All Correspondences and Scripts

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MONTH YEAR

Dear «FNAME» «LNAME»:
The National Park Service is conducting a study to determine how best to protect and
improve scenic vistas in National Parks and other wilderness areas. We have hired the
Virginia Tech University Center for Survey Research to help in this effort.
They will be sending a questionnaire to households across the country to learn more about
the public’s opinions on this topic. Your household has been scientifically selected to
participate in this study. You will be receiving a short questionnaire in the mail from
Virginia Tech in the next week or so.
When you receive the questionnaire, please take a few minutes to fill it out and return it
in the included pre-paid envelope. The questionnaire should be completed by the male or
female head of your household. Your responses are important because they will represent
opinions of other households like yours that were not selected for this study.
All information you provide will remain confidential and will be combined with the
answers of others. Your opinions are very important to the Park Service’s efforts to
maintain and enhance park resources.
If you have questions, please feel free to call the Center for Survey Research’s toll-free
number at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for [CONTACT]. Thank you in advance for your
help with this important project.

Sincerely,

XXXXX XXXXX
National Park Service

P.S. Please look for the small token of appreciation we will be enclosing with the
questionnaire as our way of saying thank you for participating.

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MONTH YEAR

Dear «FNAME» «LNAME»:
Enclosed is the questionnaire I wrote to you about last week. We need your help to learn
what the public thinks about protecting and improving scenic vistas in National Parks and
other wilderness areas. Your household is one of a small number across the country
selected to provide opinions on this subject.
The questionnaire should be completed by the male or female head of your household. It
does not require any special knowledge - we just ask that you consider each question and
respond with your own opinion. The questionnaire takes most people about 20 minutes
to complete. Also, enclosed please find a small token of appreciation as our way of
saying thank you for completing the questionnaire.
All information you provide will remain confidential and will be combined with the
answers of others. Please remember that your opinions are very important to the National
Park Service’s efforts to protect and improve scenic vistas
If you have questions, please feel free to call the Virginia Tech Univeristy Center for
Survey Research’s toll-free number at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for [CONTACT].
Thank you in advance for your help with this important project.

Sincerely,

XXXXX XXXXX
National Park Service

Last week a questionnaire was mailed to you seeking your opinions about
about protecting and improving scenic vistas in National Parks and other
wilderness areas. If you have already completed and returned the
questionnaire, please accept our sincere thanks.
If you have not completed and returned the survey, we ask that you do so
today. It is very important that we hear from you. You are one of a small
number of households selected to give your opinions on this matter. Your
response will help shape decisions about state government actions and
spending on this topic. However, a high rate of participation is required to
include public opinion from the questionnaire in these decisions.
If you need another copy of the questionnaire, please call the Virginia
Tech University Center for Survey Research at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and a
questionnaire will be mailed to you today.
Thank you for your help.
XXXXX XXXXXX
National Park Service

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MONTH YEAR

Dear «FNAME» «LNAME»:
You recently received a survey from the National Park Service asking for your opinions
about how best to protect and improve scenic vistas in National Parks and other
wilderness areas. Your household was one of a small number across the country selected
to provide opinions on this subject. As we understand, you did not complete the survey.
As a follow-up, we have enclosed a very short questionnaire about your background.
Your responses will help us to understand the overall survey results and how to apply
them to important decisions in the future.
The questionnaire should be completed by the male or female head of your household and
should take less than five minutes. All information you provide will remain confidential
and will be combined with the answers of others. Please remember that your opinions are
very important to the National Park Service’s efforts to protect and improve park
resources.
If you have questions, please feel free to call the Virginia Tech University Center for
Survey Research’s toll-free number at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for [CONTACT].
Thank you in advance for your help with this important project.

Sincerely,

XXXXX XXXXX
National Park Service

Non-response Survey Telephone Follow-Up

Hello, this is ___________calling from the Virginia Tech University Center for Survey Research.
We are conducting a survey for the National Park Service. This is not a sales call.
Your household was one of a small number selected across the country to provide opinions on
how best to protect and improve scenic vistas in National Parks and other wilderness areas. As
we understand, you did not complete the survey. We are calling again with some very brief
follow-up questions regarding your background. Your responses will help us to understand the
overall survey results and how to apply them to important decisions in the future. Any answers
you provide will be kept strictly confidential. This should take no more than 5 minutes.

1.

May we ask you a few questions?
1
Yes
2
No
Thank you for your time. Have a nice day.

2.

There are differing opinions about how far we have gone in this country with
environmental laws and regulations. At present, do you think our environmental laws and
regulations have gone too far, not far enough, or have struck about the right balance?
(Read options)
1
2
3
4

3.

Have you ever visited a National Park or Wilderness Area?
1
2

4.

Yes.
No

If Yes, approximately how many times? ______VISITS

What is your gender? (Ask only if necessary)
1
2

5.

Too far
Not far enough
About the right balance
Don’t know

Male
Female

What is your age?
_____ YEARS

6.

Are you of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?
1
2

7.

What is your race? We have a list of five categories; you may choose more than one.
(Read list)
1
2
3
4
5

8.

American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White

What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed?
(Read list)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

9.

Yes
No

No schooling
Some schooling less than grade 12
High school graduate
Some college
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s Degree
Professional Degree beyond a Bachelor’s
Doctorate Degree

Which of the following income categories best describes your household income last
year, before taxes? (Read list)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

$10,000 or less
$10,001 - $20,000
$20,001 - $30,000
$30,001 - $40,000
$40,001 - $50,000
$50,001 - $60,000
$60,001 - $75,000

7
8
9
10
11

$60,001 - $75,000
$75,001 - $100,000
$100,001 - $125,000
$125,001 - $150,000
$150,001 or more

Thank you very much for your time, and have a great evening/day