Identifying Capacity for Local Community Participation in Wildlife Management Planning: White-tailed Deer in Northeastern National Park Service Units SURVEY

College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences

Human Dimensions Research Unit

Department of Natural Resources

Fernow Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853-3001

t. 607.255.2830

f. 607.254.2299

e. [email protected]

Project Website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

[date]

College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences

Human Dimensions Research Unit

Department of Natural Resources

Fernow Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853-3001

t. 607.255.2830

f. 607.254.2299

e. [email protected]

Project Website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

[date]

Dear Homeowner:

We are writing to ask your help in a study of community members living near <PARK NAME>. Cornell University is collaborating with the Biological Resource Management Division of the National Park Service to learn about the relationship between National Parks and neighboring communities with respect to deer and management of deer-related impacts. As part of this study, we are surveying a random sample of homeowners near <PARK NAME> who paid property taxes in 2005. We are interested in your opinions even if you have not visited the park or seen deer in the area. The information you provide on the survey will help National Park Service managers at <PARK NAME> better understand and address community interests related to resource management at the park.

Please complete the questionnaire and return it at your earliest convenience; no envelope is needed, return postage has been provided.

All the information you provide is completely voluntary, and we promise to protect your privacy. The questionnaire has an identification number on it for mailing purposes only. This is so we may remove your name from the mailing list when your questionnaire is returned. We will not report individual responses; only summaries will be reported. Final reports will be available through <PARK NAME>, the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University, and on our project website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks.

Your participation in this study will be useful in the event that <PARK NAME> considers managing impacts related to deer in the future. However, any formal management that is considered will be subject to public input requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. § 4231 et seq.); research associated with this study should not be considered equivalent to a full public scoping effort required by NEPA.

If you have any questions or comments about this study, please feel free to contact our survey coordinator, Kirsten Leong, at 607.255.4136 or [email protected]. We would be happy to talk with you.

Thank you very much for helping us with this important study.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Decker, Ph.D. Kirsten M. Leong, Ph.D. Candidate

Professor Graduate Research Assistant

PRIVACY ACT and PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT statement:

16 U.S.C. 1a-7 authorizes collection of this information. This information will be used by park managers to better serve the public. Response to this request is voluntary. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. Your name is requested for follow-up mailing purposes only. When analysis of the questionnaire is completed, all name and address files will be destroyed. Thus permanent data will be anonymous. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Burden estimate statement: Public reporting for this form is estimated to average 20 minutes per response. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to: Dr. Margaret Wild, Biological Resource Management Division, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525.

College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences

Human Dimensions Research Unit

Department of Natural Resources

Fernow Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853-3001

t. 607.255.2830

f. 607.254.2299

e. [email protected]

Project Website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

[date]

Dear Homeowner:

Last week we mailed you a questionnaire regarding your experiences and opinions of <PARK NAME> on behalf of Cornell University and the National Park Service. Your name was drawn randomly from a list of all property owners who pay taxes in the communities surrounding <PARK NAME>.

If you have already completed and returned your questionnaire to us, please accept our sincere thanks for your help. If not, please do so today. We are especially grateful for your help because it is only by asking people like you to share your experiences that we can understand how <PARK NAME> is viewed by community residents. Your feedback will assist managers at <PARK NAME> in better understanding and addressing community interests related to resource management at the park.

If you did not receive a questionnaire, or if it was misplaced, please contact us and we will get another one in the mail to you today.

Thank you for your participation!

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Decker, Ph.D. Kirsten M. Leong, Ph.D. Candidate

Professor Graduate Research Assistant

College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences

Human Dimensions Research Unit

Department of Natural Resources

Fernow Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853-3001

t. 607.255.2830

f. 607.254.2299

e. [email protected]

Project Website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

[date]

Dear Homeowner:

About three weeks ago, we sent you a questionnaire on behalf of Cornell University and the National Park Service asking about your experiences with and opinions of <PARK NAME>. To the best of our knowledge, it has not yet been returned.

The comments of people who have already responded include a wide variety of experiences with and opinions of <PARK NAME>. We think the results are going to be very useful in helping managers at <PARK NAME> better understand and address community interests related to resource management at the park.

We are writing again because your feedback is important to us, even if you have not visited the park. Although we sent questionnaires to people living in all the communities near <PARK NAME>, it’s only by hearing from nearly everyone who received a questionnaire that we can be sure the results are not biased.

A comment on our survey procedures: A questionnaire identification number is printed on the back cover of the questionnaire so that we can remove your name from the mailing list when your questionnaire is returned. This list will be destroyed after the survey is complete so that individual names can never be connected to the results in any way. Protecting anonymity is very important to us, as well as the University.

