The USDA FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Forest Service R&D) organization is committed to providing you, our customers, with products and services that meet your needs. Gathering your feedback helps to ensure that we are delivering on our commitment to you. To this end, we have commissioned the CFI Group, an independent third-party research group, to conduct a survey that asks about your satisfaction with our products and services as well as ways that we can improve our service to you.
The CFI Group will hold confidential your responses to the survey. Your response will be combined with information from other respondents for research and evaluation purposes so that we may continue to meet your needs in the future. This brief survey will take approximately 15 minutes of your time.
This survey is authorized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Control No. 1090-0007 which expires May 31, 2018.
DEMO1.1 Which of the following best describes your organization?
Federal Agency [If ‘Federal Agency’ selected, ask DEMO1.2 else go to DEMO2]
State or Local Government Agency
Tribal Government
College/University Education
K-12 Education
Business/Commercial
Non-Profit Agency/Organization
Other (please specify) ________________
DEMO1.2. Do you work for the Forest Service?
Yes [If ‘Yes’ selected, ask DEMO1.3]
No [go to DEMO2]
DEMO1.3. Do you work for the Forest Service R&D Deputy Area?
Yes [go to END1]
No [go to DEMO1.4]
DEMO1.4. Which of the following best describes your position within the Forest Service?
National Forest System staff in Washington Office
National Forest System Regional Office staff
National Forest System Forest Supervisor Office staff
National Forest System Ranger District staff
State and Private Forestry staff in Washington Office
State and Private Forestry field staff
Washington Office staff
Other (please specify) ______________
DEMO2. What is your primary role at your organization?
Researcher
Educator
Executive
Manager/Director
Technical/Professional
Small Business Owner and enthusiast
Other (please specify) __________________________
DEMO3. Are you located within the 50 United States or District of Columbia?
Yes [Go to DEMO3.1]
No [Go to DEMO3.2]
DEMO3.1. In which State are you located? (Select one from drop-down menu)
DEMO3.2. Please specify your location below: _______________________ [Open ended]
STAFF1. Have you ever directly contacted a Forest Service R&D employee (in person, by phone, or by email) for information or some other type of assistance?
Yes [go to STAFF2]
No [go to next section, USE 1.1]
STAFF2. Please rate the Forest Service R&D staff on the following. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1
means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
Courteousness
Timeliness in responding
Knowledgeable
Provided desired information
STAFF3. Please indicate which one of the following Forest Service R&D organizational units you use most frequently. (IF YOU USE MULTIPLE UNITS FREQUENTLY, PLEASE SELECT THE ONE YOU USE MOST OFTEN OR ONE THAT YOU ARE BEST ABLE TO RATE IN THIS SURVEY)
Forest Products Laboratory (FPL, HQs in Madison, WI)
Northern Research Station (HQs in Newtown Square, PA)
Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW, HQs in Portland, OR)
Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW, HQs in Albany, CA)
International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF, HQs in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico)
Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS, HQs in Fort Collins, CO)
Southern Research Station (SRS, HQs in Asheville, NC)
Washington Office (National HQs in Washington, DC)
Other (please specify if you use another unit not provided above) _______________
STAFF4. Which SPA are you most closely aligned with? (IF YOU ARE ALIGNED WITH MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM, PLEASE SELECT THE ONE YOU MOST OFTEN ADDRESS IN DEALINGS WITH Forest Service R&D OR ONE THAT YOU ARE BEST ABLE TO RATE IN THIS SURVEY):
Wildland Fire SPA provides the knowledge and tools that managers use to reduce the negative effects of fire while enhancing the benefits of fire and of fire and fuels management to society and the environment. The SPA has five major focus areas: (1) understanding and modeling fundamental fire processes, (2) interactions of fire with ecosystems and the environment, (3) social and economic aspects of fire, (4) evaluation of integrated management strategies and disturbance interactions at multiple scales, and (5) application of fire research to address management problems.
Invasive Species SPA provides scientific information, methods, and technology to understand, reduce, minimize, or eliminate the introduction, establishment, spread, and effects of invasive species and to restore ecosystems or ecosystem functions affected by invasive species. The SPA focuses on plants, animals, fish, insects, diseases, invertebrates, and other species that are not native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm.
