3-star silent area
In search of silence, peace and space
Quiet areas are becoming increasingly scarce in Flanders and the Netherlands. The opportunity to create areas of peace and quiet is jeopardised by a very dense road network, intensive air traffic, less than ideal spatial planning, noisy recreational activities and increasing industrialisation. Maintaining silence in the Grenspark is therefore more important than ever.
Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide can officially call itself a 'silent area'. On the Dutch side, the Province of Noord-Brabant carried out extensive noise measurements in 2010, and on the Flemish side, the Province of Antwerp followed suit in 2015. These confirmed that the Grenspark is a cross-border area of silence. A welcome recognition to be proud of!
MTB News from the park
MONA News from the park
Measurements
Extensive noise measurements were carried out in all seasons, during the day, at night and at weekends. These took into account the particular sounds of the area, such as those of wildlife, walkers and cyclists, and of tractors at work. The result? Noise that is foreign to the area is rare, making the park acoustically particularly pleasant.
- The analysis shows that the heath gets the highest score in several areas: three stars. Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide may therefore call itself a three-star Silent Area. This means concretely:
- the average noise level is limited to 35 dB(A),
- foreign sounds can be heard less than 20% of the time,
- within 15 minutes, no more than five area noises are perceived.
In search of peace and quiet
Silence is important for people leading busy stressful lives. The chance to slow down occurs rarely, and is all the more important for our well-being for that very reason. Maintaining a good quality of life depends on being able to enjoy moments of silence and tranquillity, avoiding crowds. Due to the exquisite natural beauty of the area, a trip to the Grenspark has a highly beneficial effect on visitors.
International Day of Silence
We should celebrate silence! The Grenspark therefore organises an annual activity in cooperation with volunteers on the occasion of the International Day of Silence, in the last weekend of October. Keep an eye on the project page for more information.