ABOUT

MISSION

The World Forum for Acoustic Ecology (WFAE), founded in 1993, is an international association of affiliated organizations and individuals, who share a common concern with the state of the world's soundscapes. Our members represent a multi-disciplinary spectrum of individuals engaged in the study of the social, cultural and ecological aspects of the sonic environment. Within this framework of care for the sonic environment WFAE works in collaboration with it's Affiliated and Associated Organizations to promote:

  • EDUCATION in listening to the soundscape, sharpening aural awareness and deepening listeners' understanding of environmental sounds and their meanings.

  • RESEARCH AND STUDY of all aspects of the soundscape. Some examples would be: monitoring and evaluating actions affecting and altering the quality of the sonic environment, studying the effects of technology on the acoustic environment,. studying the significance of the electro-acoustic media (radio, TV, background and foreground music, etc.) and their ever increasing presence in the soundscape. studying attitudes towards silence in different cultures.

  • PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING information and research on Acoustic Ecology.

  • PROTECTING AND PRESERVING existing natural soundscapes and times and places of quiet. .

  • DESIGNING AND CREATING healthy and acoustically balanced sonic environments..

To learn more about acoustic ecology we recommend the article, "An Introduction to Acoustic Ecology," (PDF) by Kendall Wrightson, as reference.


ADMINISTRATION

The WFAE operates under a set of by-laws which have been accepted and/or modified by a majority of voting members at large. The WFAE is directed by a Board. There are voting and non-voting members on the board. Any number of Affiliated members can be appointed to the board but only Affiliate Organization Representatives can vote. The board elects a Chairperson and vice-Chairperson from its membership. Responsibility for administration falls to the WFAE General Secretary who is appointed by majority vote of the WFAE Board. The General Secretary is assisted by appointed committees and individuals.

WFAE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS - PDF

WFAE AFFILATES

  • American Society for Acoustic Ecology (ASAE) New York Society for Acoustic Ecology (NYSAE)
  • Australian Forum for Acoustic Ecology (AFAE)
  • Canadian Association for Sound Ecology (CASE/ACÉS)
  • Forum fuer Klanglandschaft (FKL)
  • Japanese Association for Sound Ecology (JASE)
  • Suomen Akustisen Ekologian Seura (Finnish Society for Acoustic Ecology) (FSAE)
  • Soundscape: United Kingdom and Ireland (UKISC)

SERVICES


DISCLAIMER

The World Forum for Acoustic Ecology provides links to many different sites as a matter of convenience. We don't necessarily endorse what you may find there.

Set a bookmark for this stop on the information highway and visit often. Please inform the website coordinator, if you locate links which have moved or are no longer operational. Thank you.

Copyright Information: The digital materials (images, sounds, movies, and text) that reside in the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology database are protected by copyright. They are available for use over the Internet by students, faculty, and members of the public for nonprofit educational purposes only. For profit use of the materials is strictly prohibited without the express permission of the owners of the digital materials. Please contact the owners of each digital work for such permission.

Collaboration: The WFAE web site is a collaborative effort with the College of Education at the University of Oregon. Site Coordinator: Gary Ferrington at garywf@uoregon.edu

•WFAE is listed at L3xicon.com - a web thesaurus and lexicon. WFAE is archived under soundscape, acoustic-ecology, and environment.

•WFAE has been included in the GEsource Geography and Environment Gateway This database contains 5100 resources and is updated daily. Click Here to read WFAE listing.

•WFAE is linked by KwMap.net which represents a network of keywords and concepts as they logically relate to each other, on various topics.