Three-Star Silent Area
In search of peace and quiet
Quiet areas are becoming increasingly scarce in Flanders and the Netherlands. Space for peace and quiet is threatened by a very dense road network, intensive air traffic, less favourable spatial planning, noisy recreation and increasing industrialisation. Preserving 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 heathland achieves the highest score in several areas: three stars. Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide may therefore call itself a three-star Quiet Area. In practical terms, this means:
- the average noise level is limited to 35 dB(A),
- extraneous sounds are heard for less than 20 per cent of the time,
- and a maximum of five extraregional sounds are detected within a 15-minute period.
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
Letโs celebrate silence! In fact, Grenspark organises an annual event in cooperation with volunteers on the occasion of the International Day of Silence, held on the last weekend of October. Keep an eye on the project page for more information.