United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Pacific Northwest

Research Station

General Technical

Report

PNW-GTR-740

January 2008

National Visitor Use Monitoring

Implementation in Alaska

Eric M. White and Joshua B. Wilson
The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the

principle of multiple use management of the Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry

research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the national forests and national grasslands, it strives—as directed by

Congress—to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability,

and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion,

sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or

part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require

alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print,

audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice

and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights,

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-

3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

Authors

Eric M. White is a research economist, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, Joshua

B. Wilson was an economist, Washington Office, Planning Analysis Group, Ecosystem Management Coordination, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. A, Suite 300, Fort Collins,

CO 80526.
Abstract

White, Eric M.; Wilson, Joshua B. 2008. National Visitor Use Monitoring

implementation in Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-740. Portland, OR: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.

52 p.

The USDA Forest Service implemented the National Visitor Use Monitoring

(NVUM) program across the entire National Forest System (NFS) in calendar year

2000. The primary objective of the NVUM program is to develop reliable estimates

of recreation use on NFS lands via a nationally consistent, statistically valid sampling approach. Secondary objectives of NVUM are to characterize recreation visits,

collect data in support of regional economic analyses, and gauge national forest

visitor satisfaction. We document and review the round 1 NVUM implementation

in the USDA Forest Service Alaska Region (R-10) with examination of the R-10

prework, sample day implementation, survey completion rates, sampling at cabins,

boat docks, and air carriers; and the NVUM expansion weights assigned to survey

cases. Several opportunities to improve the implementation of the standard NVUM

protocols in R-10 are identified.

Keywords: National Visitor Use Monitoring, Region 10, recreation visitor

sampling.
Contents

1 Introduction

2 Region 10 Recreation Setting

3 National Visitor Use Monitoring Program

4 National Visitor Use Monitoring Sampling Approach

5 Region 10 Interview Sites and Site Days

9 Region 10 Sample Days

12 Region 10 Days Surveyed

15 Region 10 Response Rate and Completed Surveys

17 Sampling Review by Recreation Feature and Setting

20 Surveys at Designated Cabin Sites

23 Surveys at Designated Air Sites

23 Surveys at Boat Sites

26 Sampling by Month

27 Analysis of Expansion Weights

30 Selected Recommendations for National Visitor Use Monitoring

Implementation

30 Use Level Classification

31 Incomplete Sample Days

31 Air and Boat Sites

32 Tongass National Forest Sampling Units

32 Establishment of Additional Proxy Sites

33 Framework for National Visitor Use Monitoring Reviews

34 Conclusions

34 Glossary

35 Acknowledgments

35 Metric Equivalents

35 References

37 Appendix 1: Nonproxy Site Survey Hours by Sample Forest, Site

Type, and Use Level

41 Appendix 2: Region 10 Sample Day Interview Locations

51 Appendix 3: Number of Surveys Collected by Month, Sample

Forest, and Survey Type
1

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Introduction

National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) program sampling was begun on U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service national forests in the Alaska Region

(Region 10 or R-10) in calendar year 2000. In the first year, NVUM sampling

occurred on two Tongass National Forest (NF) ranger districts and the Admiralty

Island National Monument (managed by the Tongass NF). In subsequent years,

the Chugach NF and the remaining portions of the Tongass NF were sampled, with

the first round of NVUM ending in September 2003 (table 1, fig. 1). Prior to and

during NVUM implementation, R-10 personnel questioned whether the NVUM

sampling protocols were appropriate for Alaska because of the perceived types

and magnitude of recreation in R-10 national forests and challenges to recreation

sampling in Alaska (e.g., weather conditions, dispersed recreation settings, etc.).

On subsequent release of the recreation visit estimates for the first 2 years of

round 1, R-10 personnel questioned the veracity of the recreation use estimates

(Reed 2003). Region 10 personnel also expressed concerns about using the NVUM

data for characterizing recreation visits for resource planning and management

applications. One concern was whether the collected NVUM economic data suitably

measured the spending patterns of the unique types of recreation visitors (e.g.,

cruise ship passengers, fly-in cabin users, visitors on guided hunting and fishing

trips) to R-10 national forests.

