Syd, may I repost this beautiful letter on the Muir Woods elist for the
volunteers doing the field work? I'm sure they will be inspired by how
it is making waves in the world!
Thanks,
Lou
Lou Judson =95 Intuitive Audio
415-883-2689
On Sep 1, 2005, at 12:38 PM, Syd Curtis wrote:
>
> Hello Bernie,
>
> Thank you for you advice on recording equipment. I have passed
> it on
> to the people concerned - Drs Aila Keto and Keith Scott, respectively
> President and Director of the Australian Rainforest Conservation
> Society.
> Unfortunately, it is unlikely that they will be able to follow up on
> it.
> The avifauna is just one aspect of the biodiversity they are seeking to
> demonstrate. The plants, and especially the trees and shrubs occupy
> most of
> their efforts. And they probably can't really justify spending $4000
> plus
> of the Society's funds on recording equipment just to document the
> birds
> that are present.
>
> But who knows? They might get hooked on recording the sounds of
> nature, and
> expand their activities later.
>
> BTW, on a somewhat related matter, pursuant to your posting to
> nat/recs of
> Aug. 27, re preserving the natural biophony of N. Parks, I have
> written to
> the American Ambassador to Australia, and I append below a copy of my
> letter
> for your information.
>
> All the best
>
> Syd
>
>> From: Wild Sanctuary <>
>> Reply-To:
>> Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 06:33:27 -0700
>> To:
>> Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Equipment advice please
>>
>> Since viable habitat is disappearing so rapidly from all corners of
>> the world, why not get recordings that are both good and informative
>> at the same time? I think it is really important to collect as much
>> good data of what the natural world sounds like as we can in any way
>> that we can in the time we have left. And quality recordings are
>> germane to that issue. If we're spending any time out there with a
>> mic, let's aim for the best we can possibly do.
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> Mr J. Thomas Schieffer,
> United States Ambassador,
> American Embassy.
> Moonah Place,
> Yarralumla, ACT 2600.
>
> Dear Sir,
>
> The United States has done much to make the World a better place to
> live in,
> both by your own achievements and in providing a lead that other
> nations
> have followed. Outstanding in respect of the latter has been the
> concept
> of national parks.
>
> It was indeed far-sighted when Cornelius Hedges proposed to
> fellow-members
> of the Washburn expedition, that the magnificence that is Yellowstone
> should
> not be used for private gain but be set apart by the government and
> forever
> held for the use of all people. That was in 1870. Appropriate
> government
> action followed in 1872, and the world got its first national park.
>
> That idea of preserving in their natural state, outstanding examples of
> landscape and wildlife for future generations to enjoy, has been taken
> up by
> many nations around the world, including Australia. In 1870, much
> undisturbed wilderness remained. By 1970, it was vanishing fast. By
> 2070
> all that will be left will be that in such special reserves, and those
> areas
> that are unusable for development.
>
> All that you already know, but I reiterate it as background to
> expressing my
> deep concern at a proposed national park policy change that I have
> learnt
> about.
>
> May I also remind you that national parks not only serve the tourist
> industry, and allow we citizens of the 21st century to see wildlife and
> scenery that otherwise would have been lost forever, but they provide
> important health benefits as well =96 both for the environment and for
> the
> people. Relaxing in the peace and tranquillity of unspoiled nature,
> can do
> much to alleviate the stresses of modern urban life, and restore one=92s
> mental well-being.
>
> But the peace and serenity of many of these beautiful places is
> increasingly
> under threat from intrusive human noise.
>
> The Milford Track in New Zealand is justifiably regarded as one of the
> finest wilderness walks in the world. On 12 March, 1988, I was
> privileged
> to be on top of Mackinnon Pass for lunch. The Pass is the high point
> of the
> whole walk, both physically and scenically. It was one of the finest
> days
> one could wish for. The scenery was indeed superb ... but my pleasure
> was
> spoiled by the noise of light air-craft joy-flights.
>
> I quoted that experience in a letter (August 4, this year) to the Hon.
> Warren Truss M.P., Australia=92s Minister for Transport and Regional
> Services,
> when expressing the hope that the Australian government would use its
> powers
> to restrict the use of low-flying aircraft over our national parks,
> and I
> was pleased to refer to the lead the United States had given in
> respect of
> intrusive noise. Here is part of what I wrote:
>
> We Australians, and particularly the people of New South Wales can take
> pride in being among the first to follow the lead of the United States
> in
> setting aside as national parks, representative areas of our so
> valuable
> natural landscapes and their unique wildlife, so that future
> generations may
> experience a little of what this beautiful planet once was like.
>
> And a vital part of the ambience of such places, is the natural
> soundscape =96
> free from intrusive noise of human origin.
>
> Here is a quote from a recent posting to the internet mailing list
> <naturerecordists> in the United States:
>
> A survey is being conducted at Muir Woods to identify representative
> sounds and to recognize the characteristics of those sounds that
> detract
> from the visitor experience. The survey is part of the National Park
> Service (NPS) efforts to understand and document the importance of
> natural
> quiet and the effect of different sound intrusions pursuant to federal
> directives that require NPS to preserve and/or restore natural quiet.
>
> As Australia=92s National Parks come under increasing visitor pressure,
> the
> need to control intrusive noise will also increase. We may not yet have
> reached the Muir Woods situation, but if not, we assuredly will, in at
> least
> some of the Parks, and the sooner we have control mechanisms in place,
> the
> better.
>
> So I=92m sure you will be able to appreciate how deeply disappointed I
> was to
> learn of a proposal (reported in the New York Times on August 26) to
> delete
> from the basic policy of your National Park Service, the phrase:
> "the service will strive to preserve or restore the natural quiet and
> natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources
> of the
> parks."
>
> It would indeed be a most unfortunate and retrograde step were that to
> be
> done. Not at all the sort of fine example for the rest of the world,
> that
> one has come to expect from your nation in matters of national park
> management. And this, at a time when never before has there been such
> a
> pressing need to protect the natural serenity of the Parks.
>
> I would be most grateful, sir, if you would convey to your government
> my
> heartfelt plea, not to let this happen, but rather to continue the fine
> tradition you have established of preserving the natural condition of
> the
> National Parks to the greatest extent possible.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
>
> H. S. Curtis (Mr)
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> "Microphones are not ears,
> Loudspeakers are not birds,
> A listening room is not nature."
> Klas Strandberg
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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