Bundle of 7: DEWA, FOSC, PETE, DENA, SHEN, FOST, YELL

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Social Science Division
Expedited Approval for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys
1.

Project
Title

Exploring Visitor Safety and Risk Communication at
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Submission Date:
June 23, 2011

Abstract: The proposed collection will use an internet-based survey to assess perception of
risk. This will include risk management, risk-related behavior and safety in national
parks. Responses to the proposed questions are critical for park managers when
creating and implementing effective risk management strategies. The results of the
proposed collection will contribute to the NPS goal of ensuring safe, injury-free
visits.
(not to exceed 150 words)
3. Principal Investigator Contact Information
First Katherine
Name:

Last Name: McComas

Title: Associate Professor
Affiliation Department of Communication, Cornell University
:
Street 313 Kennedy Hall
Address:
City: Ithaca
Phone: 607-255-6508

State: NY

Zip code: 14853

Fax: 607-254-1322

Email: kam19@cornell.edu
4.

Park or Program Liaison Contact Information
First Sara
Name:

Last Name: Newman

Title: Public Risk Management Program
Director
Park: WASO
Park Office/ Division of Risk Management

Division:
Street 1201 Eye Street, NW, STE 1135
Address:
City: Washington

State: DC

Phone: 202-513-7225

Zip code: 20005

Fax: 202-371-2226

Email: Sara_Newman@nps.gov
Project Information
5. Park(s) For Which Research is
to be Conducted:
6. Survey Dates:

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

06/01/2011

(mm/dd/yyyy)

to

10/01/2011

7. Type of Information Collection Instrument (Check ALL that Apply)
X Mail-Back
On-Site
Face-to-Face
Questionnaire
Questionnaire
Interview


8.

Other
(explain)

Survey
Justification:
(Use as much
space as needed;
if necessary
include
additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

Telephone
Survey

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Focus Groups

Internet Survey
Legal Justification: The National Park Service Act of 1916, 38 Stat 535, 16 USC 1, et
seq., requires that the National Park Service (NPS) preserve the national parks for
the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. At the field level, this
means resource preservation, public education, facility maintenance and operation,
and physical developments that are necessary for public use, health, and safety.
Allocation of funding is to be roughly in proportion to the seasonally adjusted
volume of use (P. L. 88-578, Sect. 6) and in consideration of visitor characteristics
and activities for determining carrying capacity (92 Stat. 3467; P. L. 95-625, Sect.
604 11/10/78). Other federal rules (National Environmental Policy Act, 1969 and
NPS guidelines) require visitor use data in impact assessment of development on
users and resources as part of each park's general management plan.
The proposed collection will explore the linkages between attribution of
responsibility, risk perception theory, and risk communication with regard to safety
promotion in the context of three U.S. national parks. Whether sightseeing or
spelunking, camping or bird watching, hundreds of millions of people enjoy visits to
national parks each year
A survey of visitor safety and risk communication in 30 national parks commissioned
by NPS in 2000, found that visitor opinions regarding the attribution of responsibility
for safety varied from park to park (Tuler & Golding, 2002). In general, the majority
of visitors to “backcountry parks” (i.e., parks where popular activities included offtrail pursuits such as backpacking) believed the visitor to be responsible for his
safety. On the other hand, the majority of visitors to “frontcountry parks” (i.e., parks
that offer limited or no backcountry activities) placed the burden of responsibility on
both the visitor and the park staff. Finally, very few visitors at any of the parks

