Toward Healthier Parks and People through Integrated Soundscape Research: Applying the International Organization for Standardization Acoustic Environment Taxonomy across Contexts

Abstract

This work addresses the call for integrative approaches to soundscape research that facilitate interdisciplinary advances, through enhancements to the 2018 International Organization for Standardization “Taxonomy of the Acoustic Environment for Soundscape Studies”, included in ISO12913-2 for soundscape data collection and reporting. Specifically, it strengthens natural sound sources and type considerations, enabling integrated approaches across urban and natural contexts. Building on the premise that what people experience in one context (e.g., home; work), they bring into other contexts [e.g., protected areas (PA)], two-phased survey research contrasted Chilean PA visitors’ perceptions of Coyhaique National Reserve acoustic environments with prevalent sounds at home and work (n = 333). The paper’s proposed taxonomy enhancements may enable integration of PA perceptual soundscape research with research from other disciplines/contexts, facilitating better understanding of visitor perceptions that can lead to better informed soundscapes programming and monitoring, and improved Healthy Park, Healthy People outcomes.

Keywords:

• Aysén, Chile
• Healthy Park, Healthy People (HPHP)
• interdisciplinary research
• protected areas
• ISO/TS 12913-2
• soundscape
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank (1) Andrés Adiego for his technical support with this research, (2) the administrators and park guards of the Coyhaique National Reserve, and (3) the participants in both phases of this research for their valuable assistance.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Chile’s National Research and Development Agency (ANID) under ANID’s Regional Program R17A10002; the CIEP R20F0002 project; and CHIC-ANID PIA/BASAL PFB210018.