Silenzi in Quota – An Initiative Promoting Soundscape Protection in Mountainous Natural Areas

Silenzi in Quota (SiQ, Silence at High Altitude) is a forward-looking initiative bringing together artists and researchers to explore soundscapes of mountainous natural areas. SiQ is interested in landscapes that people visit to connect with nature and find respite from the urban experience - places where a high-quality soundscape would be expected but the effects of overtourism are often observed. The initiative started in 2021 in Trento (IT), based on expeditions in the Dolomites (IT) and, by 2024, it had expanded to include soundwalks in Italy, Scotland (UK), Finland and Norway. Key outputs of the initiative include: 1) free, public events such as soundwalks and soundscape workshops; 2) documentary footage and social media content; 3) the open-source Silenzi in Quota Dataset: Questionnaires with Acoustical and Contextual Information from Soundwalks in Protected Natural Areas; 4) scientific output explaining the effects of environmental sounds on human perception in protected natural areas. Looking ahead, SiQ aims to develop connections between soundscape research focused on human perception and ecoacoustics, highlighting the threats to and potential of sound in nature, and collecting the evidence needed to support management and preservation of these invaluable sensory environments.