York River Outdoor Recreation Survey

OMB Control Number: 0648-NERR

Expiration Date

York River Outdoor Recreation Survey:

Understanding Visitor Experiences, Motivations, and Barriers

We are interested in learning about your outdoor experiences in and around the York River (see map on next page). This survey will ask about what motivates you to engage in outdoor recreation, any challenges you might have encountered, and details about your most recent trip to the York River and surrounding areas. Your responses will help local policy makers, including park managers and municipalities, improve outdoor recreation experiences in and around the York River.

By completing the survey, you are consenting to participate in this research. Although we hope that you will answer every question, you are free to skip any questions. Your participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw your consent and discontinue participation at any time. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

You will not be individually identified, and your responses will be used for statistical purposes only. Data collection will be managed by an external vendor who will not collect or store names. Mailing addresses will be used exclusively by the vendor for distributing survey materials and will not be linked to individual responses. Additionally, NOAA will not have access to or retain any mailing address information.

Public Burden Statement

The public reporting burden for this information collection is estimated at 10 minutes per response. This burden estimate includes time for reading the instructions, reviewing the questions, and completing the survey instrument. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to: [email protected]. You are not required to respond to this collection of information unless a valid OMB control number is displayed.

To be completed by the adult (age 18 and over) in your

household who has the next upcoming birthday.

This is a map of the York River and surrounding parks and natural areas.

1. Looking at the map above, did you take any trips to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation within the last 12 months?

A trip is defined as an intentional visit where at least 10 minutes are spent on-site. Same-day reentries are considered to be a single trip. Trips may include overnight stays.

• Yes

• No → SKIP to PAGE 7 (Q21)

• Unsure → SKIP to PAGE 7 (Q21)

2. Approximately, how many trips did you take to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation within the last 12 months? ____ number of trips

3. When was the last time you took a trip to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation? __/___ (MM/YYYY)

Please only consider your most recent trip to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation when answering questions on this page.

4. What type of group were you traveling with on this trip? Please select all that apply.

   • Alone → SKIP to Q7

   • Family

   • Friends

   • Organized group

5. Including yourself, how many people were in your personal group on this trip? ____ number of people 

Your personal group is defined as you and anyone with whom you visited the York River or any surrounding park or natural area on this trip, such as a spouse, family, and friends. This does not include the larger or organized group that you might have traveled with, such as a school, church, scout, or tour group.

6. Including yourself, how many people in your personal group were of each of the following age categories?

   4 years old or younger	_______number of people
   5-17 years old	_______number of people
   18-64 years old	_______number of people
   65 years old or older	_______number of people

7. Approximately, how much time did you spend specifically within the York River or any surrounding park or natural area during this trip?

_____ Number of hours if a day trip

_____ Number of days if longer than 1 day

8. Referring to the map on page 2, did you visit any of the following locations on this trip?

	Yes	No	Unsure
Ware Creek Wildlife Management Area
York River State Park
New Quarter Park
Yorktown Riverfront/Battlefield
Back Creek Park
Gloucester Point Beach Park
Machicomoco State Park

Please only consider your most recent trip to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation when answering questions on this page.

9. Did you participate in any of the following activities within the York River or any surrounding park or natural area during this trip?

   	Yes	No
   Walking, hiking, or running
   Nature photography
   Biking
   Horseback riding
   Viewing wildlife, including birdwatching
   Camping
   Hunting
   Swimming or wading
   Sunbathing/relaxing on a beach
   Fishing
   Motorized boating
   Paddle sports (for example, canoeing and kayaking)
   Educational/interpretive program
   Other, please specify

10. When participating in water-based activities, such as swimming, kayaking, or boating, did you bring a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, with you?

    • Yes, and I kept it on

    • Yes, but I turned it off

    • No

    • I did not participate in water-based activities on this trip

11. When participating in land-based activities, did you bring a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, with you?

    • Yes, and I kept it on

    • Yes, but I turned it off

    • No

    • I did not participate in land-based activities on this trip

12. If you brought a mobile device and kept it on, did you use it for any of the following reasons?

    	Yes	No
    Safety/In case of emergency
    Navigation
    Social media
    Photography
    Learn about the park
    Other, please specify

    • I didn’t bring a mobile device and/or keep it on

Please only consider your most recent trip to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation when answering questions on this page.

13. Did you use any of the following forms of transportation to reach your primary destination on this trip?

    	Yes	No
    Walking
    Personal vehicle, including watercraft
    Bicycle, including electric
    Public transportation (for example, bus, rail, or ferry)
    Rental car
    Taxi or rideshare (for example, Uber or Lyft)

14. Did you purchase a Virginia State Park annual pass in the last 12 months?

    • Yes

    • No → SKIP to Q16

15. How much did you spend on your Virginia State Park annual pass in the last 12 months? $____

16. Did you purchase a Virginia hunting or fishing license in the last 12 months?

    • Yes

    • No → SKIP to Q18

17. How much did you spend on your Virginia hunting or fishing license(s) in the last 12 months? $____

18. Please estimate the amount you spent on each of the following items during this trip, and indicate how many people, including yourself, shared those expenses.
    If you didn’t spend any money on an item, please mark it as $0 for the estimated amount. If you paid for yourself only, please mark it as 1 for the number of people.

