The quiet rural soundscape and how to characterize it

TLDR

Quiet rural soundscapes are increasingly valued for their restorative qualities, yet scientific methods for characterizing and labeling their quality remain underdeveloped. The study proposes a multi‑criteria framework to assess and label the quality of quiet rural soundscapes. The authors derived theoretical indicators and evaluated their usability in a specific case study to support the assessment framework.

Abstract

Inhabitants of densely populated cities may benefit from the occasional visit to a restorative environment. The soundscape of this environment may add to the restorative and appealing power of the area. In European directives and policy intentions of many countries, the preservation and management of quiet areas has been subscribed. Nevertheless there is little scientific knowledge on how to characterize such areas and possibly grant quality labels. In this manuscript the quiet rural soundscape is studied within its specific context: non-acoustical environment, use... Several indicators for its characterization are derived from a theoretical point of view. These indicators are tested on usability in a particular case study. This leads us to proposing a multi-criteria assessment of quality labels for the quiet rural soundscape.