Friday, February 26, 2016

Final Edge Project.

Soundscaping
Austin Guevara
Outdoor Engagment
Spring 20new
news letter

Project Summary

We got a grant to acoustically monitor the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument to just get an idea of the sounds that are there and how they affect what’s around them. We go out into the Monument and set up multiple recording devices and leave them there for about two months. Once their recording time is done, we bring the data into a sound lab and go over the patterns and irregularities.
Project Highlights
This is your opportunity to highlight the best part of your project.

·       Going over all this soundscaping stuff, you really get to here a lot of really neat, and creepy things.
·       I learned about how much sound influences our daily lives and how I will better control what sounds are in my life.
·       This will prepare me for the future, because I have a better understanding of the natural world, so I won’t be so loud when I’m recreating.
From My Journal
“we headed out into the dark abyss of a national monument only using the bright full moon light, and we hiked with all of the batteries to change the old ones out and take down another so we headed out into the dark abyss of a national monument only using the bright full moon light, and we hiked with all of the batteries to change the old ones out and take down another site.”

digital portfolio


Journal Entries-
              09/24/15
This was the first day, and we were trained with the equipment, the computer software, and given an overall runt through of the whole process. Mace showed us on maps where there were already sites, where the current projects are, and where the future ones are going to be. This is going to be a fun, and exciting time learning how all of the equipment and stuff works, but I’m really excited to head out into the field and go gather the soundscaping research!
09/26/15
This was the first time that I was able to go out into the Escalante Grand staircase national monument and I was amazed by how vast, remote, dreary and beautiful it was. It blows my mind how the stair case is as big as some eastern states. The drive the first time down to Escalante seemed to go by faster than I thought it would, because I was so impressed by all of the mountains and desert landscapes that I had never seen before that trip. When we got to the campground area where our group was, we set up our tents, got acquainted with the area, and then hung around camp until the rest of the group made it (since they had to leave later than us because of classes.) When everyone arrived, they also set up their tents we had a short little, “get to know each other” session, because a lot of us where new to the whole soundscaping thing. Once we got that over with, we headed out into the dark abyss of a national monument only using the bright full moon light, and we hiked with all of the batteries to change the old ones out and take down another site that was right by it. We were able to successfully take down the old site, put new batteries in the other, and the hike back was pretty interesting, because we got a little lost, but found our way back to camp. Slept, woke up the next morning and came back to cedar to watch SUU win the homecoming game!
              10/3/15
The second time I was able to be out in the field, was just a day trip to where we drove down and were looking to put up a new site somewhere in the Escalante River area. It was really fun walking down the river seeing the incredible canyon like walls, and trying to find the perfect place to set up the equipment. The site had to be in an area that was away from the trail, so people wouldn’t be able to mess with it so easily, had to be in an area that wasn’t getting blasted by wind, somewhere that didn’t echo, somewhere that had a slow moving water, so the microphone didn’t just pick up wind and water. We found an area tucked away behind a cool rock wall formation and set it up there after scouting a few other options. We successfully put up the new site, hiked back a few miles to the cars, and came back home to Cedar.


Soundscaping

              For my edge project, I was able to help out Professor Briton Mace, by helping out on his soundscaping trips. I first heard about soundscaping when I was in his Environmental Psychology class and he showed us some of the research he has gathered over the years. He also let us use some of the sound equipment and go around campus to see what sounds we could hear with the equipment that we normally don’t pick up on. I have been able to help out with a few soundscaping trips out in the Escalante grand staircase National monument. While we were out, we were able to set up new acoustic monitoring sites, and take down old ones to bring back to the sound lab and go over the last two months of data.
I found an article from SUU.edu, and it does a great job of explaining what we do, and why.
http://www.suu.edu/news/2015/02/professor-researches-soundscapes-in-national-park.html
              “Mace is researching the soundscapes of Utah’s national parks, and has found a way to utilize the sounds to increase visitor safety and help park administration know where improvements are needed.”
”Though recent research has been conducted by National Park Service to learn the sound levels heard from coast to coast on the average summers day, the research did not get into the details that can truly help park administration in Utah.
This is where Mace and his crew will come in. The soundscape research being conducted by the Southern Utah University team will give specific information on what trails, observational points and other popular areas are in need of improvements, information that the Park Service is in need of, according to Mace.
Mace has already conducted research at Zion, Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon national parks, now he and his students have been asked by Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument administration to help with site management and visitor approval ratings through soundscape analysis.”