After round 1 of NVUM was complete, R-10 initiated a research effort to

identify modifications to the NVUM sampling protocols that might result in better

measurement and characterization of R-10 recreation use. The first step in that research effort was to evaluate and review how the standard NVUM protocols were

implemented in R-10 national forests in round 1. The objectives of this paper are

to provide documentation of the round 1 NVUM implementation in R-10, provide

Table 1—Year of sampling in National Visitor Use Monitoring round 1, Region 10

Sample year Sample forest Ranger districts

Calendar year 2000 Tongass-Chatham Juneau,a Sitka, Admiralty Island

Fiscal year 2001 Chugach All districts

Fiscal year 2002 Tongass-Ketchikan Ketchikan-Misty,a Thorne Bay,a Craig

Fiscal year 2003 Tongass-Stikine Yakutat, Petersburg,a Wrangell, Hoonaha

a

 Because they were deemed to represent exit points for multiple units, some sites on this ranger

district are also included as sites of other Tongass sample forests.
2

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

a framework for analyses of NVUM implementation in other National Forest

System (NFS) regions and national forests, and serve as input to the development

of recommendations for modification to subsequent NVUM sampling in R-10.

Region 10 Recreation Setting

The Chugach NF, in south-central Alaska, and the Tongass NF, in southeast Alaska,

are the largest forests in the NFS (figs. 1 and 2). The Tongass NF includes nearly

17 million acres of land and ranges from sea level to more that 10,000 feet in

elevation (USDA FS 2005). The Chugach NF comprises 5.6 million acres and

extends more than 200 miles from its westernmost to easternmost point (USDA FS

1994). The R-10 national forests have limited road access, with the Tongass NF’s

road network being more limited than that found on the Chugach NF. The Chugach

NF has slightly more than 3,500 miles of shoreline, mostly within Prince William

Sound, and the Tongass NF has 17,500 miles of shoreline, much within Alaska’s

Figure 1—National Visitor Use Monitoring sample years, Tongass National Forest.
3

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Inside Passage (USDA FS 1994, 2005). Travel by boat or air is required to reach

much of the land area of both forests. Overland travel is made possible in some

areas via hiking and backpacking trails, allowing for recreation experiences that

range from short walks to multiple-day expeditions. Both forests are extremely

popular tourist destinations (Cerveny 2005, Colt et al. 2002) and offer visitors

unique recreation experiences, such as the opportunities to visit glaciers, view

brown bears, and stay overnight in remote recreation cabins accessible only by

boat or plane.

National Visitor Use Monitoring Program

The foundations of the NVUM program were initiated in 1996 as a pilot project

(Zarnoch et al. 2002) and officially implemented across the entire NFS starting

in calendar year 2000 (English et al. 2002). During NVUM round 1 (lasting from

January 2000 through September 2003), each national forest in the NFS underwent

NVUM sampling. We include a brief description of the NVUM program and

sampling approach; a more detailed description is available in English et al. (2002).

Under NVUM, recreation use is quantified in terms of “site visits” and “national forest visits.” A site visit is defined as “one person entering and exiting a

Figure 2—National forests in Alaska.
4

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

recreation site or area on a national forest for the purpose of recreation,” and a

national forest visit is defined as “one person entering and exiting a national forest

for the purpose of recreation” (English et al. 2002). In the course of a single

national forest visit, an individual may complete multiple site visits (e.g., an

individual recreating at two day-use sites during a single national forest visit or an

individual recreating in the undeveloped portion of a national forest and at a

campground during a single national forest visit). Based on NVUM round 1, the

NFS had 246 million site visits and 205 million national forest visits annually

(USDA FS 2004).

National Visitor Use Monitoring Sampling Approach

The NVUM sampling approach estimates recreation use by combining traffic

counts with information gathered via surveys of national forest visitors. Traffic

counts are completed for a 24-hour period, and visitor questionnaires are administered at selected interview sites on selected days (termed sample days) (see “Glossary” for definition of terms in bold) within individual national forests. Sample

days within a given national forest are selected via a stratified random sample from

the population of all possible interview sites and days (termed site days) identified

for that national forest.

Site days (and their subset sample days) are stratified by the type of recreation area (termed the site type) and by the expected level of last-exiting recreation

traffic (termed the use level). Four site types are recognized in the NVUM sampling protocol: day use developed sites (DUDS), overnight use developed sites

(OUDS), general forest area (GFA), and designated wilderness (WILD).1

 A detailed definition of the four site types can be found in English et al. (2002). In the

first round of NVUM, each site day was classified into one of four use levels (high,

medium, low, and closed) based on the expected level of last-exiting recreation

traffic. The levels of last-exiting recreation traffic that define use level categories

within specific site types are identified by recreation personnel for each national

forest. The combinations of site type and use level (e.g., DUDS-medium) form the

strata for the NVUM sample.

