1024-0224 NPS Programmatic Review Form - COBA Survey

NPS Form 10-201 (Rev. 09/2019) OMB Control No. 1024-0224

National Park Service Expiration Date 05/31/2023

PROGRAMMATIC REVIEW AND CLEARANCE PROCESS

FOR NPS-SPONSORED PUBLIC SURVEYS

The scope of the Programmatic Review and Clearance Process for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys is limited and will only include individual surveys of park visitors, potential park visitors, and residents of communities near parks. Use of the programmatic review will be limited to non-controversial surveys of park visitors, potential park visitors, and/or residents of communities near parks that are not likely to include topics of significant interest in the review process. Additionally, this process is limited to non-controversial information collections that do not attract attention to significant, sensitive, or political issues. Examples of significant, sensitive, or political issues include: seeking opinions regarding political figures; obtaining citizen feedback related to high-visibility or high-impact issues like the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the delisting of specific Endangered Species, or drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

SUBMISSION DATE: 5/30/2021

PROJECT TITLE: Colter Bay Visitor Use and Experience Study

ABSTRACT: (not to exceed 150 words)

During the summer months, Colter Bay (COBA) offers a wide range of visitor services, facilities, and recreation opportunities. In 2012, a Visitor Service Plan and Environmental Assessment was created for the Colter Bay developed area. Since the finalization of the plan, recreation visits to Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) have increased 26%, while the Colter Bay Visitor Center had a 100% increase in the number of visitors entering the Visitor Center. As GRTE moves forward with implementing the Colter Bay Visitor Services Plan, it is imperative to understand how visitors are currently flowing through and using the developed area, parking demand and turnover, and what activities, services, and opportunities visitors are seeking and doing. The results from this study will inform design of facilities such as parking areas, trails, pathways, and restrooms.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION:

NAME: Jennifer N. Newton

Jake Jorgenson (CO-PI)

TITLE: Social Scientist

Lead Analyst (CO-PI):

AFFILIATION: National Park Service

RRC Associates (CO-PI)

ADDRESS: PO Drawer 170 Moose, WY 83012

EMAIL: [email protected]

[email protected]

PHONE: 307-739-3425

303-396-1625 (CO-PI)

PARK OR PROGRAM LIAISON CONTACT INFORMATION:

NAME: Jennifer N. Newton

TITLE: Social Scientist

AFFILIATION: National Park Service

ADDRESS: PO Drawer 170 Moose, WY 83012

EMAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: 307-739-3425

PROJECT INFORMATION

Where will the collection take place? In the Colter Bay developed area of Grand Teton National Park

Sampling Period Start Date: 7/24/2021

Sampling Period End Date: 9/30/2021

Type of Information Collection Instrument: (Check ALL that Apply)

☐ Mail-Back Questionnaire ☒ On-Site Questionnaire ☐ Face-to-Face Interview

☐ Focus Groups ☐ Telephone Survey ☐Other (List)

Will an electronic device be used to collect information? ☐ No ☒ Yes – Type of Device:

SURVEY JUSTIFICATION:

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 and development.

With increasing use, the largest amount of overnight lodging in the park, and a myriad of recreational opportunities, a visitor use and experience study in the Colter Bay developed area is imperative. Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) managers are planning to use Legacy Restoration Funds to revitalize the Colter Bay developed area. GRTE has identified a very strong need for social science research to occur prior to design and construction to understand how visitors are currently flowing through and using the Colter Bay developed area, parking demand and turnover, and what activities, services, and opportunities visitors are seeking and doing. These data will provide valuable information that are paramount to the design and implementation of the Colter Bay Visitor Service Plan and Environmental Assessment. The results from this study will inform design of facilities such as parking areas, trails, pathways, and restrooms. Results will also inform park managers about potential problems or issues in the current design, services, and facilities outlined in the Visitor Services Plan, as well as what visitors value about their experience at Colter Bay. This study will provide additional information about how visits to Colter Bay fit into visitor’s broader travel plans and enable the park to better understand when and how to communicate with visitors. To inform the design phase of Colter Bay it is of the upmost important that social science data is collected in 2021.

As park visitation at Colter Bay increases, there exists a need to better understand how visitors engage with the park and its resources. Colter Bay is a developed area on the eastern shore of Jackson Lake and is a popular area for visitors to Grand Teton (GRTE) National Park. During the summer months, Colter Bay offers a wide range of visitor services and facilities. Unique opportunities include visitor center, amphitheater, hiking trails, swim beach, public boat launch, as well as concession operated marina, campground, restaurants, service station, general store, laundry mat, and showers. The Colter Bay Visitor Center is a Mission 66 Building, and much of the design is dated and provides sub-optimal visitor flow (e.g. roadways also functioning as parking areas).