We hope that you will fill out and return the survey as soon as possible. However, if for any reason you prefer not to answer it, please let us know by returning a blank questionnaire (simply seal the questionnaire and drop it in the mail, return postage has already been provided). If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to contact our survey coordinator, Kirsten Leong, at 607.255.4136 or [email protected].

As always, your participation is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Decker, Ph.D. Kirsten M. Leong, Ph.D. Candidate

Professor Graduate Research Assistant

College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences

Human Dimensions Research Unit

Department of Natural Resources

Fernow Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853-3001

t. 607.255.2830

f. 607.254.2299

e. [email protected]

Project Website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

[date]

Dear Homeowner:

Attachment 4. 4^th mailing: Cover letter, sent with replacement questionnaire 4 weeks after initial mailing

Over the past month, we have sent you several mailings on behalf of Cornell University and the National Park Service about an important research study we are conducting to help managers at <PARK NAME> better understand the opinions of park neighbors and improve park management and outreach to nearby communities.

The study is drawing to a close, and this is the last written contact that will be made with the random sample of people who paid taxes last year for residential properties owned near <PARK NAME>.

The number of questionnaires returned to date is very encouraging. But, whether we will be able to describe accurately how local community residents feel about <PARK NAME> depends on you and others who have not yet responded. This is because our past experiences suggest that those who have not yet sent in questionnaires may hold quite different views than those who returned their questionnaires early.

We are writing to you again because of the significance each and every questionnaire has to the usefulness of this study. Hearing from everyone in this small sample of residents living near <PARK NAME> helps us assure that the survey results are as accurate as possible. Your response is important no matter what your feelings or experiences are.

We also want to assure you that your response to this study is voluntary, and if you prefer not to respond, we understand. If you no longer own property near <PARK NAME> and you feel that we have made a mistake including you in this study, please let us know by returning the blank questionnaire with a note indicating so. This would be very helpful.

Finally, we appreciate your willingness to consider our request as we conclude this effort to better understand how <PARK NAME> impacts residents of neighboring communities.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Decker, Ph.D. Kirsten M. Leong, Ph.D. Candidate

Professor Graduate Research Assistant

Attachment 5. Mail Survey Questionnaire—revisions only

Deer, People and Parks

A Survey of Residents Living Near

<LONG PARK NAME>

(picture of park entrance sign)

Research conducted by

National Park Service

Biological Resource Management Division

About this Questionnaire

The National Park Service seeks your help to improve public involvement in management decisions. The purpose of this survey is to learn about your experiences, opinions and suggestions related to natural resource management in <LONG PARK NAME >, particularly with respect to deer and related issues in the park and surrounding community. This survey is part of a large study about deer and the National Park System and does not imply that <PARK NAME> is currently planning to manage deer.

Even if you have not visited <PARK NAME>, your feedback will assist the National Park Service when considering community involvement there and at other parks in the future.

Please complete this questionnaire at your earliest convenience, seal it, and drop it in any mailbox (no envelope is needed); return postage has been provided. The questionnaire has an identification number so you can be removed from our mailing list when you return it; your name and address will not be saved with your responses. We appreciate your prompt response.

Thank you for your help with this important study!

Printed on recycled paper

Throughout this survey, we refer to the National Park Service as “NPS” and <LONG PARK NAME> as <PARK NAME>.

By <PARK NAME>, we mean (insert description of area of interest here)

(insert park map here)

YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH <PARK NAME>, DEER, AND YOUR COMMUNITY

1. Have you ever visited <PARK NAME>?

Yes

No (If no, please skip to Question 6)

2. When you visit <PARK NAME>, how much time do you usually spend there? Please check one.

Passing through on my way to somewhere else

Less than 4 hours

Four hours or more, but less than one day

One day or more

3. Why do you visit <PARK NAME>?

Please check all that apply.

To view the scenery

To enjoy the smells and sounds of nature

To view wildlife

To learn about history

To spend time with family and friends

To exercise

To be outside

To get away from the usual demands of life

To volunteer in park activities

Other, please specify:      

4. How many visits have you made to <PARK NAME> in the past 12 months?

None (If none, please skip to Question 6)

1

2-4

5-10

More than 10

Don’t know/Can’t remember

5. In the past 12 months, how often have you seen deer in <PARK NAME>? Please check one.

Every visit

Half or more but not all visits

Less than half of visits

Never

6. In the past 12 months, how often have you seen deer in your community near <PARK NAME>? Please check one.

Daily

A few times a week

Weekly

Less often than once a week

Never

7 . Please indicate to what extent you agree or

disagree with the following statements about

<PARK NAME> and your community.