Visitation to some recreation sites (e.g., campgrounds, wilderness areas, etc.)

requires users to pay a fee, obtain a permit, or both. For some of these sites and

1

 A fifth site type, viewing corridors, is also included in the NVUM sampling protocols.

As recreation at these locations does not count as national forest recreation and the data

collected at viewing corridors were not available, these sites are not included in this review.

The NVUM sampling

approach estimates

recreation use by

combining traffic

counts with information gathered via

surveys of national

forest visitors.
5

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

areas, the amount of “traffic” at the site can be determined by a proxy such as fee

or permit data that is adjusted for noncompliance, and an NVUM traffic count is

not required. Under NVUM, these sites are termed proxy sites. At proxy sites,

proxy counts are combined with data obtained via visitor questionnaires to estimate

the recreation use. In NVUM round 1, proxy sites in R-10 included recreation

cabins, developed sites with permanent traffic counters installed (e.g., Fish Creek

Wildlife Observation Site), and campgrounds that require a fee (e.g., Russian River

Campground), among others. Proxy sites are classified into strata based on site type

(i.e., DUDS, OUDS, GFA, or WILD) and the type of proxy employed (e.g., a fee

envelope, a permit, etc.). Counts of traffic for the 24-hour sample period are not

required at proxy sites as the proxy provides a count of traffic at the site.

Estimates of recreation use in the various nonproxy and proxy strata (e.g.,

DUDS-medium, OUDS-fee envelope, etc.) are constructed from NVUM sampling

on a given national forest within the respective strata. The NVUM recreation use

estimate for that national forest is then developed by summing the estimates of use

(site visits and national forest visits) for all the nonproxy and proxy strata of the

forest. Regional and national estimates are computed, in turn, by aggregating the

visitation estimates of forests within a region and all forests in the Nation, respectively. In R-10, the individual sample forests of the Tongass were treated separately. The forest-wide recreation use estimate for the Tongass NF was computed

by summing the recreation use estimates for the individual Tongass sample forests.

Region 10 Interview Sites and Site Days

Personnel completing the NVUM prework on the sample forests in R-10 identified

621 interview sites. Thirty-seven of these interview sites were designated as “viewing corridors.” Under NVUM, recreation activity at viewing corridors is not considered national forest recreation use because the individuals are not on NFS land,

so the remaining 584 sites are considered the population of survey sites for this

review. Of these, 214 sites were proxy sites. Although the greatest number of

interview sites was established for the Tongass-Chatham sample forest (197), the

number of interview sites identified per sample forest was fairly uniform (table 2).

Nearly 40 percent (224) of the interview sites identified in R-10 (excluding

viewing corridor sites) were classified as GFA sites (table 2). The Tongass-Chatham

sample forest had the greatest number of sites classified as GFA (77), whereas the

Tongass-Stikine sample forest had the least (39). The OUDS sites were the next
6

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

most common site type (173 sites). The majority of these OUDS sites were overnight cabins located within the GFA. The Tongass sample forests identified 146

WILD sites. No WILD sites were identified on the Chugach NF because the forest

has no designated wilderness areas. The number of DUDS sites in R-10 is limited

compared to other forests in the NFS system and, accordingly, DUDS sites were

the least frequently identified site (41 sites).

Nearly 40,000 site days were classified into the high, moderate, and low use

levels (i.e., “open”) for proxy interview sites (table 3). The vast majority of these

open site days (32,330) were in the OUDS site type, which includes cabins located

in the GFA and campgrounds. In table 3, cabins are associated with the “special use

permit” proxy type. Because few of the proxy sites identified in R-10 were DUDS

sites, these sites accounted for the fewest open proxy site days. The TongassKetchikan and Chugach sample forests accounted for the greatest number of open

proxy site days, 11,209 and 10,590, respectively.

