Theory and application of soundscape conservation and management: Lessons learned from the U.S. National Park Service
Abstract
Soundscapes, or the acoustic environment of a given area, are being impacted by the growing threat of human generated sounds. The knowledge about the effects of noise on humans and wildlife is building, but in the United States there is no national policy related to noise mitigation. Soundscape management is emerging as an approach to protect soundscapes and their associated values. In an effort to inform this new approach, the goal of this dissertation is to improve the understanding and management of soundscapes. This goal is addressed through three objectives: (1) Identify the characteristics of and values ascribed to soundscapes, (2) Explore the challenges of soundscape management implementation within the context of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), and (3) Determine the role of park managers' perceptions regarding soundscape management. The research in this dissertation distinguishes soundscapes as a resource by identifying the values ascribed to them. The social and ecological values of soundscapes that are identified include human and wildlife wellbeing, sense of place, landscape interactions, and ecological integrity. A typology of soundscapes representing significant values is proposed to guide conservation. Soundscapes also possess characteristics that align them with common-pool resources: there are multiple users of soundscapes, soundscapes can experience subtractability and degradation, and it is difficult to exclude users from accessing soundscapes. This dissertation then explores the challenges of soundscape management implementation within the context of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). NPS formally adopted soundscape management in 2000, but there is little research on the implementation of soundscape management within individual park units. A mixed methods approach was used to gain an in-depth understanding of soundscape management. An NPS-wide survey of park unit managers was analyzed providing a comprehensive depiction of soundscape management in park units. The survey results indicate that motorized transportation noise, primarily from roads and aircraft, are widespread. These and numerous other noise sources are being addressed with a number of different soundscape management actions or not at all. To understand the differences in soundscape management implementation across park units, NPS managers from parks representing different levels of implementation were interviewed. Guided by the Theories of Reasoned Action Approach and Diffusion of Innovations, the role of managers' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were investigated. Five categories of soundscape implementation emerged ranging from Innovative/Early Adopting to Nonadopting. Two primary challenges managers identified were lack of control to manage noise sources that are outside park unit boundaries (perceived behavioral control) and the perception that soundscapes are not a priority in the park or NPS-wide (descriptive norms). From this research three overarching findings are presented: (1) Soundscape management is consistent with conservation biology principles, in particular utilizing significant values to prioritize management, (2) Recognizing the common-pool resource characteristics can help to craft management strategies, and (3) Managers' perceptions are important considerations to overcome barriers to implementing soundscape management.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Pijanowski, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Social research|Natural Resource Management
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