BWCAW Overnight and Daytime Surveys

OMB #0596-NEW

(Exp. XX/XXXX)

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Visitor Study

BWCAW PICTURE

2011 Summer Season

Single Day Visits

SPONSOR/CONTACT INFORMATION

This survey is voluntary. While you are not required to respond, your cooperation is needed to make the survey results comprehensive, accurate, and timely. You may be assured that in the analysis and reporting of the results your answers will not be connected with you.

Your visit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

THAT BEGAN ON: ______/______, 2011

1. How did you travel in the wilderness on this visit? (Check all that apply, but if more than one, underline the way you traveled most.)

 PADDLED A PRIVATELY OWNED WATER CRAFT

 PADDLED A WATER CRAFT RENTED FROM A COMMERCIAL OUTFITTER

 MOTORED IN A PRIVATELY OWNED WATER CRAFT

 MOTORED IN A WATER CRAFT RENTED FROM A COMMERCIAL OUTFITTER

 OTHER (Describe) __________________________________________________________

2. Please indicate on the enclosed map your travel route in the BWCAW. Please indicate established campsites where you stopped and indicate the amount of time you spent there.

3. Please estimate the following for your wilderness visit:

Total

For Trip

a. the number of nonmotorized

groups you saw _____

b. the number of motorized

groups you saw _____

4. How did the following compare with what you expected to see in the Boundary Waters? (Circle one scale response for each statement)

About Had no

Far What I Far Expec-

Fewer Fewer Expected More More tation

a. the number of nonmotorized

groups you saw FF F E M FM X

b. the number of motorized

groups you saw FF F E M FM X

5. How did the following compare with what you preferred to see in the Boundary Waters? (Circle one scale response for each statement)

About

Far Fewer than What I More than Far Had no

Fewer Preferred Preferred Preferred More Preference

a. the number of nonmotorized

groups you saw FF F P M FM X

b. the number of motorized

groups you saw FF F P M FM X

e valuation of WILDERNESS CONDITIONS

6. This set of items concerns problems you may have run into on your visits to the Boundary Waters. Please indicate two things for each item. First, tell us whether you felt the item was a problem during the visit. Second, whether you currently feel the item is a problem or not, indicate whether you feel the situation has become better or worse over the years you have been coming to the Boundary Waters. If this was your first trip, or if you really don’t know the trend, indicate by circling the X for ‘Don’t Know.’

First, is it: ║ Second, is it:

Not a A ║ Getting Getting Don’t

Problem Problem ║ Better Worse Know

║

a. Portages poorly maintained N Y ║ + – X

║

║

b. Opportunities to see wildlife N Y ║ + – X

║

║

c. Destruction of vegetation ║

at or around campsites N Y ║ + – X

║

║

d. Too many day users N Y ║ + – X

║

e. Not enough privacy in campsites N Y ║ + – X

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f. Litter N Y ║ + – X

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║

g. Inadequate disposal of human ║

body waste N Y ║ + – X

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║

h. Large groups of people N Y ║ + – X

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║

i. Too many people in area ║

you visited N Y ║ + – X

║

║

j. Area rules and regulations not ║

adequately publicized N Y ║ + – X

║

║

k. Not enough information on where ║

other users are likely to be N Y ║ + – X

6. Continued…

First, is it: ║ Second, is it:

Not a A ║ Getting Getting Don’t

Problem Problem ║ Better Worse Know

l. The wilderness permit requirement ║

is not well advertised N Y ║ + – X

║

║

m. The process of obtaining a day use ║

permit is too difficult N Y ║ + – X

║

║

n. Not enough parking spaces at ║

wilderness entry points N Y ║ + – X

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o. Not enough firewood N Y ║ + – X

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p. Campfire restrictions N Y ║ + – X

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q. Areas closed due to fire N Y ║ + – X

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r. Fire hazard from downed trees N Y ║ + – X

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s. Improper disposal of fish entrails N Y ║ + – X

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║

t. Low flying aircraft N Y ║ + – X

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u. Too many rules and regulations N Y ║ + – X

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v. People making noise N Y ║ + – X

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w. Natural condition of fish habitat N Y ║ + – X

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║

x. Fire grates full of charcoal and ║

ashes N Y ║ + – X

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y. Fire grates full of trash N Y ║ + – X

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z. Nuisance bears N Y ║ + – X

