Sounding Board
The Science of Sound
Picture yourself standing under the stillness of a sunrise in a national park. Although the sun warms your skin and the light dances on the landscape, what really captures you is the natural quiet that hangs over the setting. A soft wind is heard drifting across the ground and through the plants. Perhaps there is a stream trickling nearby as the songs of birds greet the morning. Here, you are free from the noise of cars, planes, technology – and even other people. Here, you feel renewed, healthful, and contemplative. This is the power of sound.
The unimpaired sounds of our national parks are valued and protected resources. This website, called Sounding Board, provides information related to the science and management of sounds in park and protected areas. As you browse through the pages, you’ll learn about emerging research from a multitude of disciplines that details the profound impacts that sounds have on ecological and human well-being.