Its the age old question–if a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? Researchers in Crater Lake National Park can say definitively, that yes, it does make a sound. For the past two years, these researchers have been recording the sounds of nature as part of a study on noise levels throughout the park. Among the sounds of elks and coyotes are also the identifiable sounds of trees falling.
However, that was not the real discovery from the collected recordings. After thorough analysis, researchers found that it is hard to escape the sounds of civilization. One example: airplane noise was detected 15% of the time. What they are referring to as “ambient human noise” permeates more parts of our country than we think, and it’s theorized to be stressful to wildlife.
Scott McFarland is part of the group of researchers that have been working on the project, part of a campaign by the NPS to document these human-caused noises and determine ways to preserve the quiet of nature. Of the recorded sounds, McFarland says, “Anything you could possibly think of hearing, we probably have a recording of it. Anything from badgers and porcupines grunting, to the wings of a butterfly.” Some sounds are harder to identify, like branches breaking, or when a moose decides to snack on the windscreen on one of the microphones.
Through this research, McFarland has been able to detect sounds that many can’t. Chris Wayne, a scientist working with McFarland describes it blunty, “This project kind of ruins your ability to hear silence. Once you start paying attention, you can always hear the road, wherever you are. Always hear the planes.”
The project researchers have set up 20 listening stations throughout the park to document sounds (and noise). When research has been completed, the park will use this database of sounds to determine whether to allow a helicopter company to offer tours of Crater Lake.
Read more about the project on NPR.org.
Good article. I love relaxing and listening to all the sounds when I’m camping out even though I might not always know for sure what I’m listening to.
I find the concept of the absence of silence to be completely amazing. But you don’t really have the ability to recognize that unless you really pay attention moment to moment to moment to moment…
I have only been in absolute silence once while outdoors that I can recall. It was for about 10 minutes in Arusha National Park in Tanzania. What makes this extremely remarkable is that I was hiking thru the rainforest. 99% of the time you could hear insects, birds, monkeys, wind in the trees etc. I was hiking along and realized that I was in a vacuum. I literally thought I had lost my hearing. I was with a guide and a park ranger and we all stopped in total amazement. They were quite surprised as well. It was surreal. You don’t think about how noisy the forest is until there is no sound.