The population of all possible site days for the 370 nonproxy sites in R-10 was

slightly more than 135,000 (table 4). Approximately two-thirds of these site days

(almost 89,000) were classified into the high, medium, and low use levels (i.e.,

open). The remaining approximately 46,000 site days were classified into the

closed/no last-exiting use level. This ratio of open to closed site days for sample

forests in R-10 implies that at least one last-exiting recreationist is expected on 66

percent of all possible nonproxy site days. The Tongass-Chatham sample forest had

the greatest percentage of site days classified as open (78 percent), whereas the

Tongass-Ketchikan and Chugach sample forests had the lowest (54 and 55 percent,

respectively). The Tongass-Chatham sample forest classified 89 percent of site days

within the GFA site type as open. More than half of all the open nonproxy site days

in R-10 fall within the GFA low strata (47,496 site days) and more than half of

Table 2—Sites by sample forest and site typea

Sample forest DUDS GFA OUDS WILD Total

Tongass-Stikine 6 39 43 34 122

Tongass-Chatham 10 77 33 77 197

Tongass-Ketchikan 9 54 39 35 137

Chugach 16 54 58 0 128

Total 41 224 173 146 584

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA

= general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
7

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 3—Open site days for 214 proxy sites by sample forest, site type, and proxy type

Proxy type

Sample forest Daily Fee Fee Permanent Registration Special Toll

and site typea use record envelope receipts traffic counter forms use permit booth Total

Tongass-Stikine:

DUDS 0

OUDS 92 6,374 6,466

GFA 884 884

WILD 494 1,887 2,381

Total 92 1,378 8,261 9,731

Tongass-Chatham:

DUDS 0

OUDS 348 7,816 8,164

GFA 0

WILD 0

Total 348 7,816 8,164

Tongass-Ketchikan:

DUDS 99 122 221

OUDS 562 7,346 7,908

GFA 0

WILD 3,080 3,080

Total 562 99 122 10,426 11,209

Chugach:

DUDS 101 114 368 583

OUDS 1,773 127 7,717 22 153 9,792

GFA 215 215

WILD 0

Total 1,874 127 114 7,717 22 736 10,590

Region 10:

DUDS 101 213 122 368 804

OUDS 1,773 1,129 15,533 13,742 153 32,330

GFA 884 215 1,099

WILD 494 4,967 5,461

Total 1,874 1,129 213 122 16,911 18,709 736 39,694

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated

wilderness.
8

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 4—Site days for 370 nonproxy sites by sample forest, site type, and use level

Use level

Sample forest Total Total Percentage of

and site typea High Med Low open closed Total open site days

Tongass-Stikine: Percent

DUDS 170 152 891 1,213 977 2,190 55

OUDS 0 0 555 555 175 730 76

GFA 279 2,829 5,118 8,226 4,549 12,775 64

WILD 126 682 1,899 2,707 2,403 5,110 53

Total 575 3,663 8,463 12,701 8,104 20,805 61

Tongass-Chatham:

DUDS 275 946 1,040 2,261 1,399 3,660 62

OUDS 0 0 127 127 239 366 35

GFA 238 595 24,174 25,007 3,175 28,182 89

WILD 0 292 19,208 19,500 8,682 28,182 69

Total 513 1,833 44,549 46,895 13,495 60,390 78

Tongass-Ketchikan:

DUDS 47 277 1,263 1,587 968 2,555 62

OUDS 0 0 776 776 319 1,095 71

GFA 0 892 9,668 10,560 9,150 19,710 54

WILD 0 366 2,765 3,131 3,439 6,570 48

Total 47 1,535 14,472 16,054 13,876 29,930 54

Chugach:

DUDS 107 190 1,767 2,064 2,316 4,380 47

OUDS 0 0 143 143 222 365 39

GFA 824 1,697 8,536 11,057 8,288 19,345 57

WILD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 931 1,887 10,446 13,264 10,826 24,090 55

Region 10:

DUDS 599 1,565 4,961 7,125 5,660 12,785 56

OUDS 0 0 1,601 1,601 955 2,556 63

GFA 1,341 6,013 47,496 54,850 25,162 80,012 69

WILD 126 1,340 23,872 25,338 14,524 39,862 64

Total 2,066 8,918 77,930 88,914 46,301 135,215 66

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD =

designated wilderness.
9

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

these (24,174) were on with the Tongass-Chatham sample forest. In fact, the

Tongass-Chatham sample forest accounted for nearly 47,000 of all open site days

(52 percent) in R-10. There were slightly more than 13,000 open site days on the

Chugach NF, the majority within the GFA low strata (table 4).