	Estimated Amount	Number of People
Gas	$_________
Tolls	$_________
Public transportation, taxi, or rideshare fare	$_________
Entrance fees (excluding annual passes)	$_________
Parking fees (excluding annual passes)	$_________
Bait and tackle	$_________
Equipment rental fees	$_________
Tour or guide fees	$_________
Lodging (for example, hotel or campground) fees	$_________

Please only consider your most recent trip to the York River or any surrounding park or natural area for outdoor recreation when answering questions on this page.

19. How important to you were the following features when deciding to take this trip?

    	Not at all important	Somewhat important	Very important	Extremely important
    Designated walking/hiking trails
    Designated blueways/kayak trails
    Access to water
    Restrooms
    Picnic areas
    Fishing areas
    Parking areas
    Internet or cell service
    Educational/interpretive program
    Interpretive signage
    Directional signage
    Personal/personal group safety
    Access for people with disabilities
    Equipment/gear rentals
    Other, please specify

20. Looking at this same list of features, how satisfied were you with the quality of each of the following features on this trip? 

	Not at all satisfied	Somewhat satisfied	Very satisfied	Extremely satisfied	Not applicable
Designated walking/hiking trails
Designated blueways/kayak trails
Access to water
Restrooms
Picnic areas
Fishing areas
Parking areas
Internet or cell service
Educational/interpretive program
Interpretive signage
Directional signage
Personal/personal group safety
Access for people with disabilities
Equipment/gear rentals
Other, please specify

21. Do you intend to visit the York River or any surrounding parks or natural areas for outdoor recreation in the future?

• Yes, within the next 12 months

• Yes, but not within the next 12 months

• No

• Unsure

22. Regardless of how you answered the question above, which of the following are reasons why you may not visit the York River or surrounding areas for outdoor recreation in the next 12 months?

	Not a reason	Minor reason	Major reason
Trails poorly maintained
Limited/no blueways/kayak trails
Limited/no water access
Limited/no restrooms
Limited/no picnic areas
Limited/no fishing areas
Limited/no parking areas
Limited/no internet or cell service
Limited/no educational/interpretive programs
Limited/no information on available facilities, amenities, or activities
Signs are not in my preferred language
Park staff does not speak in my preferred language
Concerns about safety or security
Discrimination/do not feel welcome
Limited/no access for people with disabilities
Limited/no equipment/gear
Not enough time
Too expensive
Too far to travel
Limited/no public transportation
No one to go with
Not interested in outdoor recreation
Other, please specify

This is the final section of the survey. The following questions ensure that all groups are fairly represented.

All answers are confidential.

23. Are you…?

    • Male

    • Female

    • Transgender, non-binary, or another gender

    • Prefer not to answer

24. What is your race and/or ethnicity? Please select all that apply.

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Hispanic or Latino

• Middle Eastern or North African

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

• White

• Other (please specify) _____

• Prefer not to answer

25. In what year were you born? _____ YYYY

26. When visiting an area for outdoor recreation, what language do you prefer information to be in? Please select all that apply.

• English

• Arabic

• Chinese

• Korean

• Spanish

• Vietnamese

• Other (please specify) _____

27. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? Please check only one.

    • Less than high school

    • Some high school, no diploma

    • High school graduate/GED

    • Vocational/trade school certificate

    • Some college, no diploma

    • Two-year college degree

    • Four-year college degree

    • Graduate or professional degree

    • Prefer not to answer

28. Do you own or rent this residence (where this survey was mailed to)?

• Own

• Rent

• Other

29. Is this your primary residence?

    • Yes

    • No

30. How long have you been a resident of your current town? _____ number of years

31. How long have you been a Virginia resident? _____ number of years

32. How many people, including yourself, live in your household? ____ number of people

33. How many of these people are at least 18 years old? ____ number of people at least 18

34. Which best describes your current employment status? Please check only one.

• Unemployed

• Employed full-time

• Employed part-time

• Retired

• Student

• Homemaker

• Prefer not to answer

35. What was your annual household income in 202X, before taxes? Please check only one.

• Less than $25,000

• $25,000 to $49,999

• $50,000 to $74,999

• $75,000 to $99,999

• $100,000 to $149,999

• $150,000 to $199,999

• $200,000 or more

• Prefer not to answer

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete our survey. If you have any additional comments, please feel free to include them in the space provided below.

Thank you! That’s our last question. Please place this completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope provided and drop it off in the mail.

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