The world’s first ‘quiet park’

"Shhh..." A living Eden where no man-made sound has a place. Where is this paradise?

Ecuador’s latest national park is built on the mantra that silence is golden. 

The South American country has become the first in the world to build a "quiet park," a tranquil stretch of land straddling the Zabalo River where silence is protected like a natural resource.

Similar to the Island of Niue declared the world’s first dark sky nation - due to a curtailment in light pollution - this part of Ecuador has been honoured for its non-existent levels of noise pollution. 

The Zabalo River in Ecuador has been certified as the world’s first official “Wilderness Quiet Park” by the non-profit organisation Quiet Parks International. 

The certified “quiet” area extends along both sides of the Zabalo River, spanning about a million acres and is owned by the indigenous Cofán people of Ecuador.

There are no transport routes, no residential or commercial developments - you can’t even hear the hum of power lines.

"The Zabalo River is a living Eden," Gordon Hempton, an ecologist and co-founder of Quiet Parks International, told American Way magazine. 

"It's like walking inside a huge biological clock, where you can almost hear the ticking of nature. It's a transformative experience," he continued. 

Though rare, there are still pristine parts of the world that remain untouched by man made developments. From the Seychelles to vast Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Russia's Far East is thanks to conservation efforts that keep many of these places free from human interference.

Areas free of noise pollution however, could be even rarer.

From the steady hum of traffic, blaring music or the illumination of billboard signs, it's almost impossible to escape the human racket in the world. This is not only annoying, it’s also taking a serious toll on the health of animals, including humans.

“Science has made it abundantly clear that noise pollution is not just an annoyance, it causes health loss and dramatically impacts wildlife’s ability to survive. By certifying the Zabalo River as the world’s first Quiet Park we are paving the way for many more Quiet Parks around the globe,” said Hempton. 

Quiet Parks International has plans for many more Wilderness Quiet Parks, Quiet Marine Sanctuaries, Urban Quiet Parks, Quiet Communities and Residences, and even Quiet Hotels. 

Fellow Co-Founder, Vikram Chauhan, added, “For a long time silence has been golden but now we are turning ‘quiet’ into ‘gold’ - for the benefit of all life. This is a real economic opportunity for countries who also embrace sustainable environmental and public health development.”