Outdoor Recreation SPA provides human and ecological sustainability through research directed at understanding and managing outdoor environments, activities, and experiences that connect people with the natural world. Research in this SPA is interdisciplinary and focuses on nature-based recreation and changing trends in American society; connections among recreation visitors, communities, and the environment; human benefits and consequences of recreation and nature contact; the effectiveness of recreation management and decision-making; and sustaining ecosystems affected by recreation.
Water, Air and Soil SPA enables the sustainable management of these essential resources by providing clear air and safe drinking water. The SPA features ecosystem services with a high level of integration among water, air, and soil research. It stresses the effects of climate variability and change on water budgets, and it focuses on carbon sequestration from an ecosystem perspective.
Wildlife and Fish SPA relies on interdisciplinary research to inform policy initiatives and management strategies affecting wildlife and fish habitat on private and public lands and the recovery of threatened or endangered species. Scientists in this SPA investigate the complex interactions among species; ecosystem dynamics and processes; land use and management; and emerging broad-scale threats, including global changes in climate, loss of open space, invasive species, and disease.
Inventory and Monitoring SPA provides the resource data, analysis, and tools needed to effectively identify current status and trends of forests; management options and effects; and threats and effects of fire, invasive insects, disease, and other natural processes, enhancing use and value of the Nation’s forests and grasslands. Assessing current and potential effects of changes in climate is dependent on monitoring forest ecosystems that are at the greatest risk to rapid changes in climate. Focus areas include the development and use of integrated interdisciplinary science, technologies, and remote sensing to increase the timeliness and spatial resolution of imagery documenting forest fragmentation caused by land use change; to describe the incidence of invasive insects, disease, and fire; to understand forest carbon pools; and to reduce the effects caused by extreme weather events.
Resource Management and Use SPA provides the scientific and technological base to sustainably manage and use forest and range resources and forest fiber-based products. Focus areas include plant sciences, soil sciences, social sciences, silviculture, genetics, productivity, forest and range ecology management, harvesting and operations, forest and biomass products and utilization, global change, economics, and urban forestry.
Other – please specify another program area you use if not listed above. __________
USE1.1 Do you use Forest Service R&D products and services?
Yes [go to USE1.2]
No [go to USE1.3]
USE1.2 How often do you typically use Forest Service R&D products and services?
Monthly
Quarterly
Annually
Other (please specify) ______________________
USE1.3 Please indicate why you don’t use products and services provided by Forest Service R&D. Check only one. {SKIP TO USE2.2}
Have only a passing interest in natural resource issues.
The products/services provided by Forest Service R&D are not relevant to the problems I face.
The quality of the products/services provided by Forest Service R&D leave something to be desired.
The products/services offered by Forest Service R&D are not provided in a form I can readily utilize.
Other (please specify) _______________________
USE1.4. Please indicate which of the following Forest Service R&D PRODUCTS you USED during the past year. You may select all that are appropriate.
Published scientific articles
New reports, newsletters
Patents
Unpatented new technologies developed by Forest Service researchers
Technical articles or reports
Education materials
Syntheses reports
Decision support tools
Not applicable
Other (Please specify) ____________________________
USE2.1.1 Please rate FOREST SERVICE R&D PRODUCTS you have used during the past year on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent” in terms of each of the following variables. If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
INFO1. Innovative
INFO2. Useful
INFO3. Accurate
INFO4. Up-to-date
INFO5. Easy to understand
INFO6. Scientifically sound
INFO7. Authoritative
INFO8. Unbiased
INFO9. Comprehensive
USE2.2. Please indicate which of the following Forest Service R&D SERVICES you USED during the past year. You may select all that are appropriate.