║

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aa. Smoke from wildland fires N Y ║ + – X

║

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ab. Aircraft activity for ║

fire management N Y ║ + – X

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ac. Amount of burned area N Y ║ + – X

║

║

ad. Finding a place to rest or have ║

lunch N Y ║ + – X

║

If it was a problem, why:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ae. Use of inappropriate technology N Y ║ + – X

If use of technology was a problem, please list examples: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Did you feel that the Boundary Waters was too crowded? (Circle one)

1. NO, IT DIDN’T APPEAR OVERCROWDED TO ME

2. YES, BUT ONLY IN A FEW AREAS

3. YES, IT WAS OVERCROWDED IN MOST PLACES

4. I DIDN’T NOTICE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER

8. If you felt that the Boundary Waters was overcrowded, did it bother you? (Circle one)

1. NO, NOT AT ALL

2. ONLY A LITTLE

3. A MODERATE AMOUNT

4. IT BOTHERED ME A LOT

9. If you felt that the Boundary Waters was crowded, did you in any way change the route of your trip or the length of your stay? (Circle one)

1. NO

2. LENGTH OF TRIP

3. ROUTE OF TRIP

4. BOTH

10. How did you feel about the condition of the Boundary Waters in terms of wear and tear from use (erosion and loss of vegetation) and in terms of littering? (Circle one response in each column)

WEAR AND

TEAR LITTERING

VERY GOOD VG VG

GOOD G G If you felt there were poor

FAIR F F conditions, where did you

POOR P P observe these? ___________

VERY POOR VP VP _______________________

DO NOT REMEMBER X X _______________________

_______________________

pREFERENCES FOR SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN THE bOUNDARY wATERS

11. How important were each of the following factors in choosing a specific area to visit this year?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
Natural place, lack of human evidence	1	2	3
Remoteness, solitude	1	2	3
Scenic beauty	1	2	3
Quality hunting	1	2	3
Quality fishing	1	2	3
1999 Blowdown	1	2	3
Occurrence of management-ignited fires	1	2	3
Occurrence of lightning-ignited fires	1	2	3
Test outdoor skills	1	2	3
Familiarity, been there before	1	2	3
A new area, variety	1	2	3
A friend or family member suggested it	1	2	3

some information about you

12. Your previous wilderness use:

a. How many times have you visited _______ PREVIOUS VISITS

the Boundary Waters before this trip?

b. What year did you first visit _______ YEAR

the Boundary Waters?

c. How many other federal wilderness ___ THIS IS THE ONLY ONE

areas have you visited, besides ___ 1 – 2 OTHER AREAS

Boundary Waters? ___ 3 – 5 OTHER AREAS

___ 6 – 10 OTHER AREAS

___ 11 – 20 OTHER AREAS

___ OVER 20 OTHER AREAS

d. What year did you first visit another _______ YEAR

federal wilderness area, besides the

Boundary Waters?

e. Including this visit, how many times _______ VISITS

did you visit a wilderness in the

past 12 months? Is this number more or less than

for previous years?

1. MORE 2. LESS

WHY? __________________________

________________________________

________________________________

f. How many total days did you spend in

wilderness on all visits in the past _______ DAYS

12 months? Is this number more or less than

for previous years?

1. MORE 2. LESS

WHY? __________________________

________________________________

13. Since you first visited a wilderness area, about how often have you gone on

wilderness trips? (Circle one number)

1. THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP

2. TYPICALLY GO INTO WILDERNESS LESS THAN ONCE EVERY 2 YEARS

3. ABOUT 1 TRIP EVERY 2 YEARS

4. ABOUT 1 TRIP PER YEAR

5. 2 TO 10 TRIPS PER YEAR

6. MORE THAN 10 TRIPS PER YEAR

14. Are you: (Circle one)

1. Female

2. Male

15. What was your age on your last birthday?

_____ YEARS

15. Ethnicity (Please circle one response)

1. Hispanic or Latino 2. Not Hispanic or Latino

16. Select one or more of the following categories that best describe your race. (Check all that apply)

 American Indian/Alaska Native

 Asian

 Black/ African American

 Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

 White

PLEASE USE THE REMAINING SPACE TO MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Agriculture, Clearance Officer, OIRM, Room 404-W, Washington, DC 20250; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (OMB #0596-0208), Washington, DC 20503.