Intermediate Term Effects of Aircraft Overflights on Outdoor Recreationists in Twelve Wildernesses

摘要

This report describes a telephone survey of the intermediate term effects of aircraft overflights on visitors to 12 Forest Service wildernesses. Twelve Forest Service wildernesses were purposively selected for study on the basis of two primary and five secondary criteria. The primary criteria were levels of visitor use and aircraft overflight exposure. Wildernesses were also selected to provide a range of ambient sound levels, ecotypes, visitor activities, day and overnight use, and exposure to helicopters as well as fixed wing aircraft. The reported annoyance (in any degree) due to aircraft noise in all wildernesses ranged from 5% to 32%. The prevalence of high annoyance was less than 5% in all wildernesses combined. Further, it was found that visitors' overall enjoyment of wildernesses and their intentions to return were not affected by aircraft overflights.