through the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology (WFAE), we now want to devote more time to the theme of acoustic ecology. So far The Soundscape Newsletter, The New Soundscape Newsletter, and our website have been instrumental in keeping the acoustic ecology community connected and in-formed. But now we feel it is time that we pool our energies through this new publication and disseminate more and new vital information about the state of the acoustic environment and acoustic ecology. We see this journal as a place of dialogue and debate and invite your comments, questions and critical voices.

We have made Listening the theme of this first issue of Soundscape, because listening forms the basis for all work in acoustic ecology. Without knowing what enters our ears and without understanding the environmental, social, cultural and personal implications of this input, there can be no study of acoustic ecology. Daily practice of listen- ing develops in each one of us a conscious physical, emotional, and mental relationship to the environment. And to understand this relationship is, in itself, an essential tool for the study of the soundscape and provides important motivation for engaging with to- day’s acoustic ecology issues—no matter whether the context is our personal or our professional life. In addition, listening creates the much-needed continuity in an otherwise fragmented field of study or area of environmental concern. In the same way, the theme of listening connects (so we hope) the diverse articles in this issue of the journal, written by people from very different professions and areas of action.