1024-0224 Programmatic Approval Form (BAND)

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
OMB Control Number 1024-0224
Current Expiration Date: 8-31-2014

Social Science Program
Programmatic Approval for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys
1.

Project Title:

2.

Abstract:

Submission Date
1-8-2012

Soundscape Study Planning at Bandelier National Monument
(BAND)

Bandelier National Monument has identified several key locations that should be identified as
a part of their mission to provide quiet areas for the solemn appreciation and recognition of
the history of the indigenous Pueblo culture. This research will investigate the impact and
effects of noise on visitor experiences at the monument.
(not to exceed 150 words)

3.

Principal Investigator Contact Information
First Name: Peter
Last Name: Newman
Title: Associate Professor, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and Associate Dean, Warner
College of Natural Resources
Affiliation: Colorado State University
Street Address: 101 A, Natural Resources Building
City: Fort Collins
State: CO
Zip code: 80523-1401
Phone: 970-491-2839
Email: [email protected]

4.

Park or Program Liaison Contact Information
First Name:
Title:
Park:
Park
Office/Division:
Street Address:
City:
Phone:
Email:

Last Name:

Barbara
Chief of Resources
Bandelier National Monument
Resources
15 Entrance Road
Los Alamos
(505) 672-3861 x701
[email protected]

State:
Fax:

Project Information
5. Park(s) For Which Research is to be Conducted:

Judy

NM
(505) 672-9607

Zip code:

87544

Bandelier National Monument (BAND)

6. Survey Dates: May 15, 2013 – August 15, 2013
7. Type of Information Collection Instrument (Check ALL that Apply)
Mail-Back
Questionnaire
Other (explain)

On-Site
Questionnaire

Face-to-Face
Interview

Telephone
Survey

Focus
Groups

8.

Survey Justification:
(Use as much space as
needed; if necessary
include additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

Social science research in support of park planning and management is
mandated in the NPS Management Policies 2006 (Section 8.11.1, “Social
Science Studies”). The NPS pursues a policy that facilitates social science
studies in support of the NPS mission to protect resources and enhance
the enjoyment of present and future generations (National Park Service
Act of 1916, 38 Stat 535, 16 USC 1, et seq.). NPS policy mandates that
social science research will be used to provide an understanding of park
visitors, the non-visiting public, gateway communities and regions, and
human interactions with park resources. Such studies are needed to
provide a scientific basis for park planning, development.
Natural soundscape research concerns the investigation of all natural
sounds occurring in a specified location. The sounds include but are not
limited to the physical capacity for transmitting natural sounds and the
interrelationships among natural sounds of different frequencies and
volumes. Natural sounds occur within and beyond the range of sounds
that humans can perceive, and they can be transmitted through air,
water, or solid materials. The National Park Service’s mission is to:
“preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the natural
soundscapes within parks. The Service will restore to the natural
condition, wherever possible, those park soundscapes that have
become degraded by unnatural sounds (noise), and will protect
natural soundscapes from any unacceptable impacts” (National
Park Service Management Policies, 2006).
Although the NPS has measured natural, ambient, and human-caused
sound levels in parks for more than 20 years, there are few studies that
have evaluated visitors’ perceptions of the diminishing noise-free
intervals of natural sounds in national parks. To date, research suggests
that visitors consider their experiences concerning natural sounds to be
an important reason for protecting and visiting national parks, and many
retreat to parks to experience the sounds of nature and natural quiet
(Haas & Wakefield, 1998; Marin, Newman, Manning, Vaske, & Stack,
2011; Pilcher, Newman, & Manning, 2009).
Bandelier National Monument recently collected acoustic monitoring
data but has yet to examine how the sounds of the monument – both
natural and human-caused – are interpreted by the visitors. Because
Bandelier is charged with providing visitor opportunities for quiet,
solemn appreciation of the archaeological relics of past peoples, the
managers are interested in implementing an experimental traditional
cultural sounds treatment (e.g. singing, drumming, poetry and chants) to
determine if the addition of these sounds will enhance the current
visitor experience.
This proposed study will use a questionnaire to examine how sounds
may affect visitor experiences. We will ask questions to determine what
sounds visitors detect and how they feel about those sounds. The
information from this research will identify potential social indicators of
quality for soundscape conditions in Bandelier and will be used by
managers to plan for future visitor services.

9.

Survey Methodology:
(Use as much space as
needed; if necessary
include additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

(a) Respondent Universe:
The respondent universe for this collection will be all adults (18 years
and older) visiting Bandelier National Monument from May 15 to August
15, 2013.
(b) Sampling Plan/Procedures:
The sampling period will occur for a total of 30 days between May 15th
and August 15, 2013. Within this 30-day window, we will survey 10 days
each at the following three locations: the Alcove House, the Long House
and approximately 1.5 miles down the Ponderosa Trail, within the
designated wilderness boundary. Sampling days will be stratified by day
of the week and location. On each sampling day, two trained surveyors
will be stationed at one of the three locations between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The two surveyors will recruit study participants by contacting a random
sample of visitors as they are exiting the study areas.
With the assistance of the Bandelier staff, the researcher team will play
traditional cultural sounds (e.g., chants, drumming) during 5 of the 10
sampling days at Long House. The remaining 5 sampling days will be
considered control days (without the cultural sounds). All respondents
will receive the same version of the survey, regardless of whether they
visited the Long House area during a treatment day or control day.
(c) Instrument Administration:
During the sampling period, trained surveyors will ask every Nth
visitor/group exiting the sampling location if they would be willing to
participate in a visitor survey. Visitors who are unwilling or unable to
participate in the survey will be asked a one question which will be used
to determine non-response bias, and thanked for their consideration.
Respondents who are willing to participate and who have not previously
participated, will be read the instructions, informed to address any
questions to the surveyor, and given the survey. This process will
continue throughout the sampling period at each of the three study
locations.
For example, surveyors will use the following script when working with
potential respondents:
“Hello, my name is ______. I am a researcher with Colorado State
University conducting a survey for the National Park Service to better
understand visitor’s use and attitudes towards the management of
sounds at Bandelier National Monument. Your participation is
voluntary, all responses will be anonymous and the survey will take
about 15 minutes to complete. Have you or any members of your
group participated in this survey while at Bandelier?”
If “Yes” then, “Thank you for helping with this research. Have a safe
trip home.”

