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Understanding and Managing Experiential Aspects of Soundscapes at Muir Woods National Monument

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Abstract

Research has found that human-caused noise can detract from the quality of the visitor experience in national parks and related areas. Moreover, impacts to the visitor experience can be managed by formulating indicators and standards of quality as suggested in park and outdoor recreation management frameworks, such as Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), as developed by the U.S. National Park Service. The research reported in this article supports the formulation of indicators and standards of quality for human-caused noise at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Phase I identified potential indicators of quality for the soundscape of Muir Woods. A visitor “listening exercise” was conducted, where respondents identified natural and human-caused sounds heard in the park and rated the degree to which each sound was “pleasing” or “annoying.” Certain visitor-caused sounds such as groups talking were heard by most respondents and were rated as annoying, suggesting that these sounds may be a good indicator of quality. Loud groups were heard by few people but were rated as highly annoying, whereas wind and water were heard by most visitors and were rated as highly pleasing. Phase II measured standards of quality for visitor-caused noise. Visitors were presented with a series of 30-second audio clips representing increasing amounts of visitor-caused sound in the park. Respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each audio clip on a survey. Findings suggest a threshold at which visitor-caused sound is judged to be unacceptable, and is therefore considered as noise. A parallel program of sound monitoring in the park found that current levels of visitor-caused sound sometimes violate this threshold. Study findings provide an empirical basis to help formulate noise-related indicators and standards of quality in parks and related areas.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank several individuals and organizations for their help with this study. The staff of Muir Woods, particularly site supervisor Mia Monroe, provided help with both substantive and logistical elements of the study. Mike Savidge, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, provided planning and management direction throughout the study. Megha Budruk, Dave Santucci, and Jeff Hallo, University of Vermont, and Joel Betts, Colorado State University, assisted with administration of the visitor surveys. Dan Dugan, Nature Sounds Society, recorded sounds in the park and prepared the audio clips used in the Phase II visitor survey. We would also like to thank Kurt Fristrup and Randy Stanley, both acousticians with the NPS Natural Sounds Program, for assistance in determining proper acoustic terminology and methodology pertaining to this study. This program of research was jointly funded by Golden Gate National Recreation area and the NPS Natural Sounds Program Office.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Park Service, Natural Sounds Program, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 100, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA

    Ericka J. Pilcher

  2. Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, 233 Forestry Building, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Peter Newman

  3. Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Recreation Management Program, University of Vermont, 356 George D. Aiken Center, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Robert E. Manning

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  1. Ericka J. Pilcher
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Correspondence to Peter Newman.

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Pilcher, E.J., Newman, P. & Manning, R.E. Understanding and Managing Experiential Aspects of Soundscapes at Muir Woods National Monument. Environmental Management 43, 425–435 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9224-1

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