Forest Service patenting, licensing and grants and agreement service
Presentations by Forest Service R&D personnel at professional and other meetings
Forest Service R&D-sponsored workshops/training sessions
Forest Service R&D-sponsored on-site demonstrations
Consultations with Forest Service R&D personnel (by phone, e-mail, or in person)
None of the above
Other (Please specify) _______________________
USE2.2.1 Please rate Forest Service R&D SERVICES you used during the past year on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent” in terms of the following variables. If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
PRES1. Technology developed is innovative
PRES2. Ease of scheduling the event/consultation
PRES3. Clarity of the information presented/provided
PRES4. Usefulness of the service presented/provided
PRES5. Presenter’s/consultant’s knowledge of subject matter
ACC1. How do you access the products and services provided by FOREST SERVICE R&D? (Select all that apply in priority order)
1 Requesting hard copies of publications and other information
2 Downloading publications and other information from the web
3 Through news reports and newsletters
4 Attending conferences/workshops/demonstrations
5 Direct contact with scientists/technicians/technology transfer specialists
6 Networking
7 Other (please specify) ___________________
{IF ACC1 =1, 2, or 3 GO TO ACC2, OTHERWISE SKIP TO COM1}
ACC2. Please rate the ease of {ANSWER TO ACC1} on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent.” If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
ACC3. The ease of finding information
ACC4. The organization of material
ACC5. The design and presentation of material
Please rate Forest Service R&D on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent” on the following. If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
COM1. Informing you about the availability of new product and service offerings
COM3. Providing schedules for conferences and workshops
COM4. Products and services being clearly identified as coming from Forest Service R&D
Please rate how useful the products and services from (Forest Service R&D) are to you for the following purposes. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Not Very Useful” and 10 means “Very Useful.” If a question does not apply to you, please select “Does not apply.”
RELEV1. Provides innovative new technology for product development
RELEV2. Addresses problems, issues or needs that you currently face
RELEV3. Provides detailed and actionable solutions
RELEV4. Provides solutions that are workable with your resources
RELEV5. Helps anticipate emerging problems, issues or needs you might face
SAT1. How much of a difference do the products and services provided by Forest Service R&D make to you in your ability to successfully carry out your work? Please use a 10-point scale on which 1 means "No difference at all" and 10 means "A great difference".
SAT2. Please think of your experiences with Forest Service R&D products and services. Using a 10-point scale on which 1 means "Very dissatisfied" and 10 means "Very satisfied", how satisfied are you with the services and products provided by Forest Service R&D?
SAT3. Thinking about your expectations of the products and services provided by Forest Service R&D. Using a 10-point scale on which 1 now means "Falls short of your expectations" and 10 means "Exceeds your expectations," to what extent have the products and services provided by Forest Service R&D fallen short of, or exceeded, your expectations?
SAT4. Imagine an ideal forestry research organization. How well do you think the products and services provided by Forest Service R&D compares to the ideal you just imagined? Use a 10-point scale on which 1 means "Not very close to the ideal," and 10 means "Very close to the ideal."
OUTCOME1. Using a 10-point scale on which 1 means "Not very likely" and 10 means "Very likely", how likely are you to use Forest Service R&D products and services in the future?
OUTCOME2: Using a 10-point scale on which 1 means "Not very willing" and 10 means "Very willing", how willing would you be to recommend Forest Service R&D products and services to your colleagues?
WEB1. Have you visited the Forest Service R&D website (www.Forest Service.fed.us/research)?
Yes [go to WEB1a-WEB1e]
No [go to IMPROVE1]
Please think about your experience using the Forest Service R&D website. Using a scale from 1 to 10 where 1 is “Poor” and 10 is “Excellent” please rate the following:
WEB1a. The overall look and feel of the site
WEB1b. The website navigation
WEB1c. The content and information presented on the website
WEB1d. The search function on the website
WEB1e. Ease of or ability to find information
WEB2. What comments do you have about the website? [Open ended]
IMPROVE1. Forest Service R&D is looking for ways to improve its service. Please rate the following in order of importance for what Forest Service R&D needs to focus on in order to improve customer service.
Make information more available/accessible (“user friendly’) via the Internet
Make users aware when new information/data is available/do more to advertise new products/services, new projects, and successes
Increase the capacity to do research
Focus R&D on questions raised by natural resource managers
Increase collaboration with researchers from outside Forest Service R&D
Make more publications, especially older legacy publications – available on Internet
OPENEND1. Do you have any other suggestions concerning how Forest Service R&D could better serve you? [Open Ended]
END1. Thank you for your time. Forest Service R&D is specifically looking for information from customers who do not work in the R&D Deputy Area. Please hit the next button to go to the end of the survey.
END2. Thank you for your time. Forest Service R&D is specifically looking for information from customers who typically use services more than once a year. Please hit the next button to go to the end of the survey.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-22 |