SEM Mail-back Survey

OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 1024-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

national pARK SERVICE

SOCIO-ECONOMIC MONITORING

Mail-Back Survey

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: 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. We are authorized by the National Park Service Protection Interpretation and Research in System (54 USC §100702) to collect this information. The routine uses of this information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in [NPS Site] in future initiatives related to visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and expectations during their visit at [NPS Site]. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. All contact information collected for the purpose of the follow-up survey will be destroyed at the end of the collection period and no personal identifiable records will be maintained or stored for any purpose. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. 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 about 13 minutes to complete this questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Jake Jorgenson, RRC Associates, at [email protected] (email); or Bret Meldrum, NPS Social Science Program Manager, at [email protected] (email).

Mail-Back Survey

On your recent visit to [NPS Site] you agreed to participate in a survey from NPS about your trip. Please have the same individual in your group who completed the onsite survey at the park complete this questionnaire. In this questionnaire, your personal group is defined as you and anyone with whom you visited [NPS Site] on this trip, such as a spouse, family, friends, etc. This does not include the larger group that you might have traveled with, such as a school, church, scout, or tour group.

A visit is defined as the day in which you were contacted to complete the questionnaire. A trip is defined as the total extent of time away from your personal residence that could include multiple visits to [NPS Site]. Thank you for your participation.

NOTE TO REVIEWERS: This survey has five (5) core sections. Sections 1-5 establish the core questions that will be used in all park surveys. Core Questions include the entire universe of response options below; however, response options will be adjusted to reflect park-specific circumstances and conditions (e.g., won’t include watercraft transportation options for a land-based park).

Sections 1-5 are designed to assist the NPS Visitor Use Statistics (VUStats) and Visitor Spending Effects Programs along with creating a national database of common topics in visitor use management. The SEM study will serve as a method to document current visitation trends while also updating model estimates where appropriate.

SECTION 1

1. Prior to this trip, how did you obtain information about [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

   • Did not obtain information prior to this visit

   • Previous visits

   • Friends/relatives/word of mouth

   • Inquiry to park via phone, mail, or email

   • Official [NPS Site] website (nps.gov/xxxx)

   • Other website (please specify):

   • Local businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc.)

   • Maps/brochures

   • Newspaper/magazine articles

   • Other units of the National Park System (NPS)

   • School class/program

   • Social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

   • State welcome center/visitor bureaus/chamber of commerce

   • Travel guides/tour books (such as AAA, etc.)

   • Television/radio programs/DVDs

   • Live here/grew up here

   • Other (please specify):

2. Did you have the information about [NPS Site] you needed on this trip? Please mark (●) one.

• Yes

• No (Please specify the information you needed but didn’t have on this trip)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 2

3. Please estimate how much money the group you shared expenses with (or covered expenses for) spent in [NPS site] and [NPS Site]’s local area during your trip. Please refer to the local area map on the back of the cover letter--the local area includes all communities within the highlighted region. If you did not spend anything in a category, please enter “0”.

Local Area Residents: If you are a permanent or seasonal resident, please only include local area expenditures that were directly related to your visit to [NPS site] when you received this survey.
Package vacationers: For this question, don’t include any expenditures that were included as part of your package vacation cost (that you reported when interviewed at [NPS Site]).

Expenses	Amount spent in [NPS Site] and nearby communities (shown on map)
Hotels, motels, resorts
Specialty lodging (e.g., B&Bs, hostels, cabins, vacation rentals)
Camping fees (tent, RV)
Restaurants and bars
Groceries and convenience foods
Gas and oil (e.g., auto, RV, boat, etc.)
Electric vehicle charging expenses
Rental car
Taxis, rideshares, shuttles, parking, and public transportation
Souvenirs, clothing, supplies, other retail
National Park entrance fee or annual parks pass
Equipment rental
Guides and tour fees
Recreation and entertainment expenses (e.g., movies, bowling, miniature golf, etc.)
Other expenditures (Please describe below): ________________________________________________

4. In total, how much did you and the group you shared expenses with (or covered expenses for) spend on this entire trip, from the time you left home until you returned home?

