The Songs of Adaptation is a bioaccoustics research project with partnerships in Bolivia, Nepal, Maryland (U.S.), and West Virginia (U.S.). Through the collection and analysis of over a terabyte of data focusing on bird songs, vegetation, temperature, and human communities, communities will be better able to mitigate the effects of climate change. The project is designed to bridge the gap between communities and the changing world around them, enabling them to make more informed decisions.

The Songs of Adaptation project brings together several data-collecting instruments to monitor life across gradients of elevation or land use. It fosters deeper understandings of ecosystem health at local levels. Individual monitoring stations or a series of stations can be placed anywhere in the world; each tells its own story of change within the place. The first major installations are in biodiversity hot-spots in remote areas of Nepal and Bolivia where instruments are placed at regular intervals along gradients to continually monitor bioaccoustics (life sounds), temperature, and humidity. The data generated by the research stations are supplemented with vegetation surveys, wildlife cameras, GIS data, and historical data. Smaller, individual stations can be anywhere. Future Generations has also begun monitoring at two educational centers in the United States on the Chesapeake Bay and Spruce Knob. Each station produces about 1 million minutes of audio data per year. Technology through the Microsoft AI for Earth community and Azure assist with cloud storage, machine learning, and big data analytics to enable the global team to analyze millions of minutes of audio. Deep learning algorithms identify and categorize sounds from species of focus, which are often birds. Local experts help train and improve identification models and take the information back to communities. This information helps communities to make data-driven decisions in how to respond to changes in the natural world.

The Songs of Adaptation project is guided by a strong team of people who are trained in the SEED-SCALE methodology of Future Generations, which emphasizes the importance of engaging the community in all aspects of research and decision-making. Two members of the team are currently students in the Future Generations University M.A. in Applied Community Development. Another team member is an alumnus of the Master's degree. Four of the team members are faculty in the M.A. program, teaching subjects such as Strategic Resource Mapping, Monitoring & Evaluation, Sustainable Communities, Introduction to Applied Community Change, and Going to Scale. Other team members are scientists, experts in natural history and ornithology, data analysis, and computer science. Technology transfer occurs through partnerships both locally and abroad (especially within the countries of Nepal and Bolivia). Consistent with the Future Generations University philosophy and methodology, efforts are made to make the research processes and results as accessible to local communities as possible. Additionally, the project hopes to partner with schools to better disseminate the knowledge gained. NorthBay Adventure Camp and Experience Learning are two partner organizations which benefit from the technology and knowledge advances of the Songs of Adaptation project.

The initiative is led by a Project Director, Naomi Bates, who has a PhD from Princeton University in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is assisted by Senior Scientists in the U.S., in Nepal, and in Bolivia, who are experts in ornithology, Himalayan flora and fauna, environmental conservation, and big data analytics. Additionally, the team consists of support staff who specialize in data analysis, grant writing, equipment installation, and cross-cultural communication. Weekly team meetings in person and via Zoom Video-Conferencing ensure timely progress toward goals and effective communication. Twice-monthly University staff meetings ensure that the Songs of Adaptation team is in touch with the wider University community. Dr. Daniel Taylor, President of Future Generations University, oversees all aspects of the project, and Ms. Stephanie Hartman, Chief Operating Officer, has broad oversight of the financial aspects of the project.

Future Generations University, Microsoft (Azure), Experience Learning (Pendleton County, WV), Share and Care (Nepal), NorthBay (North East, MD), El Chocoloatal (Rurrenabaque, Bolivia), Madidi National Park (Bolivia), Wildlife Conservation Society (Bolivia), National Geographic