Austin Guevara


Permanent Address:                       
  Contact Information:             
Student Address:
2476 W. Pine Meadow Place                 
 801-631-8672                          
1480w center street #15
Taylorsville, UT  84129                       
801-968-8715                                
  austinguevara@comcast.net      
                                    
Cedar City, UT 84721
           
Education


Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah
Currently Enrolled, Outdoor Recreation in Parks & Tourism Major Graduate May 2016

Snow College, Ephraim, Utah
Earned Associates Degree May 2014

Taylorsville High School, Taylorsville, Utah
Graduated June 2011

Work Experience

Zion Ponderosa:   Employed 2015 summer and fall, Spring of 2016 and Summer 2012.  Recreation Guide.  Conduct, organize, lead, and promote recreation activities with groups, families, individuals, and employees. Activities include climbing wall, trampoline bungee, zipline, ATV tours, canyoneering, hiking, horseback riding, Jeep tours, paintball, rodeo, and shuttling them to and from the National Park.

Liberty Mountain.  Employed Summer 2014.  Warehouse Clerk.  Climbing gear, recreational, and outdoor product order fulfillment.

Sheet Metal Specialties:  Employed Summers and School Breaks of 2007- 2015.  
Site Maintenance.  Organize and clean the shop; maintain and weed the grounds; complete small production projects using machinery such as a drill press, punch, and small press brake; driving for pickups and deliveries; and many other maintenance projects.

Achievements

l  ORPT Degree (Outdoor Recreation in Parks & Tourism) May 2016.  My ORPT Degree is an interdisciplinary degree program offered by the Department of Physical Education within the College of Education and has included course work from Agriculture Science, Biology, Communications, Geology, and Hotel and Hospitality Management.
l  Wilderness First Responder "WFR" Certification in May of 2015
l  "Excellent Customer Service" Award from Zion Ponderosa
l  Eagle Scout Award
l  Honor and High Honor Roll Awards
l  Athletic Letter, Baseball, 2009, 2010, 2011 and Athletic Letter, Basketball, 2011
l  MVP, 2010 American Legion State Baseball Tournament
l  Honorable Mention All-State 2011, Baseball; 2nd Team All-Region 2011, Baseball 
l  "Excellence in Basketball and Baseball" award from Utah Army National Guard


Activities

l  SUU Wildlife Club.  Working with the Division of Natural Resources on captures and releases, including pheasants for the youth opener, Desert Big Horn for data gathering (blood check, disease check, radio collars)
l  Soundscape Research.  Part of a soundscape research team in Utah's National Parks.  Currently conducting research in Escalante-Grand Staircase National Park to help increase visitor safety and help Park administration know where improvements are needed.  We are using physical sound equipment to do acoustic monitoring of sites to gather data to see how humans and animals are affected by sound.
l  Sand Hollow Reservoir, assisting the Rangers with various duties as part of a practicum for my Degree.
l  Snowboarding, rappelling, canyoneering, hiking, backpacking, camping, hunting, fishing, and other sports
l  Competitive Baseball, 1996 - 2011 and Competitive Basketball, 1998 - 2011
l  Seminary Council, Taylorsville High School Seminary, 2010-2011

Skills

l  Wilderness First Responder "WFR" certified in 2015 through the Wilderness Medicine Training Center at Bryce Canyon National Park.  I am certified in wilderness medicine including basic pharmacology, patient assessment, environmental hazards and medical simulations.  Certified in medical protocols for situations requiring extended patient management in extreme environments with limited equipment.
l  CPR certified
l  Friendly, fun, outgoing, high-energy personality
l  Dedication, commitment, and determination
l  Photography
l  Public Speaking
l  Computer Skills inclu
l  including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, Adobe PhotoShop, etc.

















Reference list

Jake Millard, Recreation Manager at the Zion Ponderosa-
Work- 1(800-293-5444)
Cell-(435-691-2410) 


Waisea Lesuma, Assistant Principal at Taylorsville High School-
Cell- 1(801) 783-9711

Ryan Aagard,  at Sheet Metal Specialties-
Work- (801)-972-4745



















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