In 2012, a Visitor Service Plan and Environmental Assessment was created for the Colter Bay developed area. The overall intent of the National Park Service preferred alternative is to: enhance visitor experience, improve Colter Bay’s rustic character, increase sustainability of facilities, reduce the impact of built environment on scenic resources, encourage visitors to experience outdoor settings, improve wayfinding, improve vehicular and pedestrian circulation, and decrease overall built environment footprint. Since the finalization of the Colter Bay Visitor Services Plan in 2012, recreation visits to Grand Teton National Park have increased 26%. During that same time frame, the Colter Bay Visitor Center had a 100% increase in the number of visitors entering the Visitor Center. Due to changing visitor use (both levels and behaviors), it is imperative to understand current use and perceptions of experience to appropriately create designs that meet the needs of visitation, as well as protect natural and cultural resources.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

1. Respondent Universe:

The respondent universe will be all adults (18 years old and older) visiting the Colter Bay developed area during the sampling timeframe (July 24 – September 30, 2021)

2. Sampling Plan / Procedures:

Two sampling periods will occur; the first sampling period will begin on July 23, 2021 and end on August 3, 2021. The second sampling period will begin on September 17, 2021 and conclude on September 26, 2021. Sampling will take place at four locations within the Colter Bay developed area:

• the visitor center/amphitheater,

• swim beach area,

• trailhead, and

• marina/boat launch area.

Sampling will be stratified by day of week, time, and location. Participants will be surveyed as they exit these areas at the end of their visit. For this study, an estimated 310,000 visitors will be in the study area during the sampling periods. We estimate that for the purposes of this collection we will contact approximately 2,048 visitors over the course of the two sampling periods.

Table 1. Example On-site intercept survey schedule

Location	Sampling Days per period	Number of visitors contacted	Anticipated Completed On-site Surveys	Sampling Days per period	Number of visitors contacted
Visitor center/Amphitheatre	11	307	230	8	205
Swim Beach	11	307	230	8	205
Trailheads	11	307	230	8	205
Marina/Boat Launch	11	307	230	8	205
TOTAL	11	1,228	920	8	820

On each sampling day 4 to 7 trained research technicians will recruit study participants by contacting a random sample of visitors as they exit the sampling locations. Four visitor groups will be intercepted approximately every hour by a trained research technician. Before sampling begins for the day, the research technician will select 4 numbers, ranging from 0-59 from a random number generator. These four numbers will represent the minute after the hour the research technician will intercept groups for the duration of the sampling period (e.g. if numbers 8, 25, 40, & 51 are selected from the random number generator, and sampling is between 8am and 12pm, then the research technician will intercept groups at 8:08, 8:25, 8:40, 8:51, 9:08, 9:25, etc.)

If the research team is unable to meet their sampling quota for the sampling period, (assessed mid-way through each sampling), additional day(s) will be added, and the sampling procedures will continue as described above. Sampling will not occur on holidays or days with expected abnormal visitation (e.g., special events such as a lunar eclipse) as to not skew the sample.

3. Instrument Administration:

Trained research technicians will be stationed at several locations within the Colter Bay developed area to ensure that visitors participating in different activities will have an equal chance to be intercepted. Survey administration at the four prescribed locations will occur simultaneously. Based on previous visitation in these areas, it is estimated that more than 310,000 visitors will be entering the Colter Bay developed area during the sampling period.

Surveys will be administered by trained research technicians working under the supervision of the PI. All respondents will be given a laminated copy of the survey questions and the recruiter will use a tablet computer to record their verbal responses. The interview method will be used to facilitate skip patterns and eliminate data entry errors. This process will continue throughout the sampling period.

The research technicians will use the following sample script when working with potential respondents:

Hello, I am conducting a study for Grand Teton National Park to understand visitor’s motivations, expectations, and experiences in the Colter Bay area. Your participation is voluntary, and your responses will be anonymous. In total, it will take you about 20 minutes to complete to complete a short survey. Would you be willing to participate?”

If YES: “Thank you for your willingness to assist with this study. Who in your group is at least 18 years old and has the next birthday? Would you be willing to participate in the study? The surveyor will then provide the instructions for completing the survey.

If NO: “Do you mind if I ask two very quick questions?

If Yes, (ask non-response questions)

• What was the primary activity you did during your visit?

• How many times have you visited the Colter Bay Area (including today)?

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

If No, (end the contact)

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

Individuals or groups who are unwilling or unable to participate in the study will be thanked for their consideration. All visitors refusing to complete the full survey will be asked if they would be willing to answer questions that will be used to check for non-response bias. In addition to the responses to the non-response bias questions, additional characteristics (i.e., activity, group size, number of adults and children in group, and potential language barrier, time, location, mode of transportation) will be documented in a study log.

4. Expected Response Rate / Confidence Level:

A total of 2,048 visitors will be contacted during the sampling periods across 4 locations. It is estimated that 75% (n=1,536) of visitors that are intercepted will be willing to participate in the study. These estimates are based on previous research with visitors to the Colter Bay area in Grand Teton National Park conducted in the summers of 2018 and 2019. The research conducted in the Colter Bay campground in 2018 had an 89% response rate (Lawhon et al, 2019), while a study conducted in the evenings and nights in the summer of 2019 had a 66% response rate (Miller, et al. 2020). These two research studies employed similar methodology proposed for this study (i.e. intercept surveys). Given that these studies were also conducted in Colter Bay, we anticipate a response rate of 75%.

