ASIS OSV Survey

OMB # 1024-XXXX

Expiration:

Attachment A:

OVERSAND VEHICLE USER SURVEY

Dear Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor,

This study will develop information about Oversand Vehicle Zone use and expectations and preferences of visitors to the zone at Assateague Island National Seashore. The results will assist in the upcoming General Management Planning process by providing information that will inform decision-making about the future management of the Oversand Vehicle Zone and backcountry areas at the National Seashore.

You are one of a select number of park visitors sampled, and your opinions are very important to the success of this project. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and your answers are completely voluntary.

Reports from this study will summarize findings across all responses so that individual answers will not be associated with you in any way. Your contact information is kept only so we can record who has returned a survey. After the survey is completed, all contact information will be destroyed.

After you have finished the survey, please put it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope and place it in any U.S. mailbox. Or, if you prefer, you can access the survey online at:

www.XXXXX.

Your user name: XXX

Password: XXXX

Thank you for your time and cooperation in completing the survey. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Bransford, Eppley Institute at Indiana University, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 101, Bloomington, IN 47404; (812) 856-3870.

Sincerely,

Trish Kicklighter, Superintendent

Assateague Island National Seashore

A. OVERSAND VEHICLE USERS

1. About how many annual Assateague Island National Seashore Oversand Vehicle Zone permits have you purchased in the last 10 years?

______# permits

2. In a typical year, how often do you use the Oversand Vehicle Zone in Assateague Island National Seashore?

_____ Once a year

_____ 2 – 5 times a year

_____ 6 – 10 times a year

_____ 11 – 20 times a year

_____ 21 – 49 times a year

_____ 50 or more times a year

3. Do you participate in beach driving opportunities outside of the Assateague Island National Seashore?

______Yes  Go to Question 3a.

______No  Skip to Question 4

3a. If yes, where: ___________________________________________

4. Is Assateague Island National Seashore your primary beach driving area?

____ Yes _____ No

5. How much of your typical visit to the Oversand Vehicle Zone is spent driving on the beach?

_____ Less than 10%

_____ 10 to 50%

_____ Greater than 50%

6. Who do you usually use the Oversand Vehicle Zone with? (Please check only one.)

_____ Alone

_____ With family

_____ With friends

_____ With family and friends

_____ With an organized group

_____ With a group of vehicles

7. What time of day do you prefer to use the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ Morning (6:00 a.m. to noon)

_____ Afternoon (noon to 4:00 p.m.)

_____ Evening (4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)

_____ Late Night (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.)

8. Do you prefer to visit during: (Please check only one.)

_____ High tides

_____ Low tides

Doesn’t matter

9. Do fish trends matter to you when planning trips to the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

Yes

No

10. What day(s) of the week do you prefer to use the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ Weekday (Monday – Thursday)

_____ Weekend (Friday – Sunday)

_____ No preference

11. What percentage of your visits in the last 12 months occurred during the following seasons?

_____ May through August

_____ September through January

_____ February through April

(Total must equal 100%)

12. What is your most frequent destination inside the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ Within ½ mile of the entrance to Oversand Vehicle Zone

_____ Closest open spot

_____ Bullpen

_____ Within first 3 miles

_____ Bayside

_____ State line

_____ South of the Bullpen

_____ Marker # _____ (Please specify.)

13. On a typical visit to Assateague Island National Seashore, do you stay overnight?

______ Yes  Go to Question 13a.

______ No  Skip to Question 15.

13a. If yes, where do you usually stay? Please check only one.

_____ The Bullpen

_____ National Park Service campground

_____ State park campground

_____ Private campground

_____ Local hotel or motel

_____ Stay with family or friends

_____ Other _________________

14. If you stay in the Bullpen, about how many nights per year do you typically stay?

_____ # nights

15. Do you generally have a dog with you in the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ Yes

_____ No

B. VISITOR EXPERIENCE

16. Which characteristics of the National Seashore are most important to the quality of your oversand vehicle experience? Please check your top 5.

_____ Natural beach and landscape

_____ Clean water / pristine ocean

_____ Beach life (shells, crabs, etc.)

_____ Wildlife (horses, deer, fox, etc.)

_____ Natural views

_____ Clean air

_____ Sand dunes

_____ Bay sea life (sea grasses, clams, mussels, etc.)

_____ Bird life (shore birds, gulls, raptors, etc.)

_____ Natural sounds and quiet

_____ Ocean sea life (dolphins, fish, etc.)

_____ Starry night skies

_____ Clean beach

_____ Natural vegetation and plant life

_____ Solitude

_____ Other? Please describe __________________________

17. Which recreational activities and/or opportunities are most important to your oversand vehicle experience? Please check your top 5.

_____ Sightseeing

_____ Camping

_____ Beach driving

_____ Swimming / boogie boarding

_____ Stargazing

_____ Fishing

_____ Surfing

_____ Birdwatching

_____ Sunbathing

_____ Viewing wildlife

_____ Barbecuing / beach fires

_____ Photography

_____ Duck hunting

_____ Clamming

_____ Kite surfing

_____ Relaxing

_____ Deer hunting

_____ Gathering with family / friends

_____ Kayaking / canoeing

_____ Beachcombing

_____ Partying

_____ Other? Please describe _____________________________

18. Which factor MOST influences the spot you choose to spend your time in the Oversand Vehicle Zone? (Please check ONE only.)

