Posted by: ""
> Very interesting article indeed. I especially agree with this section of =
the article:
>
> "Quiet campgrounds. =E2=80=9CAmtrak has a quiet car, so why don=E2=80=99t=
we have quiet campsites?=E2=80=9D Blomberg said. =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ll bet=
people will always pick the quiet campground if they=E2=80=99ve got a choi=
ce.=E2=80=9D And if everyone wants a quiet campsite, he hopes, parks would =
be pressured to better manage their soundscapes."
>
> I can't think how many times I have been tent camping somewhere in a park=
with some jerky camping neighbors.
The experience of bike tourers across the country is that more and more
"campground" means a parking place for RV's and their generators. And
your camping spot is gravel. Next to a freeway.
> Since I have gained an interest in nature recording, my ears have become =
scouts no matter where I am to take in any interesting sound, be it natural=
or man made. However, since I joined the group, I have heard a lot of you =
saying how it's next to impossible to find a natural envirnment without man=
sounds in it somewhere, and I am finding this VERY true. I have never noti=
ced this before.
>
> Today, on my job site (I work construction-solo) I backed up my work van =
at a newly built house way out in the country near where I live. I had been=
listening to the radio on the drive out, when shut off the truck and stepp=
ed outside, no one was there except me and this house plopped in the middle=
of the woods. I was stopped dead in my tracks at the "silence" and natural=
sounds. There were birds all over, huge bees buzzing around, and some wind=
. I stood there and took in the rare moment for about 30 seconds, until I h=
eard a chainsaw buzz for a second or two way off in the distance that broke=
me out of the moment. Then I thought how true it was that it was next to i=
mpossible to have natural noises.
And what's more in no time at all that house will be surrounded by other
city folks houses forming another city slum in the country. They move
out there for the country atmosphere, but destroy it. They have not got
a clue what they are doing with their city habits. And of course there
is profit to be made in all it so it will continue. The names used are
even positive, "development" "highest and best use" and so on.
Last night I was testing a new tent and decided to sleep in it
overnight. The dawn chorus got started about 5:30 to be drowned out by
construction equipment and noises at 6 and onward until dark tonight.
Sure ruined the mood. Yet another day in the destruction zone....
Walt
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