Wild by Nature — Show Notes
Series 2, Episode 13: The Sounds of Nature: Why Quiet Matters with Matt Mikkelsen
Guest: Matt Mikkelsen
Published: 29 Oct 2026   Duration: 54 min

Summary
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Wildlife sound recordist and Quiet Parks International executive director Matt Mikkelsen on what natural quiet really means, how human noise interrupts wildlife communication, and why listening can change our relationship with the places — and people — around us.

In this episode
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- Experience four sound journeys through the Amazon, Costa Rica, American Prairie, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
- Discover why natural quiet can be full of life and sound.
- Explore what wildlife soundscapes can reveal about an ecosystem.
- Consider how noise pollution affects communication in the natural world.
- Hear why access to quiet matters — and why it shouldn't be a luxury.
- Try a simple listening practice you can take into everyday life.

Topics
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Wellbeing, Ecology, Science

Resources
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- Quiet Parks International: https://quietparks.org
- Hayloft Audio — Matt's audio work: https://hayloftaudio.com
- Matt's nature recordings on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/matthew-mikkelsen
- Gordon Hempton — The Sound Tracker: https://soundtracker.com

Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sounds-of-nature-why-quiet-matters-with-matt-mikkelsen/id1895871367?i=1000798705038
Host: Vian Sharif