_____ Crowding

_____ Fishing opportunities

_____ Natural views

_____ Overnight parking

_____ Hunting opportunities

_____ Availability of restroom facilities

_____ Solitude

_____ Wildlife viewing opportunities

_____ Fuel consumption

_____ Safety

_____ Other? Please describe ______________________

19. Which of the following, if any, have been a problem for you during your oversand vehicle experience? (Please check your top 5.)

_____ I haven’t experienced any problems  Skip to Question 20

_____ Too many vehicles on the beach

_____ Too many people

_____ Trash and litter

_____ Bad driving habits by others

_____ Waiting in line at park entrance station

_____ Cost of permit

_____ Pets off leash

_____ Too many vehicles on park roads

_____ Closures to protect safety due to high tides and overwash

_____ Lack of restroom facilities

_____ Back-ups at air station or broken air pumps

_____ Fishermen and fishing lines

_____ Driving restrictions

_____ Sand ruts / poor driving conditions

_____ Conflicts with other user groups

_____ Too many vehicles in parking lots

_____ Closures to protect plants and wildlife

_____ Too many overnight users in Bullpen

____ Waiting in line at Oversand Vehicle Zone entrance

_____ Special events in Oversand Vehicle Zone

_____ Other? Please describe ____________________________

20. The Assateague Island backcountry, which includes all the area south of the developed area, is designated for different types of recreation, including oversand vehicle use, backcountry camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and other uses. In the last 12 months have you experienced a problem of any kind with one of these users?

____Yes  Go to Question 20a.

____No  Skip to Question 21.

20a. If yes, please describe_________________________________________

21. Do you feel that the Oversand Vehicle Zone is too crowded?

____Yes  Go to Question 21a.

____No  Skip to Question 20.

21a. If yes, what makes you feel that it is too crowded? Check all that apply.

_____ Too many vehicles are allowed in the zone

_____ There is not enough space away from other users

_____ Other users are too loud

_____ I prefer to not see as many people when I am in the Oversand Vehicle Zone.

_____Other (please explain)_____________________________________

22. Please place a check next to your primary reason for recreating in the Oversand Vehicle Zone. (Check only one.)

_____ Spend time with family and friends

_____ Experience peace and quiet

_____ Get away from beach crowds

_____ See and experience nature

_____ Physical and mental challenges

_____ Get away from demands of daily life

_____ Continue traditions

_____ Thrills and excitement

_____ Relaxation

_____ Experience a sense of personal freedom

_____ Other. Please describe: ____________________________

23. How important is the protection of the following attributes at Assateague Island National Seashore to you? Please circle one response for each attribute.

	Importance
Attribute	Not at all	A little	Somewhat	A lot	No Opinion
History & culture of Assateague	1	2	3	4	5
Undisturbed wild areas	1	2	3	4	5
Natural barrier island conditions and processes	1	2	3	4	5
Natural wildlife and plant communities	1	2	3	4	5
Rare species and their habitats	1	2	3	4	5
Natural landscapes and ocean views	1	2	3	4	5
Opportunities for use and enjoyment	1	2	3	4	5

C. MANAGEMENT ISSUES

24. About how many times during the last 12 months have you had to wait in line to get on the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ (number of times)  Go to Question 24a.

OR

_____ I haven’t had to wait in line  Skip to Question 25.

24a. Typically, how long is the wait?

_____ Less than 10 minutes

_____ 10-29 minutes

_____ 30-59 minutes

_____ One hour or longer

_____Not sure

24b. What day(s) of the week did you typically have to wait in line? __________

24c. What month(s) of the year did you typically have to wait in line? __________

25. Do you avoid the Oversand Vehicle Zone during certain times of the year or day?

_____ Yes  Go to Question 25a.

_____ No  Skip to Question 26.

25a. If yes, what times of the year or day do you avoid the Oversand Vehicle Zone? ____________________________________________________________

25b. If yes, why do you avoid the Oversand Vehicle Zone during some times?

____________________________________________________________

26. Assateague Island National Seashore managers are considering different options for managing access to the Oversand Vehicle Zone. The following are possible alternatives under consideration. For each one, please circle your level of support or opposition.

Alternative	Strongly Support	Somewhat Support	Neither Support nor Oppose	Somewhat Oppose	Strongly Oppose
Raise cost of camping permit fee by up to 50% for the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Limit number of overnight users in the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Increase OSV permit fee by up to 25%	1	2	3	4	5
Require reservations for overnight camping in the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Continue to manage OSV use as is currently done	1	2	3	4	5
Charge a $5 separate nightly overnight camping fee in the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Eliminate all overnight camping in the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Limit the number of nights per year an individual can camp in the Bullpen	1	2	3	4	5
Increase the number of vehicles allowed on the Oversand Vehicle Zone	1	2	3	4	5

27. In your opinion, enforcement of rules and regulations in the Oversand Vehicle Zone by the National Park Service is: (Check only one.)

