Informed Consent Form for the Prince William Sound Household Harvest Survey

	Informed Consent Form for the Prince William Sound Household Harvest Survey
	Chugach National Forest

You are invited to participate in a study of resource harvest conducted by households in the communities of Prince William Sound. You were selected as a possible participant in this study because you are resident of a Prince William Sound community that is eligible for subsistence harvest considerations. This conversation will take approximately ½ hour of your time. If you decide to participate, we will engage in a conversation about your household’s harvest practices using a series of interview questions and an associated map document. The interviewer will be recording your answers as we go through these questions. These questions help us gain an understanding of your household’s use of the Prince William Sound area and responses will be compiled into a characterization of your community’s use of the region. The knowledge gained will aid our management efforts in the face of increasing human use of the Sound and your assistance helps us make decisions to protect harvest areas used by your community.

No specific mapped information (e.g., points or polygons showing exact harvest locations) will be collected and upon the completion of the interview any notes/marks made on the associated dry erase map document will be wiped clean. No information obtained in this study can be associated with you or your household because names are not being collected with the responses you provide.

This data is being conducted in a contracted partnership with a local member or group from your community and they will maintain responses on paper datasheets in strictest confidence during data collection. Upon completion of household interviews all datasheets will be sent to the Chugach National Forest for summary into an electronic database. Paper datasheets will be maintained by the Forest for 2 years at which time they will be destroyed. The summary dataset (not raw data) will be analyzed in a partnership with the University of Arizona for comparison to our combined efforts at mapping the distribution of recreation activity in Prince William Sound. Your decision whether or not to participate will not prejudice your future relationship with the Chugach National Forest. Questions following this interview may be directed to Aaron Poe, Wildlife Biologist with the Chugach National Forest: (907)-783-3242 or apoe@fs.fed.us.

You are making a decision whether or not to participate. Your signature indicates that you have read the information provided above and have decided to participate. Should you choose to discontinue participation in this study, you may withdraw at any time during the interview. Similarly you may choose not to answer any question. You may request a copy of this form.

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Signature Date

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Signature of Researcher Date