NamibRand: Quiet as a remedy for people and nature

Anyone who has ever travelled on foot in the wild in Namibia will have experienced it: The deafening silence. Nothing to hear but the wind, the chirping of birds, perhaps the rustling of a small animal in the savannah grass. An ultimate contrast to the everyday noise of the big city.

The organisation 'Quiet Parks International' (QPI) has set itself the goal of preserving such places of silence worldwide for the benefit of all life. QPI, formerly the 'One Square Inch of Silence Foundation', is a non-profit organisation financed by donations.

The NamibRand Nature Reserve was the first park on the African continent to be recognised by QPI as a Wilderness Quiet Park. There are only four public spaces in the world that have been awarded this status by QPI.

According to the NamibRand media release, the 'Wilderness Quiet Park' award recognises large, barely touched areas that offer an extraordinary beauty of sound. IIt also honours, that visitors can spend longer periods of time in the silence of nature.

According to the press release, tranquillity at NamibRand has many beneficial effects. It strengthens the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of visitors. It also enables people to listen to nature. And it raises awareness of the benefits of silence for people and wildlife. Avoiding unnecessary noise is of course also part of protecting wildlife and preserving its habitat.

Quiet and dark

Incidentally, NamibRand is not just one of four certified quiet places in the world. It has also held the title 'International Dark Sky Reserve' since 2012. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) was founded in 1988 to curb light pollution worldwide.

The NamibRand Nature Reserve lies south of Sesriem and Sossusvlei. With an area of 2,150 square kilometres, it is one of the largest private nature reserves in Africa.

Sven-Eric Stender