Acoustic management of natural parks: Experience in Armañon Park

Natural Parks are ecosystems of high value and meet functions of biodiversity conservation, in terms of species and also their soundscape. This paper presents the experience carried out in Armañon Park to integrate variables of noise pollution in the park management tools. The work has two objectives: to prevent biodiversity loss associated with noise interfering natural auditory signals and to enhance the presence of natural sounds as an element of interest to visit the Natural Park. It takes into account not only the noise from outside the park, by consulting noise maps from traditional sources (road traffic, mainly), but it is specially based on the assessment of the noise associated with the uses and activities developed inside the park. The experience carried out in Armañón Park addresses the issue from the two necessary perspectives: identification of areas under preservation against noise pollution and analysis of the acoustic impact on those areas caused by uses and activities in the park. There is a legal framework in the Spanish legislation to define acoustic protection areas (reserve of natural sounds), areas whose sounds are considered subject to preservation for its unique value. The ultimate goal of the project presented in the paper is to have scientifically justified tools to condition the acoustic behavior of activities (farming, ranching, hunting, recreational, etc.) carried out in the park to preserve its biodiversity. Therefore, conclusions of the project will be integrated in the administrative tool that defines the general management plan of the Natural park, as additional requirements to the park activities.