Zion National Park plan aims at protecting natural sounds

ZION NATIONAL PARK — Planners at Zion National Park are starting to look at ways to preserve natural sounds.

It's part of an effort started several years by the National Park Service recognizing that sounds are integral to a park's character and worthy of protection like any other natural resource.

At Zion, officials are starting something called "soundscape management," a plan that's intended to make sure human noise doesn't drown out the park's natural quiet.

Zion officials plan open houses on the topic March 15 in Kanab and March 16 in Springdale.

After that, they'll develop a plan and then take public comment.