<PARK NAME>…

Please circle one number for each item.

makes my community a special place to live	1	2	3	4	5	9
is not an important place for recreation for my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
provides habitat for plants and animals	1	2	3	4	5	9
does not help the local economy	1	2	3	4	5	9
does not protect the landscape from development	1	2	3	4	5	9
provides open space for my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
plays a significant role in my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
attracts tourism dollars to my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
is not a good neighbor	1	2	3	4	5	9
increases the job opportunities in my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
preserves natural resources	1	2	3	4	5	9
is a place where people in my community spend leisure time	1	2	3	4	5	9

YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT DEER IN THE PARK & COMMUNITY

8. In <PARK NAME> or in your community (outside the park), to what extent do you think that deer, in general, are:

	IN <PARK NAME>			IN YOUR COMMUNITY (OUTSIDE THE PARK)
Please circle one number for each item.	Rarely	Sometimes	Almost always	Rarely	Sometimes	Almost always
wild	1	2	3	1	2	3
peaceful	1	2	3	1	2	3
behaving strangely	1	2	3	1	2	3
dangerous	1	2	3	1	2	3
tame	1	2	3	1	2	3
behaving normally	1	2	3	1	2	3
aggressive	1	2	3	1	2	3
timid	1	2	3	1	2	3
acting naturally	1	2	3	1	2	3
harmless	1	2	3	1	2	3
threatening	1	2	3	1	2	3
acting unnaturally	1	2	3	1	2	3

9. Generally, how do you feel about deer IN <PARK NAME>?

Please check one.

I have no particular feelings about deer in <PARK NAME>

I enjoy deer AND I do not worry about deer-related impacts

I enjoy deer BUT I worry about deer-related impacts

I do not enjoy deer in <PARK NAME>

10. Generally, how do you feel about deer IN YOUR COMMUNITY (outside <PARK NAME>)? Please check one.

I have no particular feelings about deer in my community

I enjoy deer AND I do not worry about deer-related impacts

I enjoy deer BUT I worry about deer-related impacts

I do not enjoy deer in my community

11. Please indicate whether you are concerned about any of these deer-related impacts, either within <PARK NAME> or in your community (outside the park):

	IN <PARK NAME>			IN YOUR COMMUNITY (OUTSIDE THE PARK)
Please circle one number for each item.	Not at all concerned	Somewhat concerned	Very concerned	Not at all concerned	Somewhat concerned	Very concerned
Having seen unhealthy deer	1	2	3	1	2	3
Fawns that are born too late to survive winter	1	2	3	1	2	3
Presence of deer feces	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer browsing on naturally growing flowers, trees and shrubs	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer browsing on landscaped flowers, trees and shrubs	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer browsing on vegetable gardens	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer accessing unsecured trash	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer interacting with pets	1	2	3	1	2	3
Deer behavior around people	1	2	3	1	2	3
People’s behavior around deer	1	2	3	1	2	3
Diseases and/or parasites carried by deer	1	2	3	1	2	3
Car accidents involving deer	1	2	3	1	2	3
Other (Please specify):     	1	2	3	1	2	3

12. Please indicate to what extent

y ou agree or disagree with the following

statements.

Please circle one number for each item.

It is reasonable to have deer in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
The habitat for deer is better in the park than in communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
The local deer herd uses habitat both in the park and in communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Deer seriously damage plants and other resources in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Deer create a serious nuisance for people visiting the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Deer create serious health risks in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Deer create serious safety risks in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
The park should start now to address deer-related impacts in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Addressing deer-related impacts in the park would affect communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
Addressing deer-related impacts in the park would affect me positively	1	2	3	4	5	9
Addressing deer-related impacts in the park would affect me negatively	1	2	3	4	5	9
It is important to understand other people’s views about deer-related impacts	1	2	3	4	5	9
The park is part of the local community	1	2	3	4	5	9

13. Please indicate to what extent

y ou agree or disagree with the following

statements about NPS managers in general.

Please circle one number for each item.

NPS managers think it is reasonable to have deer in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think the habitat for deer is better in the park than in communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think the local deer herd uses habitat both in the park and in communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think deer seriously damage plants and other resources in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think deer create a serious nuisance for people visiting the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think deer present a serious health risk in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think deer present a serious safety risk in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think they should start now to address deer-related impacts in the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think that addressing deer-related impacts in the park would affect communities outside the park	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think that addressing deer-related impacts in the park would affect me	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think it is important to understand other people’s views about deer-related impacts	1	2	3	4	5	9
NPS managers think the park is part of the local community	1	2	3	4	5	9

YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH PARK MANAGEMENT

14. Have you done any of the following IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS?

Please circle one category for each item.

