Focus group guide for residents that may have been affec

Manell-Geus Habitat Focus Area

FOCUS GROUP GUIDE

Residents Impacted by Flooding

Date: Interview Completed by: _ ____ ________________

Focus group participants: ___________________________________________________________________

Hafa adai! Thank you for agreeing to join a focus group discussion tonight. My name is ___________. I am part of a team that is collecting data on behalf of the National Marine Fisheries Service for the Habitat Blueprint. You have been selected to participate in this focus group because you live in an area of Merizo that has been affected by flooding. Tonight our discussion will focus on flooding issues in Merizo and related impacts on the community, the reef and fishery. We will discuss effective ways to prevent flooding and mitigate its impacts. The discussion will last about two hours. The information will help us understand fire impacts on the community and the environment so that we can work with the broader community and government agencies to minimize the impacts of flooding on both the community and the reefs.

Your opinions on the issues affecting the village are very important to us. There are no wrong answers in this discussion, but there will likely be differing points of view. Please feel free to share your point of view even if it differs from what others have said. Keep in mind that we’re just as interested in negative comments as positive comments and at times the negative comments are the most helpful.

Your participation in this focus group is totally voluntary. Are you willing to answer our questions?

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 minutes for completing the survey, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to Valerie Brown, NFMS (Valerie.Brown@noaa.gov).

Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number

You’ve probably noticed the voice recorder. We are recording the session because we don’t want to miss any of your comments. People often say very helpful things in these discussions and we can’t write fast enough to get them all down. We will be on a first name basis tonight and nothing you tell me will be personally attributed to you in any written documents that result from this session. The recording and all raw data will be destroyed at the end of this project.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Well, let’s begin. Let’s find out some more about each other by going around the table. Tell us your name and how long you’ve lived in Merizo.

1. How often are you affected by flooding in Merizo?

2. Has the flooding gotten better or worse over time? What are the reasons?

3. Does the community think that the flooding will decrease in the future or get worse? Why so?

4. How does the community prepare when flooding is expected?

5. What are some of the ways that people have been affected by flooding in the village? (Probe: health, property damage, access to services, any positive effects?)

6. Has the community observed any links between flooding and changes on the reef and fishing? What are some of these? What about changes in the rivers and to animals there like shrimp (uhang) and eels (asuli)?

7. What would be the best way to address these impacts on the reef and fishing? What about the rivers and river animals? What type of assistance is most needed by the government to address this?

8. What are the best ways that residents can help minimize impacts from flooding? What would be the best way to engage them?

9. Do you think residents would be willing to participate in efforts to help reduce flooding? What is the best way to gain their assistance?

Thank you for your time!

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