NPS Bat Caves Survey

PROJECT TITLE: Enhancing Recreation and Conservation in Environments Shared by Humans and Bats Through Input from Visitors in National Parks

Enhancing Recreation and Conservation

in Environments Shared by Humans and Bats

Visitors Survey

Recruiter Script for in person interview

Hello, I am ___________ from the University of Tennessee. We are conducting this survey to determine visitor attitudes towards bats, visitor knowledge about bats, and visitor perceptions about cave management actions the National Park Service is currently employing or may employ in the future. Your participation in the study is voluntary. It should take about 15 minutes of your time to complete using this iPad. There are no penalties for not answering some or all questions, but because each participant will represent many others who will not complete the questionnaire, your input is extremely important. The answers you will provide will remain anonymous. Our results will be summarized so that the answers you provide cannot be associated with you or anyone in your group. After you complete the survey, you will be given a unique patch designed specifically for this project. Before we get started, are you at least 18 years old?

Paperwork Reduction and Privacy Act Statements: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. This information will be used by the National Park Service as authorized by 54 USC 100702. We will use this information to evaluate visitors’ perceptions of bats in select National Parks. Your responses are voluntary and anonymous. Your name and address will not be collected. At the completion of this collection all personal information will be destroyed and in no way be connected with the results of this survey. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Burden Estimate: We estimate that it will take an average of 15 minutes to complete this questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to the National Park Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO, 80525-5596; [email protected] (email).

Note to Reviewers: Each questions will appear separately in the iPad survey. Each question will have a “NEXT” prompt before moving to the next question.

1. Which national parks are you currently visiting?

   1. Oregon Caves

   2. Lava Beds

   3. Carlsbad Caverns

   4. El Malpais

   5. Wind Cave

   6. Jewel Cave

   7. Cumberland Gap

   8. Mammoth Cave

2. Did you do any research about the park prior to your arrival?

   1. Yes

   2. No

3. Have you (or do you plan to) enter the cave(s) during your visit?

   1. Yes

   2. No

4. Bats in the United States are:

   Primarily harmful

   More harmful than beneficial

   Neither harmful nor beneficial

   More beneficial than harmful

   Primarily beneficial

5. Bats in the United States are:

   Primarily unpleasant

   More unpleasant than pleasant

   Neither unpleasant nor pleasant

   More pleasant than unpleasant

   Primarily pleasant

6. Bats in the United States are:

   Primarily scary

   More scary than fascinating

   Neither scary nor fascinating

   More fascinating than scary

   Primarily fascinating

7. Bats in the United States are:

   Primarily worthless

   More worthless than useful

   Neither worthless nor useful

   More useful than worthless

   Primarily useful

8. What is your attitude towards bats?

   Strongly dislike

   Dislike

   Neither dislike nor like

   Like

   Strongly Like

9. Do bats in the United States hibernate?

1. Yes

2. No

3. I don’t know

10. Do bats in the United States hibernate in:

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Caves
Trees
Bridges
Mines
Houses/Buildings
Other: (write in option)

11. (Similar to KNOW13) Do bats in the United States eat:

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Fruit
Insects
Blood
Pollen
Nectar
Wild animals/fish
Other: (write in option)

12. How likely is it:

	Very unlikely	Unlikely	Neither unlikely nor likely	Likely	Very likely
For a bat to be blind
For a bat to fly into your hair
For you to be bitten by a bat
For a bat to have rabies
For you to get rabies from a bat

13. How important do you think bats in the United States are for:

	Not important	Slightly important	Moderately important	Important	Very important
Controlling biting insects (like mosquitoes)
Controlling insect pests that destroy agricultural crops (like moths and beetles)
Pollinating plants

14. (Similar to KNOW10) Have you heard of white-nose syndrome?

    1. Yes

    2. No (If No, skip to question 17)

15. Is white-nose syndrome a threat to bats in the national park you are currently visiting?

Not a threat at all

Low threat

Somewhat of a threat

Moderate Threat

Extreme threat

I don’t know

16. Who/What do you think is responsible for the spread of white-nose syndrome?

1. Humans are primarily responsible for the spread

2. Bats are primarily responsible for the spread

3. Both are responsible for the spread

4. Neither are responsible for the spread

5. Other (Write-in option)

6. I don’t know

Please read the following message. You will use the information here to respond to the questions in the next section.

Bats provide natural pest control by eating insects that damage crops, saving the United States an estimated $22.9 billion every year. They eat mosquitos too, but they are not a major component of their diet.

White-nose syndrome is caused by a fungus and has killed over 6 million bats in North America. Some species are more vulnerable to the disease than others and are now threatened with regional extinction.

Bats in the US can use caves throughout the year. In the summer, some bats roost together in maternity colonies where they give birth and raise their pups. In the winter, bats may use caves to hibernate and save energy until the spring. Bats can be found roosting in caves in national parks throughout the United States.

17. Please respond to the following questions about your behavioral intent towards the following management actions:

	Very unlikely	Unlikely	Neither unlikely nor likely	Likely	Very Likely
How likely would you be to support bat conservation in national parks?
How likely would you read written educational material about bat conservation in national parks?
How likely would you be willing to participate in guided or recorded education programs or tours that focus on cave and bat conservation?
If there are rules requiring visitors to wear clothes/shoes that have not been exposed to the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, how likely are you to comply (even if it means changing clothes/shoes after entering the park)?
If there are rules requiring visitors to walk over decontamination mats before and/or after entering a cave in a national park, how likely are you to comply?
If there are cave closures that last part of the year in national parks to protect bats are, how likely are you to comply?
If there are year-long cave closures in a national park to protect bats, how likely are you to comply?

