Research Report: Modeling and mapping hikers' exposure to transportation noise in Rocky Mountain National Park
Park L, Lawson S, Kaliski K, Newman P, Gibson A. 2010. Research Report: Modeling and mapping hikers' exposure to transportation noise in Rocky Mountain National Park. Park Science. 26(3):59–64
Soundscape-related indicators that reflect continuous and spatially diverse measures of natural quiet and human-caused noise can be difficult and costly to measure directly. This research project integrated soundscape and hiker spatial modeling to provide detailed models of noise conditions as experienced by trail hikers around the Bear Lake Road corridor at Rocky Mountain National Park. GPS data were used to generate a spatial model of hiker travel, soundscape modeling software calibrated with field data was used to generate a spatial model of sound, and the models were integrated in a geographic information system to provide insights for a baseline management option scenario. The effects of potential management alternatives can be explored proactively before being deployed in a park or protected area. Specific indicators included percentage of groups’ time spent in quiet, percentage of groups experiencing an arbitrary period of natural quiet, and distance/time required to reach natural quiet from any of the trailheads studied.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Park, Logan; Lawson, Steve; Kaliski, Ken; Newman, Peter; Gibson, Adam
- Units
- NRSS , ROMO
- Keywords
- hiker, Indicators, natural quiet, noise mapping, noise modeling, Rocky Mountain National Park, soundscape modeling, Trail