Interpreting the Fieldwork Schedule National Visitor Use Monitoring Interviewer Training Forest Service

Fieldwork Schedule Tells you when, where, & what type of survey (interview, traffic counter, or combination) is required

Fieldwork schedule terms: Longitude Latitude Site Type Site Name Ranger District Site Number Subunit Proxy Type Sampling Stratum Month, Day, Year Survey Time Notes In this presentation, we are going to talk through the underlined terms.

Fieldwork schedule terms cont.: Region, Forest, District Month, Day, Year Site name & number Site type Sub-unit Use Levels Proxy or Nonproxy Survey time (AM/PM) Notes (special instructions for counters, timeframes, etc.)

Introduction to the Fieldwork Schedule

Fieldwork Schedule – Site Type

Site Types Different Site Types will require different procedures &/or different parts of the interview form (more on interview forms later) Need to know what site type you are doing on each interview day Site types were defined in the inventory design (don’t guess and don’t alter) One site could be identified as more than one site type

What are the site types? Day Use Developed Site (DUDS) picnic areas, interpretive sites, ski areas, etc. Overnight Use Developed Site (OUDS) campgrounds, cabins, lodges & resorts Wilderness (W) Designated Wilderness General Forest Areas (GFA) undeveloped – outside of Wilderness: trail use, hunting, dispersed camping, river use, recreation residences Viewing Corridors (VC) State highways, byways, interstates, etc. – outside NF

Fieldwork Schedule – Site Names Pay attention to districts as some forests have two or more sites with the same name.

Fieldwork Schedule – Ranger Districts District name – provided to help coordinators sort survey workload by district

Fieldwork Schedule – Site Number Not Infra number. Site name & number – identifies the name/location of survey site and number Name needs to be put on Daily Summary Form (DSF) exactly as listed in fieldwork schedule

Fieldwork Schedule – Subunit If used, identifies whether site belongs to forest or to the subunit. You will know if your forest has a subunit. Subunits are established during the Inventory Design Phase. For example, the Kiowa and Rita-Blanca National Grasslands are a subunit of the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. There are no subunits on the Apache-Sitgreaves

Fieldwork Schedule – Type: Proxy or Non Proxy Proxy Site (found in TYPE column) Actual counts separate from interviewer surveys No counter needed Should still take a hand tally count Non-proxy Site (found in TYPE column) Mechanical counter set-up required Counter left out for 24 hours

Fieldwork Schedule – Sampling Stratum Proxy Site (found in TYPE column) Actual counts separate from interviewer surveys No counter needed Should still take a hand tally count Non-proxy Site (found in TYPE column) Mechanical counter set-up required Counter left out for 24 hours

Proxy Codes Sites where visitation can be measured by a direct count of something (fee envelopes, room receipts, etc.) Sites were identified as proxy in the inventory design (don’t guess and don’t alter) No traffic counter for proxy sites You still need to conduct interviews (and hand tally) Refer to the handbook for specific survey protocol for different proxy types.

Proxy Codes and Definitions Side note to any coordinators out there. Use these proxy code definitions to match the type of information that we are requesting from our partners. See the NVUM Guidebook appendix for a sample form.

Proxy Codes and Definitions cont.

Proxy Codes and Definitions cont..

Surveys at Proxy Sites The survey forms are built for these proxy site codes. Other proxy site codes have different survey protocol. Refer to the handbook for details.

Month, Day, Year Month, day, year – identifies the date of the survey

Assigned Interview Hours Let’s go back and talk a bit about survey times

Interview hours Conduct interviews of EXITING Vehicles and People. Six contiguous hours during the survey day. Interviewing for more time is ok. Less time is not ok. Survey times vary for different site types.

Interview hours for Non Proxy Sites Non proxy sites: AM or PM shift. AM = 0800 to 1400 PM = 1400 to 2000 In Alaska a third time period is added to capture use during the extensive summer daylight hours. Alternative survey times for winter (if you need them) Winter AM = 1000-1600 Winter PM = 1100-1700 Non proxy campgrounds where the checkout time is 2pm or sooner, the interview time should be 8-2 UNLESS there is noticeable amount of day use at this site. If this is the case then the assigned AM and PM is used.

Interview hours for Proxy Sites Select a 6-hour interview time according to when most people will be leaving the site for the last time Proxy cabins, group camps, and lodges – if there is no one exiting these sites on the assigned interview day, go to the next day the cabin, group camp, or lodge is reserved. You do not need to use the backup calendar. The sites where these are likely to occur are noted in the fieldwork schedule as placeholder days.

Notes (Special Instructions)

Pay Attention to GFA Low Days Special survey day instructions are included in the Note1 column. Empty cells in the Notes1 column indicate you should use the standard protocol (surveys, hand tally counter, and traffic or trail counter). Below is a list of the more common special instructions. Notes/Special Instructions When it will appear in the fieldwork schedule PLACEHOLDER DAY - IF UNOCCUPIED, USE NEXT OCCUPIED DAY AS SUBSTITUTE Certain proxy types SET UP TRAFFIC COUNTER ONLY -- 8AM START Non Proxy GFA Low days STANDARD PROTOCOL -- SAMPLING AND TRAFFIC COUNT Talk through the graphic. The first column is the actual text that will appear in the fieldwork schedule. The second column describes when the text will appear on the fieldwork schedule. Pay attention to the different protocol for GFA low days

GFA Low Days Standard protocol – sampling and traffic counter Set out counter Interview visitors and hand tally for 6 hours, record counts Return to site 24 hours later, pick up counter and record counts Set Up Traffic Counter only – place the counter out at 8am and leave out for 24 hours, do not conduct interviews Note: Approximately 50% – 75% of GFA Low days are identified as counter only

Placeholder Days Generally group sites or recreation rentals Site may or may not be occupied that day Select the closest day that the site is occupied to do interview If a group CG, try to interview at site If a remote CG or rec. rental, interview over phone If a “Placeholder Day” text appears on the fieldwork schedule, then you should inquire with the proxy contact if anyone is planning to exit on that day. If no one is “checking out” or exiting on that day, then select the closest occupied day to conduct the interview.

Region & Forest

The Back-up Schedule Used in special circumstances Forest Coordinator determines when to use. Understand backup days before they are necessary. Refer to the guidebook together for details on when to use backup days. Have participants take turns reading the circumstances when to use backup days. The main point, is that backup days are used when the recreating public can access the site, but the interviewer can’t.

How to choose a backup day… Everyone should get out a DSF and find at least two suitable backup dates from their field work schedule (e.g. give the participants any two days and have them tell you what is a suitable back up day).

Thank You Questions??