Researcher Gema Piñero, from the Audio and Communications Processing Group (GTAC) at the Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), has secured approval from the València City Council for an innovative project. Titled “Ecotourism and Biodiversity in the City of València through Acoustic Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence,” this initiative aims to transform the way people interact with the city’s green spaces.
An IoT System in Service of Nature
The project, called BIOSOUNDSCAPE, proposes the development of a pilot IoT (Internet of Things) system for acoustic bird monitoring using artificial intelligence. This system will collect data to help design ecotourism routes in iconic locations such as the Turia Garden and the Albufera, while also monitoring bird biodiversity in these areas.
One of its key features is the development of a web app that will provide an immersive sound experience, allowing visitors and residents to listen to real-time soundscapes of these areas, learn about the detected bird species, and access tourism routes adapted to different seasons of the year. Additionally, a dashboard will be created for local authorities to monitor biodiversity indicators, protected or invasive species, and the impact of human noise on bird populations.
Expected outcomes include the development of a fully operational bioacoustic IoT system, an open-data catalog of the city’s soundscapes, and a replicability manual to enable other municipalities to adopt the technology. The project also takes a scalable approach, allowing the installation of multiple IoT nodes. Furthermore, BIOSOUNDSCAPE has a strong focus on dissemination and application beyond València.
One of the most notable aspects of the project is its potential contribution to biodiversity recovery in València, particularly in the Albufera area, which has been severely affected by the latest DANA storm. Thanks to advanced audio processing systems and collected data, BIOSOUNDSCAPE will be able to quantify environmental impact and provide data-driven solutions for habitat restoration. This will not only support ecological recovery but also improve the well-being of protected species and strengthen local ecosystems.
The project involves renowned institutions such as iTEAM and CVBLab at UPV, the company Artikode, and the NGO Spanish Ornithological Society/BirdLife Spain (SEO/BirdLife). Additionally, it will integrate with municipal initiatives such as Valencia Smart City and Visit Valencia.
BIOSOUNDSCAPE will not only help promote ecotourism but also serve as a crucial tool for rewilding green spaces and creating a València more connected with nature.