_________________

5. How many people (adults and children), including yourself, were covered by the spending estimates you provided above?
   __________number of people (adults and children)

6. If you did not list any expenditures in the local area, please indicate why you did not answer. (Please mark one.)

• I did not spend any money

• I do not know or remember

• Prefer not to answer

• N/A

SECTION 3

7. Did you visit any other National Park Service sites on your trip away from home? Please mark one.

   • Yes (Please specify)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• No

8. On this trip, in which of the following activities did you personally participate in while visiting [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• (1) Viewing scenery, natural features

• (2) Viewing wildlife

• (3) Viewing night skies

• (4) Creative arts (photography, drawing, painting, writing, etc.)

• (5) Visiting a cultural or historic site

• (6) Driving for pleasure

• (7) Walking

• (8) Trail hiking

• (9) Biking (mountain biking, road cycling, e-biking, etc.) (please specify):

• (10) Running/jogging

• (11) Horseback/mule riding

• (12) Fishing

• (13) Non-motorized water travel (rafting, kayaking, canoeing, etc.) (please specify):

• (14) Motorized water travel (e.g., boating, jet skiing, etc.) (please specify):
  

• (15) Picnicking

• (16) Water play (swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc.) (please specify):
  

• (17) Technical climbing (rock climbing, bouldering, mountaineering, etc.) (please specify):

• (18) Other (please specify):
  

• (19) Other (please specify):
  

• (20) Other (please specify):
  

9. Of the activities listed in Question 8, which was your primary activity while visiting [NPS Site] during the trip you were contacted for this survey?

#______________________

10. People are motivated to visit a National Park Service site for a variety of reasons. How important to you were each of the following reasons or motivations for visiting [NPS Site] on this trip? Please mark (●) one for each row.

    	Not at all important	Slightly important	Moderately important	Very Important	Extremely Important
    1) To visit a National Park Service site
    2) To experience solitude
    3) To hear the sounds of nature/quiet
    4) To learn more about nature
    5) To learn more about history and culture
    6) To spend time with family/friends
    7) To get physical exercise
    8) To view wildlife or natural scenery
    9) To relax
    10) Other (Please specify) ________________________

11. Of the reasons listed in Question 11, which was the most important reason for you to visit [NPS Site] on this trip?

_____ Number most important reason from Q11

SECTION 4

12. On this trip, in which of the following programs and services did you personally participate within [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• Attending a ranger-led activity, such as a tour or talk

• Talking informally with a ranger

• Viewing outdoor exhibits

• Viewing indoor exhibits

• Attending a cultural demonstration or performance

• Reading the park brochure or newspaper

• Going to a visitor center

• Watching movies or videos about the park

• Participating with a child in your group in the Junior Ranger program

• Participating in the Junior Ranger program

• Obtaining a National Park passport stamp

• Listening to an audio tour or podcast

• Using the National Park Service App

• Other (Please specify)

13. If you were to visit [NPS Site] in the future, are there specific subjects you would like to learn about? Please mark (●) one

    • Yes (Please specify subjects you would like to learn about.)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• No

14. Did you use a personal electronic device while in [NPS Site] to do any of the following actions? Please mark (●) one box per row

	Yes	No	Don’t know
Make/receive a cell phone call
Send/receive a text message
Search the internet / email
GPS/Navigation
Share pics/videos/audio via social media
Other (Please specify) _____________________________________

15. How important to you was it during your visit to [NPS Site] to use personal electronic devices to do each of the following, and how would you rate the quality of the service to do each? For each item, please mark (●) one for importance and one for quality of service.

	(a) Importance					(b) Quality of Service
	Not at all Important	Slightly Important	Moderately Important	Very Important	Extremely Important	No Service at all	Poor	Average	Good	Very Good	Not Applicable
Make/receive a cell phone call
Send/receive a text message
Search the internet/email
GPS/Navigation
Share pics/videos/audio via social media
Other (Please specify: _______)

16. A) Did anyone in your personal group have difficulties accessing or participating in park activities or services, during your visit to [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one.