Read or listened to news about the park	Yes	No	Not Sure
Talked with local park staff	Yes	No	Not Sure
Talked with other public officials about the park	Yes	No	Not Sure
Provided written comments to a park management plan, impact statement, or survey (excluding this survey)	Yes	No	Not Sure
Written a letter to a newspaper about the park	Yes	No	Not Sure
Attended a public meeting about the park	Yes	No	Not Sure
Participated in a community group or community activity related to a park issue	Yes	No	Not Sure

15. If the park were to consider addressing

deer-related i mpacts in the future, how likely

is it that you would do any of the following ?

Please circle one number for each item.

Read or listen to news about park actions to address deer-related impacts	1	2	3	4	9
Talk with local park staff about deer impacts	1	2	3	4	9
Talk with other public officials about deer impacts	1	2	3	4	9
Provide written comments to a park management plan, impact statement, or survey related to deer impacts (in addition to this survey)	1	2	3	4	9
Write a letter to a newspaper about deer impacts	1	2	3	4	9
Attend a public meeting about deer impacts	1	2	3	4	9
Participate in a community group or community activity related to deer impacts	1	2	3	4	9

16. Please indicate to what extent you agree or disagree

w ith the following statements about management

and planning at <PARK NAME>.

Please circle one number for each item.

I usually have enough opportunities to provide input on park management decisions	1	2	3	4	5	9
I do not believe my input typically is (or would be) taken seriously by park management	1	2	3	4	5	9
I do not have enough information to give meaningful input on deer management	1	2	3	4	5	9
The different ways the park asks for my opinion (e.g., via written comments, conversations with park staff, public meetings, etc.) encourage me to provide input	1	2	3	4	5	9
I am not comfortable voicing my opinion about park management decisions	1	2	3	4	5	9
Public input usually leads to better management decisions	1	2	3	4	5	9
For the most part, interactions between myself, park managers, experts, and people with ideas different from my own help build future relationships	1	2	3	4	5	9

17. How much influence do you think people like yourself can have on the management of <PARK NAME>? Please check one.

A lot Some Very little None at all

18. How much influence do you think people like yourself can have in making the communities surrounding <PARK NAME> a better place to live? Please check one.

A lot Some Very little None at all

1 9. Please indicate to what extent you agree or

disagree with the following statements about

management at <PARK NAME>.

Please circle one number for each item.

On the whole, NPS employees are dedicated to preserving and protecting <PARK NAME>	1	2	3	4	5	9
<PARK NAME> is an educational resource for my community	1	2	3	4	5	9
I do not feel welcome at <PARK NAME>	1	2	3	4	5	9
<PARK NAME> typically works with local communities for shared purposes	1	2	3	4	5	9
On the whole, the rules and regulations at <PARK NAME> do not help preserve and protect it for the future.	1	2	3	4	5	9
My community typically does not help care for <PARK NAME>	1	2	3	4	5	9
Managers at <PARK NAME> typically listen to opinions from people like me	1	2	3	4	5	9
I usually do not support the resource management decisions made at <PARK NAME>	1	2	3	4	5	9
I usually trust management at <PARK NAME> to make good decisions about resource management	1	2	3	4	5	9

2 0. Please indicate to what extent you agree or

disagree that management at <PARK NAME>

typically is…

Please circle one number for each item.

trustworthy	1	2	3	4	5	9
not knowledgeable	1	2	3	4	5	9
not fair	1	2	3	4	5	9
telling the whole story	1	2	3	4	5	9
unbiased	1	2	3	4	5	9
concerned about my community’s well-being	1	2	3	4	5	9
unconcerned about the public interest	1	2	3	4	5	9
watching out for my community’s interests	1	2	3	4	5	9

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

All information you provide is never associated with your name.

21. In what year were you born? 19     

22. Are you male or female? Male Female

23. How long have you lived in a community near <PARK NAME>

      years

24. Please tell us which activities you have participated in, at any location (not just in the park or your community), in the last

12 months: Please check all that apply.

Hiking/Walking outdoors

Biking

Picnicking

Camping

Boating/Canoeing/Kayaking

Wildlife viewing

Nature photography/Painting/Sketching

Horseback riding

Hunting

Fishing

25. What is the highest level of formal education you have completed? Please check one.

Some high school

High school diploma/G.E.D.

Some college or technical school

Associate’s Degree (e.g., A.A.)

College undergraduate degree (e.g., B.A., B.S.)

Graduate degree (e.g., M.S., Ph.D., M.D.)

28. Please use the space below for any additional comments:

     

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

To return this questionnaire, simply seal it and drop it into the nearest mailbox. Postage has already been provided.

For more information about this project, please visit:

http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/deerpeopleparks

or call: 607-255-4136.

To learn more about the National Park System, please visit:

http://www.nps.gov

To learn more about <PARK NAME>, please visit:

http://www.nps.gov/PANA

OMB Approval # XXXX-XXXX (NPS #XX-XXX)

Expiration Date: XX/XX/2006