Ears Wide Open

Current Activities Highlights

The transition from summer into fall has seen the Institute continuing to expand its network of relationships with research scientists while preparing for a couple of key conference presentations coming up in the first half of 2007. One of the papers will address the effects of oil and gas development noise on wildlife in western North America, and the other will look at the possible role of Marine Protected Areas off Antarctica as testing grounds for protecting the health of fisheries by including acoustic refuge as well as the standard no-take regulations. In preparing for these presentations, I've made contact with two new communities of researchers, who will be key to my own "crash courses" in the topics. The teams studying the effects of human activity on breeding patterns of grouse have been especially helpful, and enthusiastic in return about the work we're doing here to bring together resources on field research. My exchanges with field researchers are among the most rewarding aspects of the Institute's work.

Over the winter, I'll be putting new focus into networking with the press. The Institute is a member of the Green Media Toolshed, a shared database of press contacts that can be customized for each member organization. We've had a couple of chances to help shape the stories of media coverage of noise issues, and given our focus on providing context and information, rather than advocacy, we can offer something of unusual value to the media. With any luck, as more press coverage cites our input, we'll become useful to a wider segment of the public, as well.

A month ago, during a conversation with David Cottingham about the science summaries I've been putting together (see THIS LINK for a recent AEI Special Report on the Marine Mammal Commission's two-year attempt to find consensus on how to address the issue of marine mammals and noise, presided over by Cottingham), we both came to the realization that this work might be especially useful to Congressional committee and subcommittee staffers. If in its next session, the House is run by folks who value science, then we'll work hard on making these connections and putting together useful issue-specific summaries.

David Dunn's research into the acoustic aspects of bark beetle behavior and communication, as presented on AEI's first CD, The Sound of Light in Trees, has continued to find receptive ears among entomologists. He gave a presentation on the work at the annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology this summer, and is working with a team of bark beetle researchers from Arizona to dig deeper into this new line of research. Bark beetles of various species are an increasingly worrisome factor in many forests, with British Columbia a key region. For more on the beetle work, see THIS LINK. Dunn's work continues to be the highlight of our Presenting Scientific Research Through Soundscape Composition project; to read an introductory essay on the project, complete with sound samples, GO HERE.

The Institute is hard at work seeking funding to get me on salary and keep all these balls rolling.....our first significant donation is imminent, and we continue our funding outreach. The Board of Directors is aiming to find 5-10 family foundations and individual benefactors who are sufficiently aligned with the Institute's mission and approach to offer annual pledges toward our modest annual budget of about $50,000. Thanks to AEI's collaborative relationships and role as a source of information and resources for other organizations, agencies, and researchers, support of our work pays dividends far beyond the concrete work done here. If you know someone who may like to be a benefactor, we would be happy to send you a concise letter of introduction to pass on to them.

Of course, as you explore the brief summaries linked from the "Contents" box above, you'll find that we've also been busy continuing the ongoing work of the Institute, putting together new Special Reports, tracking news items, and summarizing recent scientific research. Please peruse the links, and do let us know what you find especially engaging.

Ocean Noise and Ethics / Chronic Exposure to Moderate Noise in the Ocean

Last quarter, I provided links to these two new essays as a members-only preview. I'd really like any feedback you may have on their tone and the direction that they imply. Does the more subjective or heartfelt tone enhance or undermine the other work the Institute is doing? Is the shift toward consideration of ethical dimensions of ocean noise one that holds promise for the Institute and/or the public, or is it too amorphous?

Over the past two years, as I've found myself drawn ever deeper into the world of ocean noise, I've often felt torn between the voice of reasoned analysis of the issues at play and the measurable effects of our noise on ocean creatures, and a desire to speak more from the heart about the underlying questions raised by humanity's habit of moving ahead, blindly (deafly?), in whatever direction we wish.

My broad exposure to environmental advocates, field researchers, industry perspectives, and agency staffers has led me to understand that the effects of ocean noise are not easily understood or dealt with. But more importantly, I've become convinced that the central focus of most of the debate is misplaced. The dramatic, and tragically avoidable, strandings of whales and dolphins after extreme noise exposure are, understandably but disconcertingly, dominating our attention, while other, more fundamental impacts and questions receive little notice. I am becoming increasingly concerned that these rare deaths are far less important to the health of the seas than the subtler, increasingly widespread exposure of ocean creatures to chronic, moderate levels of human noise. The stress reaction triggered when human noise causes difficulties in communicating or repeatedly makes animals move away from disturbing noise sources is likely weakening most ocean creatures, making them more susceptible to the witches brew of other human insults to their habitats, from toxins to warming oceans and diminishing food supplies. Recent research confirms that chronic ship noise increases stress in fish; the link between stress and impaired health has been confirmed in many animals (though not, to date, marine creatures).

I'll have much more to say about this need to address the subtler affects of noise in the months to come. Over the past few months, I've been working on a couple of essays that move beyond the journalistic tone of most AEI publications. In these, I acknowledge the underlying, oft-unspoken deeper questions that need to be asked, about whether we have the right to be making so much noise in this world. These questions quickly lead to some murky territory (what about national defense? can we really forego offshore oil and gas deposits?), but pretending things are simple is probably not going to help us in these difficult times.

In the hope of spurring some deeper consideration, I offer these two new essays. They are not in totally final form (in this electronic age, editing is never "done"!), and so I welcome any comments you may have.