Zion National Park conducting 'sounds' assessment

CEDAR CITY — Zion National Park officials are developing a soundscape management plan — a set of standards designed to protect the park's natural sounds.

If adopted, the plan would be the first in place at any national park.

The park service's Frank Turina says sound is a resource just like water, air or wildlife. He says study of the invisible but noticeable resource is fairly new.

Since 2001, portable solar-powered monitoring stations have been recording Zion's sounds. The devices monitor areas of the park 24 hours a day over periods of up to 28 days and record everything from helicopters to rockfalls.

The goal is to identify the existing soundscape and the standards for future management of the sound environment.