    • Yes

    • No à Go to Question 18

B) (If 17a = “Yes”) Which specific difficulties did the person(s) have? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• Mobility (difficulty in accessing facilities, services, or programs even with walking aid and/or wheelchairs)

• Hearing (difficulty hearing ranger programs, bus drivers, audio-visual exhibits or programs, or information desk staff even with a hearing aid)

• Visual (difficulty seeing exhibits, directional signs, visual aids that are part of programs even with prescribed glasses or due to blindness)

• Other (please specify)

17. What did you like most about your visit to [NPS Site]?

1.________________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________________

18. What did you like least about your visit to [NPS Site]?

1._______________________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________________

19. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree	Don’t Know/Not Sure
[NPS Site] is a safe place to visit
[NPS Site] is too crowded
Natural resources in [NPS Site] are in pristine condition
The entrance fee for [NPS Site] is too high
Vandalism and crime are not a problem in [NPS Site]
[NPS Site] is not accessible to persons with physical disabilities
Historical and cultural features in [NPS Site] are well maintained/preserved
Development of adjacent areas detracts from visitors' experience at [NPS Site]

20. How would you rate the quality of the park facilities, visitor services, and recreational opportunities in [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one for each row.

	Very Poor	Poor	Average	Good	Very Good	Not Used or Not Available
Park Facilities
Visitor Center
Exhibits (indoor and outdoor)
Restrooms
Walkways, trails, and roads
Campgrounds and/or picnic areas
Visitor Services
Assistance from park employees
Park map or brochure
Ranger programs
Commercial services in the park (food, lodging, gifts, rental, etc.)
Other services (please specify below):
Recreation Opportunities
Learning about nature, history, or culture
Outdoor recreation (sightseeing, camping, bicycling, boating, hiking, etc.)

21. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the park facilities, visitor services, and recreational opportunities in [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one.

Very poor

Poor

Average

Good

Very Good

SECTION 5

22. If you live in the US, what is your ZIP code? If not US, what is your country of residence?

ZIP Code OR Country ___________________________________

23. What is your age?

Years

24. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? Please mark (●) one.

    Less than high school/some high school High school graduate Vocational/trade school certificate Some college Associate Degree (AA, AS, etc.)

    Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BS, AB, etc.) Master’s Degree (MS, MA, MEd, etc.) Professional Degree (MD, DD, etc.) Doctorate Degree (PhD, EdD, etc.)

25. Which category best represents your annual household income? Please mark (●) one.

    Less than $25,000 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999

    $100,000 - $149,999 $150,000 - $199,999 $200,000 or more Do not wish to answer

    

26. Including yourself, how many people contribute to your annual household income?

People

27. Including yourself, how many people (adults and children) are in your household?

People

28. What is your race and/or ethnicity?
    Select all that apply.

• American Indian or Alaska Native—Enter, for example, Navajo Nation, Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government, Nome Eskimo Community, Aztec, Maya, etc.

• Asian—Provide details below.

Chinese	Asian Indian	Filipino
Vietnamese	Korean	Japanese

Enter, for example, Pakistani, Hmong, Afghan, etc.

• Black or African American—Provide details below.

African American	Jamaican	Haitian
Nigerian	Ethiopian	Somali

Enter, for example, Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Ghanaian, Congolese, etc.

• Hispanic or Latino—Provide details below.

Mexican	Puerto Rican	Salvadoran
Cuban	Dominican	Guatemalan

Enter, for example, Colombian, Honduran, Spaniard, etc.

• Middle Eastern or North African—Provide details below.

Lebanese	Iranian	Egyptian
Syrian	Iraqi	Israeli

Enter, for example, Moroccan, Yemeni, Kurdish, etc.

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander—Provide details below.

Native Hawaiian	Samoan	Chamorro
Tongan	Fijian	Marshallese

Enter, for example, Chuukese, Palauan, Tahitian, etc.

• White—Provide details below.

English	German	Irish
Italian	Polish	Scottish

Enter, for example, French, Swedish, Norwegian, etc.

29. What is your sex? Please mark (●) one

• Male

• Female

30. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about [NPS Site]’s facilities, services, or recreational opportunities?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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