Initial Contact - Survey of Rancher Opinions about Wildlife and Jaguar Habitat Management

OMB Control Number 1018-XXXX

Expires: XX/XX/XXXX

Dear <Insert Name>,

We need your help! As part of a research study contracted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona is asking ranchers across southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico about wildlife management on their lands, about the presence of mountain lions and jaguars in the region, and about proposals—including critical habitat designation and financial incentive programs—to manage habitat for jaguars.

Soon you will receive a survey that addresses these topics. The survey will take you about 30 minutes to complete. Your responses will be kept anonymous. With your help, we will learn about your opinions and concerns so we can develop new extension programs that respond directly to your needs. Over the next year, we will also hold several workshops throughout southern Arizona. These workshops are an opportunity for you to provide us with additional feedback and to learn about habitat management issues raised in the survey.

Thanks again for your assistance with our research! Please contact me if you have any questions about the survey or our research.

Sincerely,

Aaron Lien

PhD Student

Arid Lands Resource Sciences

University of Arizona

520-626-9868

[email protected]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information that you provide in the survey will be used to evaluate the

practicality of a payment for ecosystem services program for the benefit of jaguar habitat in southern Arizona and

southwestern New Mexico. It will also aid in the implementation of jaguar habitat conservation efforts. It is our policy

not to use your name for any other purpose. All names and identifying information will be removed when we compile the

results, and only summary information will be reported. Your response is voluntary. We may not conduct or sponsor and

a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We estimate that it will take you about 1 minute to ready this letter and 30 minutes to read the instructions and complete the survey. You may send comments on any aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street, NW (Mail Stop 2042-PDM), Washington D.C. 20240.