Quiet Parks International will award Urban Quiet Park status to Hampstead Heath in London on July 18th, World Listening Day.  

Hampstead Heath Urban Quiet Park will become the first Urban Quiet Park in Europe. Field recordist,  Nicholas Allan, prepared the report for QPI, describing Hampstead Heath as “wild” and “natural” with  “plenty of opportunities to find refuge from city noise.”  

The Hampstead Heath Management Committee will receive this award for protecting Hampstead  Heath’s quiet over many decades. This award aligns with this year’s celebration of the 150th anniversary  of the Hampstead Heath Act 1871, which marked the beginning of open spaces preservation.  

Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath Management Committee, Anne  Fairweather, said: “We are delighted the Heath has been recognised as Europe’s first urban quiet park. It  is a truly treasured, iconic green space, where visitors can take time out to relax. The Heath has played a  leading role in the physical and mental health of Londoners by providing a lifeline during the coronavirus  pandemic. As the capital reopens, it is proving a popular and much-loved destination and wildlife  haven.” 

The Noise Abatement Society, which works closely with UK government, local governments, industry,  academic institutions and the public will share this award. Simon Gosling, CMO and Host of The Quiet Mark Podcast will receive the award on behalf of Gloria Elliott OBE, CEO of Noise Abatement Society - Gloria Elliott OBE, CEO of Noise Abatement Society, (Co Founder & Chair of Quiet Mark), “The only UK national charitable foundation whose sole focus is to help stop excessive and unnecessary noise to protect the public and improve the aural environment.” The NAS was established in 1959. Poppy Szkiler, CEO and Co Founder of Quiet Mark, shares the award. 

More Urban Quiet Parks are planned for Judarskogen, Hansta, Älvsjöskogen, Kyrkhamn och Sätraskogen  parks in Stockholm, Sweden, this September. This will be closely followed by Dender-Marke Quiet  Area in Flanders, Belgium, New York Central Park’s The Rambles and Houston’s Armand Bayou Nature  Preserve before the end of 2021. Yangmingshan Urban Quiet Park, Taiwan, became the world’s first  Urban Quiet Park in June 2020.  

Quiet Parks International, a non-profit organisation based in Los Angeles, is on a mission to save quiet  for the benefit of all life by establishing Urban Quiet Parks, Wilderness Quiet Parks, Quiet Trails, Quiet  Marine Parks and more, worldwide. Quiet is essential not only for human health and welfare but also for  wildlife who require a clean acoustic environment to communicate and complete their life-cycle.

 

Noise Abatement Society, Simon Gosling: simongosling@quietmark.com 

QPI field recordist, Nicholas Allan, tests quiet at Hampstead Health (Photo credit: Quiet Parks International)

 

Quiet Parks International, 149 S Barrington Ave. #375, Los Angeles CA 90049 USA