Region 10 Sample Days

Sample days (sites and days where NVUM sampling was to occur) were selected

via a stratified random sample drawn by national-level NVUM personnel. A total

of 631 sample days were chosen to be surveyed in the first round of NVUM

sampling in R-10 (table 5). The number of sample days selected for each sample

forest ranged from 145 (Tongass-Ketchikan) to 175 (Tongass-Stikine). Differences

in the number of sample days selected for a given sample forest reflect the number

of strata and the number of proxy locations of the sample forest, the available

budget for that year, and the decisions of regional and national-level NVUM

personnel. Sample days at proxy sites accounted for 111 of the sample days in

R-10 (table 6). The majority of these (66) were selected for OUDS sites, many

of which were associated with R-10 dispersed area recreation cabins.

Of the 520 sample days selected for nonproxy sites, nearly half (241) were for

GFA sites (table 7). Slightly more than 50 nonproxy sample days were assigned to

GFA sites on the Tongass-Ketchikan and Tongass-Stikine sample forests and nearly

75 were assigned to the Tongass-Chatham sample forest. Because the Chugach NF

has no designated wilderness, those nonproxy sample days that would have been

used in the WILD strata were distributed to the other strata, increasing the number

of GFA sample days on the Chugach NF to 62. Because most of the OUDS sites

were in the proxy strata, just 39 nonproxy sample days were assigned to OUDS

strata—all within the “Low” use level.

Table 5—Sample days by forest and site type,a proxy and nonproxy sites

Sample forest DUDS OUDS GFA WILD Total

Tongass-Stikine 39 24 58 54 175

Tongass-Chatham 41 20 75 29 165

Tongass-Ketchikan 41 23 51 30 145

Chugach 42 38 66 0 146

Total 163 105 250 113 631

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA

= general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.

 A total of 631

sample days were

chosen to be surveyed in the first

round of NVUM

sampling in R-10.
10

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 6—Region 10 open proxy site days by sample forest, site type, and proxy type

Proxy type

Sample forest Daily Fee Fee Permanent Registration Special Toll

and site typea use record envelope receipts traffic counter forms use permit booth Total

Tongass- Stikine:

DUDS

OUDS 4 8 12

GFA 5 5

WILD 5 8 13

Total 4 10 16 30

Tongass-Chatham:

DUDS

OUDS 4 7 11

GFA

WILD

Total 4 7 11

Tongass-Ketchikan:

DUDS 4 4 8

OUDS 5 8 13

GFA

WILD 3 3

Total 5 4 4 11 24

Chugach:

DUDS 4 4 4 12

OUDS 8 4 8 6 4 30

GFA 4 4

WILD

Total 12 4 4 8 6 12 46

Region 10:

DUDS 4 8 4 4 20

OUDS 8 17 15 22 4 66

GFA 5 49

WILD 5 11 16

Total 12 17 8 4 25 33 12 111

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated

wilderness.
11

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 7—Region 10 sample days at nonproxy sites by sample forest, site

type, and use level

Use level

Sample forest Percentage

and site typea Highb Medb Low Total of total

Tongass-Stikine: Percent

DUDS 14 13 12 39 27

OUDS 12 12 8

GFA 14 25 14 53 37

WILD 13 15 13 41 28

Total 41 53 51 145 100

Tongass-Chatham:

DUDS 13 19 9 41 27

OUDS 9 9 6

GFA 15 22 38 75 49

WILD 12 17 29 19

Total 28 53 73 154 100

Tongass-Ketchikan:

DUDS 10 13 10 33 27

OUDS 10 10 8

GFA 25 26 51 42

WILD 13 14 27 22

Total 10 51 60 121 100

Chugach:

DUDS 10 10 10 30 30

OUDS 8 8 8

GFA 23 23 16 62 62

WILD n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Total 33 33 34 100 100

Region 10:

DUDS 47 55 41 143 28

OUDS 39 39 8

GFA 52 95 94 241 46

WILD 13 40 44 97 19

Total 112 190 218 520 100

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.

b

Cells that are blank indicate that no site days existed in the stratum.
12

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Region 10 Days Surveyed

Although the expectation is that all assigned NVUM sample days will be completed, just 564 (89 percent) of the assigned sample days were actually surveyed

in R-10 in round 1 (table 8). Of the 67 sample days missed, 14 were at proxy sites

and 53 at nonproxy sites (table 9). The Tongass-Chatham sample forest accounted

for the greatest number of missed sample days (34) while the Tongass-Stikine

sample forest had the least (4). The number of sample days missed in R-10 declined in the latter years of round 1. Sample days not completed because of weather

conditions are not included in these missed sample day counts. When the weather

precluded travel to the interview site, the affected sample day was taken as a “zero”

traffic day per NVUM protocol. Missed sample days result in fewer completed

surveys and traffic counts, decreasing the data available to characterize and estimate

recreation use.

