Forest Coordinator Training Overview National Visitor Use Monitoring Forest Service

Sampling Most resource data collection is done by sampling – timber cruising, range allotment condition or botany surveys Visitor use is also done by sampling – since 2000, each year, forests across the country are sampling visitors to the forest

NVUM NVUM can help answer questions such as: How many visitors come to the NF? What activities do they participate in? Where do they come from? How much money do they contribute to the local economy? Are they satisfied with the facilities and services we provide?

Resources Region Coordinator email R1 Jeff Miller jeffmiller@fs.fed.us Paul E. Cruz pecruz@fs.fed.us R3 Jeremy Golston jgolston@fs.fed.us R4 Lori Price lprice@fs.fed.us R5 Matthew Boisseau mboisseau@fs.fed.us R6 Bonnie Lippitt blippitt@fs.fed.us R8 John Campbell jwcampbell@fs.fed.us R9 Leon LaVigne llavigne@fs.fed.us R10 Sharon Seim sharongseim@fs.fed.us

Training Material in Adobe Connect Agenda, guidebook, and PowerPoint presenations are loaded here

Other Resources National Visitor Use Monitoring Guidebook External Webpage: https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/nvum/reference/index.shtml Adjacent forests who have done this recently RecLink

Funding Funding comes from NFMP Example: $380 per survey day $190 for counter only days Example: Fieldwork schedule shows 250 days, of which 20 are “counter only” 230 X $380 = $87,400 20 X $190 = $3,800 Total Allocation - $91,200

Allocation $15,000 Regional coordinator work NFMP also provides $15,000 Regional coordinator work $5,000 Inventory design work prior to start of field work $380 per day for 8 QA/QC (mentoring and secret shopping)

Time Commitment Time commitment for forest coordinators varies… Before sample year: 10 to 20 days During sample year: 60 to 80% of time After sample year: 5 to 15 days This is an estimate. Individual forests may differ substantially.

High Stakes Time commitment does not include the actual survey time. Forest needs to understand this is a large commitment of time For interviewers For coordinators

Alternatives to Reduce Time Commitment Forest coordinators time can be somewhat reduced if they decide to contract the NVUM surveys. Contracting will be more costly upfront in both time and money. Forest will still have responsibility for Contract inspection. Proxy reporting.

Commitment If using FS employees, interviewers must be: Well trained. Personally committed to project. Professionally committed to project. Well practiced.

Accountability This is not a project where you can just use anybody who is unfunded. All interviews should be conducted by a well-trained and practiced interviewer. We wouldn’t think about sending just anyone out to do wildlife or hydrology surveys without lots of training, right?

Discussion… 1

Next… Technical Terms and Proxy Codes Background Overview Resources Costs Technical Terms and Proxy Codes Fieldwork & Backup Schedule Preparing for Fieldwork Managing the Fieldwork Preventing Mistakes