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?

沃萨奇山之声项目旨在评估与沃萨奇山脉相关的价值观和脆弱性的认知。该项目与iUTAH研究的关联聚焦于关键受访者中提及水的程度。一支由本科生研究助理组成的团队协助了本项目，并进行了访谈。值得注意的是，这一举措对学生而言是一次学习经历，由于学生在攀登访谈学习曲线的早期阶段，访谈流程中存在一些固有的局限性。我们认可了访谈问题中的一些引领性方面。然而，所有访谈中均询问了标准问题集。访谈对象包括以下类别：

1. 城市规划师
2. 应急管理人员
3. 自然资源管理者（州或联邦级别）
4. 来自环境利益集团或组织的代表
5. 休闲兴趣代表
6. 房地产、商业/经济或发展利益代表

我们利用网络信息和该地区的现有联系，确定了访谈样本的类别。访谈主要面对面进行，有时通过电话进行。关键受访者访谈采用半结构化格式，持续时间为30至60分钟。

虽然最初进行了90次访谈，但其中2次未进行音频记录，7次为受访者拒绝分享匿名转录本。因此，此数据集包含81份完整的访谈转录本。访谈对象来自五个不同的地区：北沃萨奇、中央沃萨奇、沃萨奇前山、沃萨奇后山和南沃萨奇。访谈地点均方便受访者。

访谈开始时，参与者被呈现一封信息信函，描述了知情同意程序。在同意后，访谈进行了音频记录。参与者有机会选择是否希望在项目报告中被识别。对于选择不识别的参与者，任何识别信息均从转录本中删除。

音频文件转录本使用ID系统进行识别，并使用NVivo软件创建。尽管最初计划共享，但根据USU IRB的要求，音频访谈文件已被删除。

引导访谈的问题如下：

1. 沃萨奇山脉如何影响该地区的福祉？换句话说，居住在沃萨奇山脉地区的一些价值或益处是什么？
2. 与沃萨奇山脉相关的任何不利因素或特定脆弱性是否会损害或降低该地区的福祉？
3. 您认为关于沃萨奇山脉地区未来可持续性和福祉的关键问题是什么？
4. 您是否了解正在进行中的有助于维持或改善沃萨奇山脉地区未来福祉的努力？您或您的组织是否参与其中？您能否更多地谈谈这些努力？