BWCAW Overnight and Daytime Surveys

OMB #0596-0208

(Exp. XX/XXXX)

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Visitor Study

BWCAW PICTURE

2011 Summer Season

Overnight 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 approximate locations of campsites and circle the number of nights you camped there. Please indicate direction of travel with arrows. If you took day trips from base camps, please indicate those with travel routes.

3. Please estimate the following for your wilderness visit: (Enter a number in all three columns for each item)

Least in a Most in a Total

Single Day Single Day For Trip

a. the number of nonmotorized

groups you saw _____ _____ _____

b. the number of motorized

groups you saw _____ _____ _____

c. the number of groups that camped within

sight or sound of your campsite _____ _____ _____

d. the number of groups that paddled or

motored within sight or sound of

your campsite _____ _____ _____

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

c. the number of groups that

camped within sight or sound

of your campsite FF F E M FM X

d. the number of groups that

paddled/motored within sight

or sound of your campsite 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

c. the number of groups that

camped within sight or sound

of your campsite FF F P M FM X

d. the number of groups that

paddled/motored within sight

or sound of your campsite 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. Lack of suitable campsites N Y ║ + – X

║

║

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

║

║

f. Litter N Y ║ + – X

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║

g. Inadequate disposal of human ║

body waste N Y ║ + – X

║

║

h. Large groups of people N Y ║ + – X

║

║

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

║

║

l. The wilderness permit requirement ║

is not well advertised N Y ║ + – X

║

║

m. The process of obtaining avail- ║

able permits is too difficult N Y ║ + – X

║

║

n. Not enough parking spaces at ║

wilderness entry points N Y ║ + – X

║

║

o. Not enough firewood N Y ║ + – X

║

║

p. Campfire restrictions N Y ║ + – X

║

║

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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║

6. Continued…

First, is it: ║ Second, is it:

Not a A ║ Getting Getting Don’t

Problem Problem ║ Better Worse Know

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

║

║

x. Fire grates full of charcoal and ║

ashes N Y ║ + – X

║

║

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

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║

z. Nuisance bears N Y ║ + – X

║

║

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

║

║

ab. Aircraft activity for ║

fire management N Y ║ + – X

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║

ac. Amount of burned area N Y ║ + – X

║

║

ad. Finding an unoccupied campsite 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 _______________________

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. Are you: (Circle one)

1. Female

2. Male

14. 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.