SOUND MEASUREMENT (OF HEAVY-LIFT HELICOPTERS) TOOLKIT

The objective of this proposal is to develop a "toolkit" to assist in the measurement and analysis of sound from heavy-lift helicoptersused in heli-logging operations, escpecially in the Pacific Northwest and as it relates to impacts to the Northern spotted owl and the Marbled murrelet.

The toolkit will:

• document the results of a literature search to identify current research in the field of noise assessment/measurement to quantify noise impacts to wildlife (especially T&E species);
• identify various protocols used by others to measure helicopter noise in the field;
• identify parameters typically measured in noise studies;
• evaluate various types of sound measurement equipment and report on their use, training necessary to operate, accuracy, and cost to rent/buy equipment.

As added value, this Inventory & Management project is coordinating with interest expressed by the Forest Management Program to take actual sound measurements of several heavy-lift helicopters (possibly by the Boeing Vertol 107, the Kaman KMAX, and the Sikorksy 61) in the field during heli-logging operations. Forest Management (and Partners) are interested in determining where the 92dBA contour occurs around the heavy-lift helicopters as it performs routine logging operations. (The 92dBA has been identified as the "injury threshold" for the Northern spotted owls and the Marbled murrelets by the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Western Washington Fish & Wildlife Office for Endangered Species Consultations purposes.

Status:

Initiated coordination w/researchers with FS Flagstaff; Corps of Engineers, CERL; National Park Service, Natural Sounds Program; and biologist with Olmpic NF and US Fish & Wildlife Service. Performed a literature search of noise impact on wildlife studies. Awarded a contract to perform sound measurement of several types of helicopters used in heli-logging operations in PNW and to examine the accuracy of several different brands of sound measurement instruments.