Wasatch Mountain Voices

The Wasatch Mountain Voices Project seeks to assess perceptions of values and vulnerabilities associated with the Wasatch Mountains. The connection to iUTAH research focuses on the degree to which water is mentioned by key informants interviewed for this project. A team of undergraduate research assistants assisted with this project and conducted interviews. It should be noted that this effort was a learning experience for students and a few inherent limitations are found in the flow of the interviews as a result of students in early stages of climbing the interview learning curve. We acknowledge some leading aspects in interview questions. However, a standard set of questions was asked in all interviews.

Interviews were conducted with representatives of the following categories:

1. City Planners
2. Emergency Managers
3. Natural Resource Managers (state or federal)
4. Representatives from environmental interest groups or organizations
5. Representatives of recreational interests
6. Representatives of Real Estate, Commercial/Economic or Development Interests

We used web-based information and existing contacts in the region to identify people in the categories to sample from for interviews. Interviews were largely held in person, but sometimes by phone. Key informant interviews followed a semi-structured format and lasted from 30 to 60 minutes.

While 90 people were originally interviewed, 2 were not audio recorded and 7 were people who declined to share their anonymous transcript. Thus this dataset contains 81 complete interview transcripts. Interviews were conducted with people from five different regions: Northen Wasatch, Central Wasatch, Wasatch Front, Wasatch Back, and Southern Wasatch. Interviews were held at a location convenient to the participant.

At the outset of the interviews, participants were presented with a letter of information describing informed consent procedures. When consent was given, interviews were audio recorded. Participants were given the opportunity to choose whether or not they want to be identified in project reporting. For those choosing not to be identified, any identifying information was redacted from transcripts.

Transcripts made from audio files used an ID system for identification and were created using NVivo software. Though initially planned to be shared, audio interview files were deleted upon the request by USU IRB.

The questions guiding the interviews were as follows:

1. How do the Wasatch Mountains influence the wellbeing in this area? In other words, what are some of the values or benefits of living in the Wasatch Mountain Region?
2. Are there any disadvantages or particular vulnerabilities related to the Wasatch Mountains that compromise or decrease wellbeing in this area?
3. What do you think are the key issues regarding the future sustainability and wellbeing of the Wasatch Mountain Region?
4. Are you aware of any efforts underway to help sustain or improve the wellbeing of the Wasatch Mountain Region in the future? Are you – or is your organization - involved in these efforts? Can you talk more about these efforts?