_____ Poor

_____ Fair

_____ Good

_____ Excellent

_____ Don’t know

27a. If poor or fair, please describe the needed improvements:________________

__________________________________________________________________

28. During the last 12 months, how many times have you observed the following violations of the rules and regulations in the Oversand Vehicle Zone? Please circle one response for each violation.

Violation Type	Number of Times
Dogs off leash	0	1-2	3 or more
Excessive vehicle speed	0	1-2	3 or more
Driving outside Oversand Vehicle Zone	0	1-2	3 or more
Littering	0	1-2	3 or more
Use of a metal detector	0	1-2	3 or more
Feeding wildlife	0	1-2	3 or more
Destruction of plants or animals	0	1-2	3 or more
Illegal overnight camping	0	1-2	3 or more
Un-permitted vehicles in the Oversand Vehicle Zone	0	1-2	3 or more
Illegal fishing (size, species, etc.)	0	1-2	3 or more
Other ________________________________	0	1-2	3 or more

29. For each of the following topics, please circle your level of agreement or disagreement

Topic	Strongly Agree	Somewhat Agree	Neither Support nor Oppose	Somewhat Disagree	Strongly Disagree
The current limit of 145 vehicles in the Oversand Vehicle Zone is appropriate.	1	2	3	4	5
OSV use should be limited to providing access for fishing and hunting.	1	2	3	4	5
The overall size of the Oversand Vehicle Zone should be expanded.	1	2	3	4	5
All oversand vehicle use should be prohibited in the park.	1	2	3	4	5
More ranger patrols should be provided to inform and educate visitors and enforce rules.	1	2	3	4	5
The overall size of the Oversand Vehicle Zone should be reduced.	1	2	3	4	5
The number of vehicles allowed on the Oversand Vehicle Zone should be increased.	1	2	3	4	5
The oversand vehicle permit fee should be increased to reduce demand.	1	2	3	4	5
More vehicles should be allowed in a smaller Oversand Vehicle Zone.	1	2	3	4	5
A one-time oversand vehicle use and safety certification should be required.	1	2	3	4	5
The number of vehicles allowed on the Oversand Vehicle Zone should be decreased.	1	2	3	4	5
Overnight oversand vehicle use should be reduced to allow access for more day use.	1	2	3	4	5
Seasonal closures of the Oversand Vehicle Zone should be used to protect plants and wildlife.	1	2	3	4	5
The Bullpen should be managed more like the developed area campground.	1	2	3	4	5
The number of multiple recreation uses (hunting, camping, OSV use) allowed in the backcountry and oversand vehicle areas should be reduced or limited	1	2	3	4	5

30. Please rate your overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your oversand vehicle experience(s) during the past 12 months.

____Highly satisfied

____Satisfied

____Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied

____Unsatisfied

____Highly unsatisfied

D. DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Please provide the following:

31. Do you live in the United States?

_____ Yes (What is your Zip Code? ______________________________)

_____ No (What country do you live in?___________________________)

32. What is your age? ______

33. What is your gender? ____ Male ____ Female

34. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin? ___ Yes ___ No

35. What is your race? (Please check one or more.)

____ White

____ Black or African American

____ Asian

____ Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

____ American Indian or Alaska Native

36. On a typical trip, how many children in each of the following age ranges go with you to the Oversand Vehicle Zone?

_____ # 0 – 5 years old

_____ # 6 – 10 years old

_____ # 11 – 13 years old

_____ # 14 – 18 years old

37. What is the highest level of formal education you have completed? (Check only one.)

____ Some high school

____ High school graduate or GED

____ Trade/vocational school certificate

____ Some college

____ College graduate

____ Post-graduate degree

38. On a typical trip to Assateague Island, does anyone in your group have a physical condition that makes it difficult to access or participate in Seashore activities or services?

_____ Yes _____ No

If yes, what services or activities did the person have difficulty with?

_____________________________________________________________

39. Do you currently belong to any of the following types of organizations?

Please check all that apply.

_____ Environmental advocacy or conservation organizations

_____ Hunting or fishing organizations

_____ Off-road Vehicle user’s organizations

_____ Other recreational organizations (camping, hiking, etc.)

40. Which category best represents your annual household income?

_____ Less than $24,999

_____ $25,000-$34,999

_____ $35,000-$49,999

_____ $50,000-$74,999

_____ $75,000-$99,999

_____ $100,000-149,999

_____ $150,000-$199,999

_____ $200,000 or more

41. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about Assateague Island National Seashore?___________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

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 kept for follow-up mailing purposes only. When analysis of the questionnaire is completed, all name and address files will be destroyed. Thus the permanent data will be anonymous. Please do not put your name or that of any member of your group on the questionnaire. 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.

OMB #:

Expiration Date:

Burden estimate statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 15 minutes per response. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to:

Carl Zimmerman, Chief of Resource Protection, Assateague Island National Seashore, [email protected], (410) 629-6071