title: Reducing visitor noise levels at Muir Woods National Monument using experimental management.
abstract: Noise impacts resources and visitor experience in many protected natural areas, and visitors can be the dominant source of noise. This experimental study tested the efficacy and acceptability of signs asking visitors to be quiet at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Signs declaring a "quiet zone" (at the park's Cathedral Grove) or a "quiet day" (throughout the park) were posted on a randomized schedule that included control days (no signs). Visitor surveys were conducted to measure the cognitive and behavioral responses of visitors to the signs and test the acceptability of these management practices to visitors. Visitors were highly supportive of these management practices and reported that they consciously limited the amount of noise they produced. Sound level measurements showed substantial decreases on days when signs were posted.
authors.affiliation: National Park Service, Liberty Island, New York, New York 10004, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Stack
authors.forename: Newman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: Kurt M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fristrup
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003071:Cognition; D003243:Consciousness; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004493:Education; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008123:Location Directories and Signs; D009622:Noise / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010465:Perception; D011998:Recreation; D012926:Social Control, Formal / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014197:Trees