Applying the expected 75%, response rate, we anticipate that 2,048 visitor groups must be intercepted and 1,536 should agree to complete the on-site survey. The results of this collection will not be used generalize any population beyond the visitor participating in this study during this sampling period. Sampling and recruiting efforts will conclude at the end of the sampling period.

Table 4a. Anticipated Onsite Survey Response Rates

Location	Number of Initial Visitor Contacts	Completed Onsite Surveys (75% of contacts)	Soft Refusals (25% of contacts)	Completed Non-Response Surveys (75% of soft refusals)	Hard Refusals (25% of soft refusals)
Visitor center/Amphitheatre	512	384	128	96	32
Swim Beach	512	384	128	96	32
Trailheads	512	384	128	96	32
Marina/Boat Launch	512	384	128	96	32
TOTAL	2,048	1,536	512	384	128

5. Strategies for dealing with potential non-response bias:

All visitors contacted who do not agree to participate will also be asked to provide responses to the following questions that will serve as the non-response bias check:

• What was the primary activity you did during your visit?

• How many times have you visited the Colter Bay Area (including today)?

In addition to the non-response survey questions, the surveyor will also record the following observational data for all non-respondent (including the “hard refusals)

• day, time, and location of contact

• activity,

• group size,

• number of adults and children in group,

• and potential language barrier

• mode of transportation

This process will continue throughout the sampling period at each of the study locations. This information will be used to determine any non-response bias. Any non-response bias will be reported in final reports

6. Description of any pre-testing and peer review of the methods and/or instrument:

The questions included in the survey instrument were designed, reviewed and pretested by the following: PI, Grand Teton National Park staff who are familiar with the Colter Bay area, as well as NPS staff associated with the National Social Science Program. Based on peer-reviews, survey questions were reduced and truncated, to include approved pool of known questions/topics, and therefore reduce burden time. Pre-testing for clarity and estimated burden time were conducted with staff at Grand Teton National Park. The final draft of the survey includes all edits and correction obtained from the pretest efforts.

BURDEN ESTIMATES

We plan to approach 2,048 on-site visitors (512 at each sampling location). We expect that that 75% (n=1,536) will agree to complete the survey. The initial contact will take approximately 1 minute, while survey will take no more than 20 minutes to complete (1,536 x 20 minutes = 512 hours).

We expect that 25% (n = 512) of visitors will refuse to participate in the study. For those individuals, their reason for refusal will be recorded and they will be asked to answer the non-response check questions. We anticipate that 75% of these individuals (n=384) will agree to answer non-response questions. The time to complete the non-response questions is estimated to take about one minute to complete (384 x 1 minute = 7 hours).

The total annual burden for this collection is estimated to be 263 hours.

Table 4. Burden Estimates

	Completed Responses	Completion Time * (minutes)	Burden Hours (rounded up)
Completed on-site survey*	1,536	20	512
On-site non-response survey	384	1	7
Total burden requested under this ICR:	1,920		263

* Initial contact time of one minute is added to the time to complete the surveys

REPORTING PLAN:

A final technical report will be delivered to the park managers and staff at Grand Teton National Park. The report will contain a description of the study purpose, methodology, and key findings. Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics will be included for all survey variables. A final copy of the report will also be transmitted to the NPS Social Science Division for archiving in the Social Science Studies Collection, as well as to the NPS Research Permit and Reporting System.

NOTICES

Privacy Act Statement

General: This information is provided pursuant to Public Law 93-579 (Privacy Act of 1974), December 21, 1984, for individuals completing this form.

Authority: National Park Service Research mandate (54 USC 100702)

Purpose and Uses: This information will be used by The NPS Information Collections Coordinator to ensure appropriate documentation of information collections conducted in areas managed by or that are sponsored by the National Park Service.

Effects of Nondisclosure: Providing information is mandatory to submit Information Collection Requests to Programmatic Review Process.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) and is authorized by the National Park Service Research mandate (54 USC 100702). This information will be used by The NPS Information Collections Coordinator to ensure appropriate documentation of information collections conducted in areas managed by or that are sponsored by the National Park Service. All parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to, this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has reviewed and approved The National Park Service Programmatic Review Process and assigned OMB Control Number 1024-0224.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public Reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 60 minutes per collection, including the time it takes for reviewing instructions, gathering information and completing and reviewing the form. This time does not include the editorial time required to finalize the submission. Comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form should be sent to the Information Collection Clearance Coordinator, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80525.

RECORDS RETENTION - PERMANENT. Transfer all permanent records to NARA 15 years after closure. (NPS Records Schedule, Resource Page 1 of 8

Management And Lands (Item 1.A.2) (N1-79-08-1)).