surveyed felt that park employees should be held entirely responsible for
guaranteeing visitor safety. In explaining the differing attributions of responsibility
reported by those visiting backcountry and frontcountry parks, Tuler and Golding
(2002, p. 60) noted that this distinction may reflect the perception that risks in
frontcountry parks can be more easily “controlled” “since visitor activities tend to be
less physically rigorous and the venues tend to be more ‘benign,’ with many paved
walkways, regular stairs, and buildings.” On the other hand, as the authors note,
such deviating attributions may reflect the perceptions, characteristics, and
expectations of visitors who frequent each type of park.
Results from the 2008 study of park managers (e.g., Superintendents, Chief Rangers)
in 51 national park units in the Pacific West Region revealed that managers tended
to attribute the responsibility for visitor injury to the visitor themselves, while
viewing park facilities and infrastructure as appropriate for ensuring safe visits.
While the NPS is engaged in risk management as part of a larger institutional
mission, the on the ground goals are to prevent unintentional injury among visitors.
The latter goal could be met by developing engineering controls and enforcing rules
(e.g., banning particular activities), such strategies might run counter to the primary
goals of sustaining landmarks and attracting visitors. As such, NPS must rely on
educational programs and public communication (e.g., signs, brochures, employees)
to relay preventative risk and safety messages to its visitors.
A web-based survey will used to collect data from visitors and NPS employees to
determine the effectiveness of current risk communication efforts. The information
collected will include individual characteristics, trip/visit characteristics, individual
activities, individual perceptions of their park experiences and individual opinions on
park management. Park visitors will be randomly selected to participate in the study
as they visit Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area during a 1 month-long
period.
The findings will be used:
• To understand the ways in which visitors are using current risk
communication information resources, both inside and outside of the park.
• To understand how different user groups interpret risk and safety issues in
the park, in order to better provide adequate informational, interpretive,
and educational resources and programs.

9.

Survey
Methodology:
(Use as much
space as needed;
if necessary
include
additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

(a) Respondent universe:
All adult visitors (18 years and older), will be contacted by trained interviewers at
designated locations within the park.
(b) Sampling plan/procedures:
Most questions appear in the NPS Known Pool of Questions, or are closely related. A
systematic sampling procedure will be based on the park’s visitation statistics from
the previous year. We will intercept every nth visitor group to participate in the
study. Each interviewer will be trained in the intercept and interview procedures. A
supervisor will be on-site during the survey to ensure that interview procedures are

followed. On-site visitors will be intercepted at locations shown below:
Park

DEWA

Intercept Locations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Raymondskill Falls,
Dingman’s Falls Visitor Center,
Dingman's Campground,
Eshback Boat Launch,
Bushkill Access,
Smithfield Beach,
Hialeah Picnic Area,
Watergate Recreation Site,
Crater Lake,
Lower Van Campens Glen,
Turtle Beach,
Kittatinny Point Visitor Center.

Surveys will be distributed at eight recreation sites selected to maximize differences
in use and setting characteristics, including campgrounds, boat ramps, day use areas,
and dispersed lake shore/beach sites. We will randomly select 30 days for survey
administration. The 12 sites will be divided into four groups so only four sites will be
visited per sample day (i.e., 15 days of sampling per site). This will allow the
researcher to spend 30 minutes in transit and 60 minutes surveying at each site each
day. The start time at each site will be randomized to ensure coverage between
10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each sampling day.
The surveyors will recruit study participants by contacting a random sample of
visitors as they walk past the study site and ask them to participate in the survey. If
members of the visitor group agree to participate, the eligible person in the group
whose birthday is closest to the sampling day will be asked to participate in the
study. All visitors who volunteer will be asked five questions to collect information
used in a non-response bias check. They will also be asked to record their first name
and email address on the interviewer’s log sheet. Email addresses will be used to
send the link to the web survey, to follow up, and check on non-response bias among
non-respondents. Each respondent will be informed that the survey will be
completed electronically.
When refusals occur, the next eligible person will be contacted. Any reasons for
refusal will be recorded on the log-sheet. The researcher will also record observable
information such as gender, activity, and group size (see Survey Log).
At the end of each 60-minute time period, the researcher will travel to the next
study site and repeat the process.
(c) Instrument administration:
The initial contact with visitors will take approximately 1 minute. This time will be
used to explain the study and determine interest of participation.
Visitors selected for participation in any of the surveys included in this study will be

