Most national parks are not actively working on soundscape management plans

Evidence

I get a reading of 35 dBA. That’s with the lights and the AC on. Lights off, it’s down to 30 dBA. That’s excellent. It’s reassuring to know that the Park Service officials responsible for soundscape studies and recommendations regarding natural quiet and man-made noise in our nation’s parks spend their working hours in a quiet workplace. The office, however, serves in an advisory capacity. Frank Turina says that last year the program received 12 requests for assistance from Park Service properties and estimates that there have been some three dozen requests in his three-plus years on the job. Clearly, most national parks are not diligently working on soundscape management plans. — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 851

Categorization

• QUESTION: The Natural Sounds Program got only ~12 requests/year — remarkably few. Why so little demand, given the legal mandate?
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 851
• XREF: connects to: No national park has implemented an air tour management plan in twenty-plus years — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 695; The quietest national park lacks any staff trained in acoustic ecology — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 72

Broader Connections

• The quietest national park lacks any staff trained in acoustic ecology #corroborates (0.75) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 72