18. (Similar to PREF3) Please respond to the following statements about your attitudes towards the following management actions:

For me:	Very undesirable	Undesirable	Neither undesirable nor desirable	Desirable	Very desirable
supporting the conservation of bats in national parks is:
reading about bat conservation in National Parks through educational materials in National Parks’ websites, displays in their visitor’s center, and signs throughout the park is:
participating in live or recorded education programs and tours that focus on cave and bat conservation is:
being required to wear clothes/shoes that have not been exposed to the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome when entering a cave in a national park (even if it means changing clothes/shoes after entering the park) is:
being required to walk over decontamination mats that remove the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome from my shoes before and/or after entering a cave in a national park is:
complying with cave closures that last part of the year in national parks to protect bats is:
complying with cave closures that last all year in national parks to protect bats is:

19. Whether or not I read about bat conservation in National Parks through educational materials in National Parks’ websites, displays in their visitor’s center, and signs throughout the park

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Is completely up to me
Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
Is influenced by my awareness of these educational resources

20. Whether or not I participate in guided tours of caves that focus on bat conservation in national parks:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Is completely up to me
Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
Is influenced by my awareness of guided tours

21. Whether or not I wear clothes/shoes that have not been exposed to the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, even if it means changing my clothes/shoes after entering the park:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Is completely up to me
Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
Is influenced by my awareness of the rules surrounding clothing items

22. Whether or not I walk over decontamination mats before and/or after entering a cave to remove the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in a national park:

    	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
    Is completely up to me
    Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
    Is influenced by my awareness of decontamination mats

23. Whether or not I comply with cave closures that last part of the year in national parks to protect bats:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Is completely up to me
Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
Is influenced by my awareness of the cave closures

24. Whether or not I comply with year-long cave closures in national parks to protect bats:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Is completely up to me
Is influenced by my resources (i.e. money, clothing available, time)
Is influenced by my awareness of the cave closures

25. I am more likely to read about bat conservation in National Parks through educational materials in National Parks’ websites, displays in their visitor’s center, and signs throughout the park if:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
Information about it is written on a sign
A ranger suggests I do it
The group I am traveling with is doing it
Other visitors are doing it

26. I am more likely to participate in guided tours of caves that focus on bat conservation in national parks if: (Agree/disagree)

    	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
    Information about it is written on a sign
    A ranger suggests I do it
    The group I am traveling with is doing it
    Other visitors are doing it

27. I am more likely to wear clothes/shoes that have not been exposed to the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in a cave in national parks if, even if it means changing my clothes/shoes after entering the park:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
The request is written on a sign
A ranger tells me to do it
The group I am traveling with is doing it
Other visitors are doing it

28. I am more likely to walk over decontamination mats before and/or after entering a cave in national parks if:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
The request is written on a sign
A ranger tells me to do it
The group I am traveling with is doing it
Other visitors are doing it

29. I am more likely comply complying with cave closures that last part of the year in national parks if:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
The request is written on a sign
A ranger tells me to do it
The group I am traveling with is doing it
Other visitors are doing it

30. I am more likely comply with year-long park cave closures in national parks if:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither disagree nor agree	Agree	Strongly agree
The request is written on a sign
A ranger tells me to do it
The group I am traveling with is doing it
Other visitors are doing it

31. How often do you visit this national park?

1. First visit

2. Every few years

3. Weekly

4. Once a year

5. 2-5 times a year

6. More than 5 times a year

32. Have you visited other national parks with caves?

1. Yes

2. No

33. If yes, which ones? (Write-in answer)

34. Which one of the following best describes the group you are traveling with? (Pick one)

1. Traveling alone

2. With Family

3. With friends or relatives

4. Club/organization/school

5. Organized tour group

6. Other

35. Have you (or do you) recreationally explore caves?

    1. Yes

    2. No

36. If yes, how often?

    1. More than once a month

    2. Once a month

    3. Several times a year

    4. Once a year

    5. Other

37. Are you, or have you ever been, part of an organized caving group (grotto)?

1. Yes

2. No

38. How far did you travel from your home to get to this national park? (Pick one)

1. Not far at all, I can make day trips to this national park

2. Not too far, I live in the region (surrounding states)

3. Very far, I come from outside of the region (outside of surrounding states)

4. I’m visiting from another country

39. How many days do you intend to visit this park? _____

40. How would you describe your home community? (Pick one)

1. Urban

2. Suburban

3. Rural

41. What is the highest level of formal education you have completed? (Pick one)

1. Less than a high school diploma or equivalent

2. A high school diploma or equivalent

3. Some college

4. Associate degree

5. Bachelor’s degree

6. More than a bachelor’s degree

42. Which of these categories best indicates your race? (Pick one)

1. American Indian or Alaska Native

2. Asian

3. Black/African American

4. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

5. White

6. Prefer not to answer

43. (AGE 1) What is your age? ______

44. (GEND 1) Are you?

1. Female

2. Male

END