Beginning this month, visitors to the San Juan National Forest over the next year may encounter friendly folks on backcountry roads or at campgrounds wearing bright orange vests near signs reading: "Traffic Survey Ahead." The effort is part of a National Visitor Use Survey conducted every five years on National Forests nationwide to determine what the public desires from a National Forest experience. The basic interview lasts about eight minutes. Questions may include: what area of the National Forest did you visit, what type of recreation did you engage in, how many people are in your party, how long did you stay, what other areas of the Forest did you visit, and how satisfied were you with the facilities and services provided? Some visitors are asked additional questions, which may take an additional five minutes, and others may be asked to complete an optional and confidential survey on recreation spending during their trip.
Participation is voluntary, and all information provided is confidential. The agency compares earlier survey results to recent results to keep up with changing recreation trends to better manage national forest recreation facilities and sites. The information is also shared with local communities to better manage and promote regional tourism. The survey is entirely voluntary, and the Forest Service greatly appreciates those who take the time to answer a few questions to help the agency get a balanced view of recreational use.
For more information, contact Brian White, San Juan National Forest recreation and wilderness program manager at 385-1246, or to learn more about the national surveys, go online to: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/nvum
