Biannual survey of managers

Dear Sanctuary Superintendent:

NOAA’s National Marine Protected Areas Center (MPA Center) was established by Presidential Executive Order in 2000 to foster effective conservation and stewardship among America’s MPAs. This varied and growing portfolio of special places includes over 1,600 coastal and offshore parks, sanctuaries, monuments, refuges and other conservation areas.   

As you know well, the very qualities that make these special areas some of the nation’s most treasured ocean places – diverse and vibrant ecosystems and rich and compelling cultural heritage – are increasingly attracting a growing wave of recreational users to your MPAs. Whether this trend proves to be beneficial or overwhelming over time will depend, in part, on our collective capacity to understand and manage expanding recreation in our MPAs.  To that end, we are asking you, as an MPA manager, for a few minutes of your time to help Sanctuaries, NOAA and the US MPA community understand the emerging patterns and implications of current and emerging recreational uses.

This survey, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, is designed for an MPA manager or a senior staffer with broad expertise and responsibilities who understands the site’s purposes, challenges and management approaches.  Only one response per MPA is needed. 

The survey results will be aggregated and synthesized, and will not be attributable to individual MPAs. Analysis and dissemination of the results by NOAA’s MPA Center will begin in mid-2015, and preliminary results will be discussed at the George Wright Society in late March.  The survey’s final results will help inform and shape the national response to the recent Call to Action for Responsible and Sustainable MPA Recreation authored by the MPA Federal Advisory Committee and endorsed by all 14 Advisory Councils of the National Marine Sanctuary System. Please complete the survey by _________.

A note on data gaps -- We recognize that robust, quantitative data on ocean recreation are currently scarce in most MPAs.  Consequently, we have designed the survey and subsequent analysis to reflect the richness of your professional, expert judgment and experience, augmented by site-specific data where you may have it. 

We thank you in advance for contributing your unique knowledge and perspective to this important and timely issue facing so many of America’s MPAs. 

If you have any questions or concerns about completing the survey or about how it will be analyzed and used, feel free to contact Dr. Charlie Wahle, Senior Scientist, NOAA MPA Center by email at charles.wahle@noaa.gov, or by phone at 831.238.2244

Thanking you again,

Lauren Wenzel, Acting Director, NOAA/MPA Center, lauren.wenzel@noaa.gov

Link to the survey: XXX

Link to opt out of the survey: XXX

https://www.surveymonkey.com/optout.aspx?sm=yy1sCkiVD5_2f_2bTWlIC5Fkog_3d_3d

Dear Sanctuary Superintendent:

I'm writing to ask again for your help in completing the survey of recreational activities in your marine protected area.  It should take less than half an hour and its results will help us highlight and generate support for important management challenges facing many marine protected areas.  The survey can be completed by you as manager, or a senior policy or resource protection staff member.  Thank you very much for your assistance in helping us better understand the uses of these special places.    

This survey, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, is designed for an MPA manager or a senior staffer with broad expertise and responsibilities who understands the site’s purposes, challenges and management approaches.  Only one response per MPA is needed. 

The survey results will be aggregated and synthesized, and will not be attributable to individual MPAs. Analysis and dissemination of the results by NOAA’s MPA Center will begin in mid-2015, and preliminary results will be discussed at the George Wright Society in late March.  The survey’s final results will help inform and shape the national response to the recent Call to Action for Responsible and Sustainable MPA Recreation authored by the MPA Federal Advisory Committee and endorsed by all 14 Advisory Councils of the National Marine Sanctuary System. Please complete the survey by ________.

A note on data gaps -- We recognize that robust, quantitative data on ocean recreation are currently scarce in most MPAs.  Consequently, we have designed the survey and subsequent analysis to reflect the richness of your professional, expert judgment and experience, augmented by site-specific data where you may have it. 

We thank you in advance for contributing your unique knowledge and perspective to this important and timely issue facing so many of America’s MPAs. 

If you have any questions or concerns about completing the survey or about how it will be analyzed and used, feel free to contact Dr. Charlie Wahle, Senior Scientist, NOAA MPA Center by email at charles.wahle@noaa.gov, or by phone at 831.238.2244

Thanking you again,

Lauren Wenzel, Acting Director, NOAA/MPA Center, lauren.wenzel@noaa.gov

Link to the survey: XXX

Link to opt out of the survey: XXX

https://www.surveymonkey.com/optout.aspx?sm=yy1sCkiVD5_2f_2bTWlIC5Fkog_3d_3d