Jack River’s ‘Nature’s Cry’ is calling on you to listen to the land’s distress signals and unite in safeguarding Australia’s natural heritage
This stunning collaboration between Jack River aka Holly Rankin and the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) combines cutting-edge science and music to illuminate a silent struggle unfolding beneath our feet.
Imagine, researchers can now tune into the secret screams of stressed-out plants! Using vibrometers and supersensitive microphones, they’ve captured these frenetic popping noises that serve as the flora’s silent pleas. These pops form the haunting melody of “Nature’s Cry,” echoing the unspoken anxieties of our trees and shrubs facing the harsh realities of climate change and habitat loss.
But this song transcends mere awareness. It’s a clarion call. Over 2,200 native species and ecosystems hang by a thread, disappearing at a shockingly fast rate. Iconic landscapes are vanishing, and it’s all thanks to our less-than-stellar track record as stewards of Mother Nature.
Jack River, a passionate advocate for the wilderness, wants “Nature’s Cry” to be more than just a pretty tune. “Australians love nature – the outdoors is in our DNA. But more than 2,200 Australian plants, animals and ecosystems are threatened with extinction and the list is growing. We have the highest rate of deforestation in the developed world and animals like the iconic koala are now endangered because their homes are being recklessly destroyed.
“Music and advocacy go hand in hand for me. I wanted to create a song that speaks to the fact that Australian forests, wildlife and bushland are in crisis, and our nature laws are failing to protect them. I wanted to inspire others to take notice, to take action and speak up for the natural world that keeps our human environment liveable.
“We worked with the sounds of native animals and distressed plants to build a dynamic piece of music that highlights the crisis but also gives hope. If we take action now, and only now, there is a granule of hope to turn things around.”
Peta Bulling of ACF echoes this urgency: “Australia boasts incredible biodiversity, but our current nature protection laws fall short. Since their implementation, an area the size of Tasmania within threatened species habitat has vanished.”
The single coincides with ACF’s renewed push for robust national laws under the Albanese Government, aiming to break the cycle of extinction. Australia, sadly, holds the unenviable title of top mammal extinction hotspot. As the nation’s nature laws undergo revision, ACF urges citizens to raise their voices and add their weight to the petition demanding genuine protection for our natural heritage.
With “Nature’s Cry,” Jack River and ACF hope to resonate with Australians, inspiring action to preserve the country’s unique biodiversity. In the harmonious chorus of music and science, a powerful message emerges: it’s time to listen to the cries of nature and rise to the challenge of protecting our irreplaceable shared legacy.
As Australia’s national nature laws undergo a revamp, the ACF urges citizens to support their petition for laws that genuinely shield nature.
You can add your voice by visiting ACF’s petition here.
