National Academies Report Released: Protecting National Park Soundscapes

Recently, the National Academies Press (NAP) released a report authored by Proctor Reid and Steve Olson, Rapporteurs; National Academy of Engineering; National Park Service; John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center titled, Protecting National Park Soundscapes (2013). The 47-page report (available free with a one-time registration) discusses how,

America's national parks provide a wealth of experiences to millions of people every year. What visitors see—landscapes, wildlife, cultural activities—often lingers in memory for life. And what they hear adds a dimension that sight alone cannot provide. Natural sounds can dramatically enhance visitors' experience of many aspects of park environments. In some settings, such as the expanses of Yellowstone National Park, they can even be the best way to enjoy wildlife, because animals can be heard at much greater distances than they can be seen. Sounds can also be a natural complement to natural scenes, whether the rush of water over a rocky streambed or a ranger's explanation of a park's history. In other settings, such as the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, sounds are the main reason for visiting a park.

The acoustical environment is also important to the well-being of the parks themselves. Many species of wildlife depend on their hearing to find prey or avoid predators. If they cannot hear, their survival is jeopardized—and the parks where they live may in turn lose part of their natural heritage. For all these reasons it is important to be aware of noise (defined as unwanted sound, and in this case usually generated by humans or machinery), which can degrade the acoustical environment, or soundscape, of parks. Just as smog smudges the visual horizon, noise obscures the listening horizon for both visitors and wildlife. This is especially true in places, such as remote wilderness areas, where extremely low sound levels are common. The National Park Service (NPS) has determined that park facilities, operations, and maintenance activities produce a substantial portion of noise in national parks and thus recognizes the need to provide park managers with guidance for protecting the natural soundscape from such noise. Therefore, the focus of the workshop was to define what park managers can do to control noise from facilities, operations, and maintenance, and not on issues such as the effects of noise on wildlife, noise metrics, and related topics.

To aid in this effort, NPS joined with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and with the US Department of Transportation's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to hold a workshop to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the nation's array of parks. Entitled "Protecting National Park Soundscapes: Best Available Technologies and Practices for Reducing Park- Generated Noise," the workshop took place October 3-4, 2012, at NPS's Natural Resource Program Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. Protecting National Park Soundscapes is a summary of the workshop.

CRS Report Released: National Park System: Establishing New Units

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, recently issued the report National Park System: Establishing New Units (Apr. 25, 2013). The 11-page report authored by Carol Hardy Vincent, discusses the following:

Summary

The National Park System (System) includes 401 diverse units administered by the National Park Service (NPS) of the Department of the Interior. Units generally are added to the National Park System by acts of Congress, although the President may proclaim national monuments for inclusion in the System on land that is federally managed. An act of Congress creating a Park System unit may explain the unit’s purpose; set its boundaries; provide specific directions for land acquisition, planning, uses, and operations; and authorize appropriations for acquisition and development. Today, there are more than 20 different designations (i.e., titles) for units of the National Park System, reflecting the diversity of the areas. There is no statute that sets out and defines all the designations, and Congress has discretion in choosing the type of designation for a unit being established.

Before enacting a law to add a unit, Congress often first enacts a law requiring the NPS to study an area, typically to assess its national significance, suitability and feasibility, and other management options. When Congress directs the NPS to prepare a study, the agency must assess whether an area contains natural or cultural resources that are nationally significant, constitutes one of the most important examples of a type of resource, and is a suitable and feasible addition to the Park System. The agency also is to consider certain factors established in law (e.g., threats to resources) to promote the consistency and professionalism of the studies.

The Secretary of the Interior is required by law to recommend annually to Congress a list of areas for study for potential inclusion in the National Park System. The Secretary also must submit to Congress a list of areas previously studied that contain primarily historical resources, and a list of areas with natural resources. Previously studied areas are to be ranked in order of priority for consideration of addition to the Park System. For the first time during the Obama Administration, on August 28, 2012, the Department of the Interior submitted a list of 15 areas for potential study for addition to the Park System and a list of 7 previously studied areas that meet the criteria for inclusion in the Park System and for which supporting data are still accurate and current. The Obama Administration did not submit similar lists in previous years. Instead, during its first three years, the Administration focused on completing authorized studies and other responsibilities.

The addition of units to the National Park System sometimes has been controversial. Some discourage adding units, asserting that the System is “mature” or “complete,” while others assert that the System should evolve and grow to reflect current events, new information, and reinterpretations. A related issue is how to properly maintain existing and new units given limited fiscal and staffing resources. Differences exist on the relative importance of including areas reflecting our natural, cultural, and social history. The adequacy of standards and procedures for ensuring that the most outstanding areas are included in the Park System also has been debated.

It is generally regarded as difficult to meet the criteria and to secure congressional support and funding for expanding the National Park System. Thus, another issue has been whether particular resources are better protected outside the National Park System, and how to secure the best alternative protection. Certain areas that receive technical or financial aid from the NPS, but are neither federally owned nor directly administered by the NPS, include affiliated areas and national heritage areas. Some programs give places honorary recognition. The NPS also supports local and state governments in protecting resources through grants for projects and technical assistance.

National Parks Conservation Association Report: Pathways to Prosperity Released

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), a non-profit dedicated to advocating for and preserving our country's national parks, just released its lateset report titled Pathways to Prosperty: The Natural Roots of Economic Success in the Crown of the Continent.  The report which is available here, discusses how the,

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and surrounding public lands drive a powerful economic development engine, attracting employers, employees and entrepreneurs to the Crown of the Continent.

For those researchers interested in conservation issues in the national parks, this organization also maintains an online archive of reports dating back to 2001.  The list of almost 100 documents is organized in reverse chronological order and includes the State of the Parks® Report series.  It should be noted here that a Ctrl F search yields the best results.

A Call to Action -- NPS

A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement by the National Park Service provides in-depth background information on areas of emphasis to carry the National Forest System forward and highlights for each action item a forum for sharing ideas, strategies, and successes on these actions.

"The implementation strategy emphasizes CHOICE... FLEXIBILITY and CREATIVITY are encouraged.

The work of the National Park Service is too dynamic and extensive to be fully reflected in this set of actions. The day-to-day business of running parks and programs across the Service will continue. A Call to Action should not limit us but instead serve as a catalyst for further creative steps on the path toward the second century of stewardship and engagement."