Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton is trying to designate Hoh Rain Forest (in the Olympic National Park in Washington State) the first National Quiet Place in the U.S.
Hempton is touring the country promoting his book, “One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Search for Natural Silence in a Noisy World.” From an article in The Peninsula Daily News. His blog is One Square Inch.
How did Hempton come to such a calling?
A scare drove Hempton to take up his mission with fresh fervor five years ago. His hearing started to disappear for reasons his doctors couldn’t name. It was as if he were foreshadowing Beethoven, about to be robbed of his symphonies.
Hempton has his suspicions as to the triggers of his hearing loss. He worked on a loud train-recording project and has had infections — but never learned the cause of the problem that turned out to be temporary.
He regained 100 percent of his hearing after several months.
“I am thankful every day,” he said.
Brought to our attention by a friend of Hermitary.