National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Services ACE Task Order 2

Description

Understanding and characterizing visitor demographics and their experiences on refuges is a critical element of managing public lands and waters. The national visitor survey effort, being led by the Service⿿s Human Dimensions (HD) Branch, will provide the Service with information regarding visitors⿿ recreational, educational and informational experiences, as well as visitors⿿ levels of satisfaction with current services and facilities, and desires for future services and facilities. Information collected as part of this work will provide refuge managers, planners, and visitor services professionals with scientifically sound data about visitors that can be used to prepare conservation planning documents, improve the design of visitor facilities, tailor services and facilities to match visitor interests and needs, better protect refuge resources by combining social data with biological data, understand the economic impact of visitors to local communities, and track demographic trends in the visitor population over time. This work will also inform transportation planning, which can help to ensure that visitors have exemplary, publically accessible wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities via auto tour routes, trails, parking lots, and roads. Additionally, this research can address the important question of who exactly visits different refuges, and whether or not visitors to urban refuges expect the same (or different) opportunities than what is offered at more ⿿rural⿝ refuges. Thus, results can help to meet the goals of the Service⿿s Urban Wildlife Conservation Program (Urban Program), which are to create a connected conservation community and for urban residents to find, appreciate, and care for nature in their cities and beyond (http://www.fws.gov/urban/). The baseline data collected by this effort will be particularly valuable when compared with previously collected visitor survey data from the National Visitor Survey (NVS) effort conducted on 78 refuges during 2010-2011 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/685/) and 2012 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/754/), and U.S. Census data. For example, in combination, these data can address the question of whether the demographics of visitors to specific refuges mimic the demographics of surrounding communities and, if not, who are the additional audiences that might be reached beyond current efforts. Finally, this collection of information from refuge visitors will help the Service to track and understand how some of the complex changes occurring within American society (e.g., demographic changes, stakeholder preferences) are likely to affect the future of the Refuge System. Funds under this award are to be used to hire one fellow and six interns to coordinate and conduct onsite visitor sampling for the national wildlife refuge visitor survey. This award is made through the Service⿿s CFDA (15.676) Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment under the authority of Powers and Duties of the Secretary of the Interior (16 U.S.C. 460 Sec. 460l (lower case ⿿L⿝)-1(d) and (f); Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended by the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 742a-754j-2, as amended; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661); National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-360); National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997; National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 ( 16 U.S.C. 742j); Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, as amended 2005 (16 U.S.C. 1721-1726, P.L. 109-154); Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1972 (P.L. 93-408).

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