Chatting with a friend or family member on a trail, hiking with a group of people and listening to music can all take our attention away from the beauty and sense of peace that nature can bring into our lives. To help you have a serene and robust experience in nature, consider experimenting with “quiet recreation,” which suggests making a minimal amount of noise while engaging in outdoor activities.
Learn more about the benefits of quiet recreation below!
1. Increase your mindfulness capabilities: When you’re on a trail or at an open space preserve, use your senses (sight, hearing and smell) to engage with your surroundings. Mindfulness comes into play when we notice the small, yet meaningful parts of nature which, in turn, help us feel appreciation and gratitude within our own lives. The next time you’re on a trail, turn your phone to silent mode, pause for a moment and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and absorb the smell of the trees and fresh air around you. Open your eyes and look around – what patterns or textures in nature do you notice or what colors stand out to you the most? Using mindfulness, even for just a few minutes, can help bring you a sense of calm and peace!
2. Stay more aware of your surroundings: When you’re talking with a person or multiple people on a trail, there’s a strong chance that you may not be as aware of your surroundings. Regarding safety, we recommend taking breaks while chatting and pausing to look around to help make sure you’re not too close to any wildlife or at risk of running into other trail users.
3. Learn to identify bird calls, creeks and plants: Participating in quiet recreation means you have a greater chance of seeing various wildlife in their natural habitats, spotting beautiful flowers and plants along a trail, and cherishing the sounds of a rushing creek! And the more often you quietly experience nature, the more familiar you’ll get with the animals that live there, making you better able to identify them. If you’re interested in learning more about the plants and animals you may encounter at your preserves, the Open Space Authority has an abundance of educational YouTube videos and in-person events that are free to the public!
4. Increase your chances of seeing wildlife (from a safe distance): When there’s less chatter on the trail, wildlife will feel more comfortable and safer to roam. Not only does this improve the quality of life for our mammal, reptile and amphibian friends who depend on open space preserves for food, water, shelter and places to raise their young, but it also provides you with the opportunity to have unique wildlife experiences.*
*As always, please keep a safe distance from any wildlife you may encounter and keep in mind that noise will become necessary if you come across certain animals, like mountain lions. If you’re hiking by yourself, we encourage the use of hiking poles to alert critters of your presence without startling them.
While a good chat with a friend during a hike or meeting up with a group to experience nature together can be super fun, there’s also something to be said for experiencing nature in a quiet and mindful manner. If you visit a preserve, we kindly ask you to be aware of your volume and surroundings. Loud noises, including music coming from cars parked at our preserves, have the potential to make wildlife feel unsafe in their habitats and may disrupt the pleasant experiences of other trail users. Thank you for being an ally to our wildlife friends and being considerate of your volume!
