listening to the landscape: community responses to oil and gas noise

Listening to the Landscape:

Cultivating respect and consideration for animal and

human experience of the sounds of oil and gas development

Jim Cummings Acoustic Ecology Institute Santa Fe, New Mexico

Oil and gas presence in Alberta is expanding

inexorably

As footprint expands, noise becomes a trigger

point

As footprint expands, noise becomes a trigger

point

Changing soundscapes ➟ friction & resistance

Respect and consideration are the foundation for

right action

Industry and regulators can shift the dynamic of

tension & mistrust

Oil and gas presence in Alberta will continue to

expand

Recent developments

CBM

Oil Sands

Continued NG

Noise Directive 038

This week’s experience

The bigger picture

Not just numbers

Real people

Human nourishment

As footprint expands, noise becomes a trigger

point

Rich habitats

Impacts of noise on wildlife

Acoustic Nichessubtle, distant sounds

Masking

Avoidance/Stress

Acoustic Habitat

Human responses

Appreciate

Tolerate

Resistance

Questions arise

“I ruminate now over whether I am being a good steward of the

land”

Irritants

Compressors

Feeling unheard/ignored

Loss of peace at home

“I don’t have all the city amenities,

but I had quiet, space, and peace. Now I don’t have that.”

Historic progression of human noises in soundscape

Open space of frontier

Mechanization

Urbanization/highways/railroads

What is different now?Noise unrelated to daily

lives

Constancy of some noise

Industrialization of rural landscape

Caring for the landscape

Agency/Industry Response

Best practices

Communicationswith public

Cumulative impacts

Questions of balance

Shared valuesRespect and Consideration

Community

Consideration of landscape-scale ecological

needs

Consideration of landscape-scale ecological

needs

Going beyond in some areas pays large dividends for easier access elsewhere

Going beyond in some areas pays large dividends for easier access elsewhere

What are we talking about?

Listening as a resident

Listening as a resident

Local Soundmarks

Wildlife impacts

Reduce tension,increase opportunities

Landscape left whole

Landscape left whole

Beyond “Sustainable”, toward

Ethical Development

Industry and regulators can shift the climate of

tension & distrustProactive action to protect acoustic space

Comprehensive planning

Facilitating conflict resolution

2020 vision

Working to develop resources

AND leave positive legacy

Listening to—and caring for—the voices of these

landscapes