Piping Plover Shorebird Communications Needs Survey

OMB Control No. 1090-0011

Expires: August 31, 2018

Piping Plover Shorebird Communications Needs Survey

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. We are collecting this information in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. Your response is voluntary. We will use the information you provide to improve our customer service in communications and public affairs. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this information collection and assigned OMB Control No. 1090-0011, which expires 08/31/2018. We estimate that it will take you about 15 minutes to complete this survey, including time to maintain records, gather information, and complete and submit the survey. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

1. Which of these audiences do you communicate with regarding piping plover conservation? This includes audiences that you help prepare communications for, even if you do not directly communicate with that audience. (Mark each option that applies)

a. U.S. Congressional staff
b. Beachgoers
c. Agencies without wildlife conservation missions
d. Reporters
e. Residents (e.g., residents of a town with a plover beach)
f. Landowners, beach, or town managers
g. Agencies with conservation missions
h. Other

2. How frequently do you use, share, or reference these plover communication tools? For each option, select one point on the scale.

	Frequently	Sometimes (monthly during active plover season)	Rarely (2x/year)	Never
a. Messaging, talking points developed by you (even in the form of notes)
b. Messaging, talking points developed by your organization
c. Government website
d. All About Birds Cornell plover page [http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Piping_Plover/id]
e. NGO web pages on plover life history and status
f. Brochure
g. Signs/Post material
h. Videos
i. Web-based maps highlighting stories across a range [Audubon, Atlantic Flyway, etc.]

3. If you use other tools, please tell us about those?

4. What makes the tools you use helpful?

5. If the Fish and Wildlife Service were to streamline or create new communication tools, which would be helpful? For each option, select one point on the scale.

	Very helpful	Slightly helpful	Not at all helpful
a. Messaging, talking points sheet
b. Partnership-based, .org website
c. Population-wide brochure
d. Brochure/factsheet templates that you can adapt
e. Signage templates that you can adapt
f. Video footage of birds
g. Audio/Video interviews with experts
h. Postcards
i. Magnets

6. Why would those tools you indicated be helpful?

7. Is there another tool you would like to see developed?

8. What barriers do you face in your plover conservation efforts? For each option, select one point on the scale.

	Frequently	Sometimes (monthly during active plover season)	Rarely (2x/year)	Never
a. People think plovers don’t need protection
b. People don’t know how the Endangered Species Act works.
c. A bird is encroaching on people’s ability to enjoy the beach.
d. People don’t leash their dogs.
e. People don’t keep cats contained or on a leash.
f. People leave trash that attracts predators to the beach.
g. People disturb plovers.
h. People don’t understand how their actions affect plovers.
i. Coastal engineering and development do not effectively incorporate plover conservation
j. People focus more on securing their homes than supporting plover habitat conservation.
k. People do not support us protecting important shorebird sites, especially if it includes closing off some areas during breeding.
l. People object to predator management.

9. How do you try to overcome these plover conservation barriers in your communications?

10. From your perspective, what are the greatest barriers inhibiting plover conservation at large? For each option, select one point on the scale.

	Greatest barrier	Challenge	Barrier but not pressing issue	No barrier
a. People think plovers don’t need protection
b. People don’t know how the Endangered Species Act works.
c. A bird is encroaching on people’s ability to enjoy the beach.
d. People don’t leash their dogs.
e. People don’t keep cats contained or on a leash.
f. People leave trash that attracts predators to the beach.
g. People disturb plovers.
h. People don’t understand how their actions affect plovers.
i. Coastal engineering and development do not effectively incorporate plover conservation
j. People focus more on securing their homes than supporting plover habitat conservation.
k. People do not support us protecting important shorebird sites, especially if it includes closing off some areas during breeding.
l. People object to predator management.

11. Why might these be the greatest barriers to plover conservation?

12. How effective are these messages with your non-conservation mission audiences (e.g., other Federal or State agencies, towns, beach managers, individuals, officials, etc.)? “Effective” means that the message evokes willingness or at least understanding from the audience. If you do not use these messages, please select “I do not need to use this message.”

	Effective	Sometimes works	Rarely works	Not effective	I do not need to use this message
a. We need your help to protect threatened piping plovers.
b. We encourage people to respect all areas posted for wildlife.
c. We ask people to leave pets at home or keep them leashed, as they are predators of these vulnerable shorebirds.
d. Please remove trash, which attracts an unnatural volume of predators.
e. We have to improve how we conserve plovers in coastal development and engineering projects.
f. The government seeks ways to better balance recreation and conservation.
g. Protective agreements and ordinances have been vital in protecting this species.
h. It’s critical for the plover’s long-term survival that we have healthy plover populations across the breeding range.
j. People have the ability to help us address nearly all the threats facing plovers.
k. We’re not just conserving plovers. Several shorebirds have experienced alarming declines and benefit from many of the same conservation efforts.
l. Lethal predator control is strictly used as a last resort, when other techniques have not been effective.
m. Please do not feed animals on or near the beach.

13. What kinds of messaging are we missing?

14. Is there any other feedback or personal insight you would like to share regarding plover conservation communications and outreach, such as an experience or observation not covered by any previous questions?

15. What is your affiliation? Select just one option.

a. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
b. National Park Service
c. State Wildlife Agency
d. Public land manager
e. NGO (with conservation mission)
f. Local government
g. Volunteer
h. Other landowner
i. Other government agency
j. Researcher
k. Other

16. In what State do you work? Select all that apply.

a. Maine
b. New York
c. New Hampshire
d. Massachusetts
e. Rhode Island
f. Connecticut
g. New Jersey
h. Delaware
i. Maryland
j. Virginia
k. North Carolina
l. South Carolina
m. Georgia
n. Florida
o. Other

17. When working on plover issues, how much of your time do you spend [each of the options will be broken out with response instructions to select one out of 0%, 1-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 76-100%].

	0% (none of my time)	1-25%	26-50%	51-75%	76-100%
a. Consulting with Federal and State agencies
b. Receiving technical assistance for plover conservation
c. Monitoring and managing birds and their habitat
d. Interacting with beachgoers
e. Researching plover life history, ecology, habitat, and conservation needs
f. Coordinating conservation efforts at a state, regional or flyway scale
g. Overseeing public land management
h. Enforcing laws
i. Communicating with elected officials or media
j. Other