If “No” then, “Would you be willing to spend a few minutes to answer
some questions regarding your visit here?”
•

If “Yes” then, “Thank you for your willingness to assist with this
study. I’ll read you the survey instructions so we can begin.”

•

If “No” then, “Do you mind if I ask, is this your first trip to
Bandelier?” Thank you for your time and consideration, I hope
you enjoy your visit.”

(d) Expected Response Rate/Confidence Levels:
Based on current visitor use estimates and previous response rates
averaging approximately 80% in other NPS units (Pilcher et al., 2008;
Marin et al., 2011) using similar survey instrumentation, a total of 530
visitors will be contacted during the sampling period. At Alcove House, it
is estimated that 200 visitors will be approached with the soundscape
questionnaires, and 160 visitors will be willing to participate. At the Long
House, it is also estimated that 200 visitors will be approached with the
survey, while 160 will be willing to participate. At the wilderness site
down the Ponderosa Trail, it is estimated that 130 visitors will be
approached, and 104 visitors will be willing to participate. Based on the
estimated sample size and current visitation to the sampling locations in
Bandelier, there will be 95% confidence that these survey findings will be
accurate to within +/- 5 percentage points (Vaske, 2008).
(e) Strategies for dealing with potential non-response bias:
The number of refusals will be recorded, reported, and screened for
non-response bias using a non-response question (e.g. “Do you mind if I
ask, is this your first trip to Bandelier?”), which will be recorded in a
survey log. Data from the survey will be analyzed for non-response bias
by comparing participating groups’ characteristics to non-participating
groups’ characteristics gathered on the corresponding survey log sheets.
Any implications of non-response bias for park planning and
management will be reported.
(f) Description of any pre-testing and peer review of the methods
and/or instrument (recommended):
Similar surveys have been administered by the PI and associated
researchers in other National Park Service units, such as Denali, Muir
Woods, Yosemite, and Sequoia National Parks. The staff at Bandelier
worked with the researchers to determine the best methods and
appropriate instrument for use in Bandelier. In total, the questions
included in this instrument were reviewed by the principal investigator,
research staff and graduate students, scientists from other universities
with expertise in survey research methods and national park planning
and management, staff at the National Park Service Natural Sounds and
Night Skies Division and staff at Bandelier.

10

Burden Estimates:

We plan to approach 530 potential respondents, and with an
anticipated response rate of 80%. We expect that the initial contact
time will take two minutes per person (530 x 2 minutes = 18 hours).
We expect that 106 (20%) people will refuse to participate in the
survey. For those individuals, we will record their reason for refusal
and ask them to answer a non-response check question that will be
recorded on the survey log. This is estimated to take no more than 1
minute (106 x 1 = 2 hours) to complete.
For those 530 originally contacted, we expect that 424 will agree to
participate in the survey, which would add an additional 15 minutes
to complete (424 x 15 minutes = 106 hours). The total burden for this
collection is estimated to be 126 hours.

Estimated Number of
Contacts

11.

Total Number of Initial
Contacts:

530

Estimated number of
refusals:
Expected number of
responses:

106
424

Estimation of Time (minutes)

Estimation of Respondent Burden
(hours)

Estimated Time (mins.)
to Complete Initial
Contact:
On-site Refusal/
nonresponse:
Time to complete and
return surveys:

2

Time to Complete Initial
Contact

18

1

On-site Refusal/
nonresponse
Time to complete and
return surveys:
Total Burden:

2

15

106
126

Reporting Plan: A final technical report will be delivered to Bandelier and will contain a
description of the study purpose and key findings. Frequencies, means and/or
proportions will be presented for each question. A final copy of the report will be
submitted to the NPS Social Science Division for archiving in the Social Science
Studies Collection as required by the programmatic approval process.

REFERENCES CITED
Haas, G.E., & Wakefield, T.J. (1998). National Parks and the American Public. A summary report of the National
Parks Conservation Association, conducted by Colorado State University.
Marin, L. D., Newman, P., Manning, R. E., Vaske, J. J., & Stack, D. (2011). Motivation and acceptability norms of
human-caused sound in Muir Woods National Monument. Leisure Sciences, 33(2), 147 – 161.
National Park Service Management Policies (2006).
Pilcher, E. J., Newman, P., & Manning, R. E. (2009). Understanding and managing experiential aspects of
soundscapes at Muir Woods National Monument. Environmental Management, 43(3), 425 – 435.
Vaske, J. J. (2008). Survey research and analysis: Applications in parks, recreation and human dimensions. State
College, PA: Venture Publishing.