read the following script:
“Hello, my name is Laura Rickard and I am a student Cornell
University and I am conducting a survey for the National Park
Service here at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
This survey will help the Park Service adopt management
practices that provide enjoyable and safe experiences for visitors,
while protecting and preserving the natural resources for future
generations to enjoy. You have been randomly selected and your
responses will be completely anonymous. Would you be willing to
take an on-line survey, when you return home, to answer some
important questions regarding your experience during your visit?
It should only take about 15 minutes.”
If “NO” then, “Thank you, I hope you enjoy your visit.”
If “YES” then, “the survey is really important and I am happy that
you’ve agreed to participate. If you have any additional
questions, my contact information is on this card and you can feel
free to contact me. Have a great day.”
At the time of the contact, the individual will also receive a postcard with the
principal investigator’s contact information and a reminder of the nature of the
study. Each potential respondent will receive an email with a link to the web survey
within a few days of the on-site contact. The number of visitor groups who refuse
will be recorded and used to calculate response rates
The respondent will use his/her own computer, at his/her own convenience to
complete the survey. The survey is expected to take approximately 15 minutes, and
participants can choose to save their results and return to the survey at a later point.
Participants who have not responded will receive up to three reminder emails at
two-week intervals. The data will be sent directly to the researcher and will be coded
without linking any of the information back to the individual respondents.
(d) Expected response rate/confidence levels:
The number of visitors to be contacted is based on the park’s average visitation data
during the number of days of surveying. Visitor data collected in 2010 in Delaware
Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA) averaged 601,358 on-site visitors
between June-September 2010. This estimated visitor “population” of 601 358 will
require a sample size of 1,080 usable questionnaires are needed for a 95%
confidence interval and a 3% margin of error. This sample size should also permit
comparisons of managerially relevant subgroups. There will be no attempt to
generalize the findings outside the scope of this collection.
The table below gives a projection of the expected sample sizes, response rates, and
associated confidence intervals and confidence levels for the park.

Park

Number
of Survey
Days

Number of
initial
Contacts

Expected
Number of
Responses

Expected
Response
Rate

Margin
of Error
+/-%

DEWA

30

2,700

1,080

40%

3

For dichotomous response variables, estimates will be accurate within the margins of
error and levels of confidence described above. The confidence intervals will be
somewhat larger for questions with more than two response categories.
(e) Strategies for dealing with potential non-response bias:
During the initial contact, the interviewer will ask each visitor five questions taken
from the survey. These questions will be used in a non-response bias analysis.
1) Where are you from?
2) How many people are in your group?
3) How many in your party are 18 years and older?
4) How many in your party are 17 years and younger?
5) What activity (activities) will you be participating in today?
Each participant will be assigned a unique ID number. This number will be necessary
to access the online survey; subsequently, this number will be recorded with the
participant’s survey responses. The researcher will keep a record of answers to the
front-end survey and the associated ID number. As such, the researcher will be able
to determine several characteristics of participants who do not respond to the online
survey.
(f) Description of any pre-testing and peer review of the methods and/or
instrument (recommended):
The questions included in this survey were initially designed and reviewed by the
principal investigator and other professors and students Cornell University, with the
guidance of Dr. Sara Newman, NPS Division of Risk Management. Many of the
questions are from the Known Pool of Questions and adapted from a previous OMBapproved study on risk management and visitor safety in 30 national parks (Tuler &
Golding, 2002).
With a response rate of 40%, we plan to approach 2,700 individuals. We expect that
the initial contact time will be at least three minutes per person (2,700 x 3 minutes =
135 hours). For those who agree to participate (1,080), an additional 15 minutes will
be required to complete the questionnaire (1,080 response x 15 minutes = 270
hours). The burden for this collection is estimated to be 405 hours.
10.

Total Number of 2,700
Initial Contacts
Expected
Respondents: 1,080

11. Estimated Time to 3
Complete Initial
Contact
Instrument 15
(mins.)

12.

Total 405 hours
Burden
Hours:

13.

Reporting Plan: A report will be issued to the managers of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area and the NPS Social Science Program containing the overall descriptive results of
the questionnaires; Analyses of the survey will include descriptive statistics and
regression analyses to determine the strongest predictors for risk perception.
Additionally, findings will be used and reported as part of a PhD dissertation at the
Cornell University.

References Cited
Tuler, S., & Golding, D. (2002). A comprehensive study of visitor safety in the National Park System: Final Report.
Worcester, MA: The George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University.
Tuler, S., Golding, D., & Krueger, R. J. (2002). A review of the literature for a comprehensive study of visitor safety
in the National Park System. Worcester, MA: The George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University.