Current Projects
Quiet Parks International is developing the Research Foundation for better understanding of the effects of quiet and noise pollution on all life. Our Team consists of scientists, social scientists, acoustic ecologists, musicologists, analysts, research librarians, and professionals who are part of a multi-disciplinary research community.
Research Database
Quiet Parks International research librarians are partnering with the Quiet Parks International Team on an ambitious project to index all the world’s research literature on the effects of quiet and noise pollution. The purpose is to create a publicly available search tool that will search all existing research literature. This will be available free of charge for use by researchers, educators, professionals, journalists, and enthusiasts.
This project launched April 2019 and will be an ongoing iterative effort that will continue into the future. As we learn more about the research landscape from our partners, Quiet Parks International will expand the database.
* Clicking will take you to an external, partner website in a new window
2019 Interim Standards
The 2019 Interim Standards for Parks and Reserves is the work of a multi-disciplinary Standards Committee representing a variety of backgrounds and methods. The members convened in first quarter of 2019 to develop the Standards through a collaborative review process.
Site Selection for Certification
Quiet Parks International instituted a project developing a six-step process to remotely identify candidate parks and reserves for certification. Following this method, researchers identified 262 highest priority locations for certification that are displayed in the map of Potential Quiet Parks. Further methodological review, analysis, and consultation will continue to refine this process in support of locating additional candidates for certification.
Sample data sources used include:
Lists of large designated natural areas (UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves, National Parks).
Data and visualizations identifying light pollution (The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness, NASA Blue Marble Navigator, Globe at Night Interactive Pollution Map)
Data on transportation routes (National Transportation Noise Map, The NOISE Observation & Information Service for Europe)
Satellite images revealing incompatible land uses (Google Earth Pro)
Data Management and Analysis
The Quiet Parks International Standards define the data set collected onsite by Quiet Parks International field technicians for certification assessment using a GPS, pair of high sensitivity low-noise omnidirectional microphones, digital recorder, and sound level meter. Additional qualitative information including land history and use is gathered through conversations with land managers.
Quiet Parks International data librarians will institute a Data Management Plan to collect, normalize, and analyze Quiet Parks International Certification Standards data in compliance with the standards created by the National Science Foundation.
The purpose of the Data Management Plan is to certify and classify qualifying parks and reserves, and build a repository of data to perform a year-on-year analysis of the global “State of Quiet” through acoustic measurements collected over time.
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