Expedited Form

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Social Science Program

Expedited Approval for NPS- Sponsored Public Surveys
1.

Project Title ⎢
Submission Date:

2.

Abstract:

Pilot Interviews of Visitors’ and Nearby Residents’ Perceptions of the
Yosemite Fire Management Program
Understanding perceptions of the Fire Management Program in Yosemite National Park is an
integral part of developing stakeholder collaboration, communication, and cooperation. This
qualitative study employs face-to-face semi-structured interviews aimed at gaining an initial
understanding of the range of public perspectives on smoke, fire ecology, and prescribed
burning held by park visitors and local residents of Yosemite’s gateway communities. This
pilot study will inform a larger quantitative study that will interview a more comprehensive
sample of park stakeholders. The pilot study also will provide information useful to the park
for addressing residents’ concerns regarding the effects of smoke upon park visitation and
local communities. The larger study will be submitted through the regular PRA review
process.
(not to exceed 150 words)

3.

Principal Investigator Contact Information
First Name:
Title:
Affiliation:

Street Address:
City:

4.

Last Name:

Emmett

Fiske

Associate Director for Outreach
Center for Environmental Research,
Education and Outreach (CEREO)
27 Wilson Hall
Pullman

Phone:

509-335-6660

Email:

[email protected]

State:
Fax:

WA

Zip code:

99164-4006

509-335-2125

Park or Program Liaison Contact Information
First Name:

Last Name:

Bret

Title:

Branch Chief, Visitor Use and Social
Science

Park:

Yosemite National Park

Park
Office/Division:
Street Address:
City:

Meldrum

Resources Management and Science
Visitor Use and Social Sciences Branch
5083 Foresta Road
El Portal

State:

CA

Zip code:

95318

Phone:

209-379-1216

Email:

[email protected]

Fax:

209-379-1131

Project Information
5.

Park(s) For Which Research
is to be Conducted:

6.

Survey Dates:

7.

Type of Information Collection Instrument (Check ALL that Apply)

8.

‰

Mail- Back
Questionnaire

‰

Other (explain)

Survey Justification:
(Use as much space as
needed; if necessary include
additional explanation on a
separate page.)

Yosemite National Park

8/15/2009

‰

(mm/dd/yyyy)

On- Site
Questionnaire

to

X Face- to- Face
Interview

8/15/2010

‰

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Telephone
Survey

‰

Focus
Groups

Social science research in support of park planning and management is mandated
in the NPS Management Policies 2006 (Section 8.11.1, “Social Science Studies”).
The NPS pursues a policy that facilitates social science studies in support of the
NPS mission to protect resources and enhance the enjoyment of present and future
generations (National Park Service Act of 1916, 38 Stat 535, 16 USC 1, et seq.).
NPS policy mandates that social science research will be used to provide an
understanding of park visitors, the non-visiting public, gateway communities and
regions, and human interactions with park resources. Such studies are needed to
provide a scientific basis for park planning, development, operations,
management, education, and interpretive activities.
Yosemite NP applies an active prescribed burn policy that at times can generate
noticeable smoke in the park and nearby communities. The proposed study seeks
to understand impacts of smoke on visitors and gateway community residents.
Interviews will be held with persons living near the park, some of whom are
regular park visitors and have had interaction with the park’s Fire Management
Program. So far little information has been collected regarding visitors’ or
residents’ perceptions of Yosemite’s fire management strategy. For this reason,
the pilot study is needed to inform the larger quantitative project. The themes
generated from the interviews will be used to develop a survey instrument, which
will be submitted through the regular Paperwork Reduction Act review process.

9.

Survey Methodology: (Use
as much space as needed; if
necessary include
additional explanation on a
separate page.)

(a) Respondent universe:
The respondent universe is local community members who visit the park and/or
have some experience with the park’s Fire Management Program.
(b) Sampling plan/procedures:
The study will purposively sample residents of communities located adjacent to
Yosemite National Park, some of whom are park visitors and all of whom have
had at least some previous interaction with the Fire Management Program at the
park. This interaction is important, given the questions the park needs to have
answered and also to provide an empirical basis for the subsequent quantitative
study. Previous experience with the Yosemite Fire Management Program will
allow interviewees to speak from a position of increased awareness, with an
ability to focus on detailed program information, specific circumstances, and
personal experiences as park visitors and/or community residents. Approximately
30 interviews will be completed. The PI will be introduced at a monthly Gateway
Partners meeting in the park and will describe the purposes and value of
participating in the study. Contact information will be given to the PI from the
park’s various local mailing lists, and he will approach those residents who have
been identified as knowledgeable about the Fire Management Program by park
managers. Prior to the PI’s contact, the Yosemite Pubic Information and
Outreach Office will introduce the study with a letter to potential participants
(attached) that describes the purpose of the interview.

(c) Instrument administration:
In-person interviews will be scheduled in locations agreed upon by the
interviewees. The interview guide will be distributed prior to the interview to
help the participants understand the purpose and scope of the questions. The
initial contact will take approximately five minutes. If the interview is accepted,
the attached interview guide will be used to facilitate the interview discourse,
expected to take approximately 45 minutes.
(d) Expected response rate:
Response rates for similar interview research are typically high. Given the
material covered and the application to potential participants, a 95% response rate
is expected (Fiske, 1990; Fiske, 1991; Fiske, 1992). Because this is a qualitative,
confidence intervals and margins of error are not applicable.
(e) Strategies for dealing with potential non- response bias:
Because this study is qualitative and uses a purposive sample, there is no
statistical basis for generalizing the findings to all park visitors or local residents.
Therefore, non-response bias does not present the same concerns as it does in
quantitative studies based on probability samples and employing inferential
statistical analysis.
(f) Description of any pre- testing and peer review of the methods
and/or instrument (recommended):
An independently funded pilot study was conducted with portions of the interview
guide in 2006. Modifications were made as a result of feedback from interview
participants. The face-to-face interview guide was adapted from pre-existing
interview guides used by numerous Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units.
Additionally, procedures have been developed based on discussions with park
managers and staff. Park managers have reviewed the instruments and methods.
10.

13.

Total Number of
Initial Contacts |
Expected Respondents:

Reporting Plan:

35

30

11.

Estimated Time to
Complete Initial
Contact |
Instrument (mins.):

5

45

12.

Total
Burden
Hours:

25

The PI will provide a final report and present the findings to Yosemite National
Park upon completion of the study. This report will discuss the range of
themes/issues generated from the interviews. Additionally, transcriptions will be
cleaned of any interviewee personal information and made available to the park
for the purposes of better understanding the context in which themes/issues were
discussed. The findings and report will be used to shape the larger project. A
copy of the report will be given to the NPS Social Science Program for inclusion
in the Social Science Studies Collection of NPS Focus.

References Cited
Fiske, E. 1990. Perspectives on Agriculture and Natural Resource Issues in Washington State and What Might be
Done to Address Them. Report to the Washington State Conservation Commission. Pullman, WA:
Washington State University Department of Rural Sociology.
Fiske. E. 1991. Controversial issues as opportunities: Extension’s effectiveness in resolving environmental
disputes. Journal of Extension (Fall, 1991, pp. 17-19).
Fiske, E. 1992. Composition of the Dungeness-Quilicene Regional Watershed Pilot Planning Group (Chelan
Agreement). Report to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Pullman, WA: Washington State University
Department of Rural Sociology