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[Birds chirping, Water babbling]
KAREN: The memories and the connection that sounds can have can evoke a very, very powerful emotion in all of us,
and I think it connects people to the experience in a way that sight alone can’t.
[Coyotes howling]
[Water lapping]
KURT: An overwhelming majority of visitors not only feel that a good listening experience
is an important part of a park visit, but that preserving natural soundscapes are important reasons for having parks.
[Waves, Small mammal squeaking]
FRANK: Wildlife need to hear the sounds that are important to them.
The sounds of their prey, the sound of predators approaching them, communication, finding mates.
[Elk bugling]
All of those are important for ecological functioning.
[Distant trumpet]
KURT: The other reason to having high standards in national parks is to preserve that sense of place.
To have an authentic listening experience that is consonant with the reasons that park was founded.
[Quiet]
[Waves, Elephant seal grunts]
KAREN: Just like air, or water, or wildlife, the acoustical environment, or soundscape itself,
is one of the resources that the National Park Service protects. It is embodied in the Organic Act.
[Waterfall]
KAREN: We refer to physical soundwaves as the acoustical environment,
and the soundscape itself as the human perception of the physical environment.
FRANK: And soundscape, it’s really what those sounds bring to your experience in a National Park.
[Falling water, Birds singing]
FRANK: Natural sounds have a calming effect.
Natural sounds can relax you, put you in a mindset where you can take in information.
[Water rushing]
FRANK: Another term that we talk about a lot when we’re dealing with acoustic environments and soundscapes is noise.
[‘Hello!’ echoing]
KURT: Noise is a sound that is either unwanted or unnecessary.
[Loud motorcycle engine]
KURT: One of the effects of noise is to prevent the animal or the human from hearing sounds
that otherwise would have been quite audible. This phenomenon is called masking.
[Loud helicopter]
Noise just physically gets in the way and prevents you from hearing things you otherwise would have heard.
[Bird singing]
FRANK: People tend to get irritated when they are exposed to noise,
especially when they have an expectation that it is going to be quiet or calmer.
[Car engine]
KURT: The slightest sound that we might ignore in our own bedrooms,
might suddenly bring us to full awake or alert in a park, just because we are unfamiliar,
and maybe we are wondering if that bear, you know might come visiting tonight.
[Insects chirping, Owl hooting]
MEGAN: Animals use sound for a variety of biological activities.
So they can use sound for finding suitable habitat, for finding food, for finding a mate.
Sound is a big component of territorial displays,
so there is really a huge diversity of sounds that animals are using or listening to in the natural environment.
MEGAN: The exciting thing about this research, that is, understanding the impacts of noise on wildlife,
is that it has direct implications for managing noise within our parks,
whether it is removing the noise source, or coming up with strategies to mitigate that noise.
So ultimately we are creating a more ideal habitat for the amazing animals that live within these ecosystems.
[Bison grunt]
[Water lapping, Osprey chirping]
KURT: Quiet places, and environments full of natural sounds, help people relax.
Help their heart rates reduce, their blood pressure go down,
and to have that kind of restorative experience we hope we can offer to all National Park visitors.