Sanctuaries of Silence

Since lockdowns began, there has been an unprecedented reduction in
human-created noise. Our movements have lessened, the circle of our
existence is closer, we are more still. As the din of human
activity has quieted down, the sounds of the living world have come
to the forefront. Around the world people have reported hearing an
increase in the songs of birds, the chirping of insects, and the
myriad sounds of non-human life. A newfound silence is pervading
many of our environments as cars, planes, and industries have
increasingly been brought to a standstill. A couple of years ago,
we spent a few days filming a virtual reality project in Olympic
National Park’s Hoh Rain Forest with acoustic ecologist Gordon
Hempton. Gordon has traveled the globe documenting the impacts of
noise pollution on the natural world. His work has revealed that
silence (which he describes as the absence of human generated
noise) is on the verge of extinction and that even the most remote
corners of the world are impacted by the noises of modern life.
  The virtual reality piece we created, Sanctuaries of
Silence, shares Gordon’s story and takes you on an immersive
listening journey into the Hoh, one of the largest temperate rain
forests in the United States. Pacific tree frogs, Roosevelt elk,
northern spotted owls, and pacific wrens are among the many
creatures who call the forest home. It’s far from main roads and
development, making the Hoh one of the quietest places in North
America.     In response to the pandemic, we’ve
adapted Sanctuaries of Silence into a podcast that we hope might
help us to reconnect with silence at this particular time and
listen for the value and wisdom that is present within it. 
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