Table 8—Days surveyed by sample forest and site typea

 Site type

Sample forest DUDS OUDS GFA WILD Total

Proxy sites:

Tongass-Stikine 0 12 5 12 29

Tongass-Chatham 0 11 0 0 11

Tongass-Ketchikan 5 13 0 3 21

Chugach 9 23 4 0 36

Total 14 59 9 15 97

Nonproxy sites:

Tongass-Stikine 39 12 50 41 142

Tongass-Chatham 37 8 54 21 120

Tongass-Ketchikan 33 10 48 26 117

Chugach 26 7 55 0 88

Total 135 37 207 88 467

Total 149 96 216 103 564

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.

Missed sample

days result in fewer

completed surveys

and traffic counts,

decreasing the data

available to characterize and estimate

recreation use.
13

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

In the available round 1 documentation, it is not possible to determine the

reasons why individual assigned sample days were not completed.2

 Additionally, in

aggregate, there is no definitive pattern in the distribution of missed sample days in

R-10 by month. However, more days were missed between August and December

than during other portions of the year (fig. 3).

The hours actually spent onsite counting traffic and conducting visitor interviews is key to adequate data collection and analysis. According to NVUM protocols, interviewers are to be onsite for 6 hours on each nonproxy sample day. No

predefined sample period length is established for proxy sites as the focus at these

sites is on conducting interviews and no traffic counts are completed. Of the 520

assigned nonproxy sample days, just 387 were sampled for the entire prescribed 6-

hour sample period (table 10). Forty-nine sample days were sampled for less than

the prescribed 6-hour period, and the length of time spent onsite was not recorded

2

 Several of the individuals assigned to complete NVUM surveying in R-10 had retired or

moved to other positions and could not be contacted to provide information on why sample

days were missed. Those individuals that could be contacted were generally unable to recall

the reason individual sample days were missed.

Table 9—Missed sample days by sample forest and site typea

Site type

Sample forest DUDS OUDS GFA WILD Total

Proxy:

Tongass-Stikine 0 0 0 1 1

Tongass-Chatham 0 0 0 0 0

Tongass-Ketchikan 3 0 0 0 3

Chugach 3 7 0 n/a 10

Total 6 7 0 1 14

Nonproxy:

Tongass-Stikine 0 0 3 0 3

Tongass-Chatham 4 1 21 8 34

Tongass-Ketchikan 0 0 3 1 4

Chugach 4 1 7 n/a 12

Total 8 2 34 9 53

Total 14 9 34 10 67

n/a = not applicable.

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
14

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Figure 3—Number of assigned sample days per month in Region 10, round 1.

Table 10—Region 10 daily survey hours at nonproxy sites

Sample forest 6 hr < 6 hr Not reported Missed

Tongass-Stikine:

Days 133 5 4 3

Percent 92 3 3 2

Tongass-Chatham:

Days 98 22 0 34

Percent 64 14 0 22

Tongass-Ketchikan:

Days 76 17 23 4

Percent 63 14 19 3

Chugach:

Days 80 5 4 12

Percent 79 5 4 12

Total:

Days 387 49 31 53

Percent 75 9 6 10
15

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

for 31 sample days. Again, 53 nonproxy sample days in R-10 in round 1 were

completely missed. There were no nonproxy sample days where more than 6 hours

was spent onsite. As interviewers are allowed to adjust the prescribed start and stop

times on a specific sample day to ensure that sampling is completed during daylight

hours and to accommodate travel to the site, short day length and transportation

issues should have had little influence on the ability to spend 6 hours onsite. On the

shortest days of the year during NVUM round 1, the minimum number of hours

between sunrise and sunset in Anchorage, Alaska, was approximately 5 1⁄2 hours

(U.S. Naval Observatory 2007). Short daylight periods likely had limited effect on

completing sample days as very few sample days were actually assigned during the

period of shortest daylight hours.

When assigned sample days were completed, the Chugach and Tongass-Stikine

sample forests had the least number of sample days (five each) with less than 6

hours spent onsite (table 10). The other two sample forests in R-10 had a combined

39 nonproxy sample days with less than the prescribed 6-hour period spent onsite.

The impacts on the ability to construct a reliable recreation use estimate and to

characterize recreation visits from incomplete sample days will likely be greatest on

these sample forests, although it is difficult to definitively determine these effects.

The hours spent onsite by sample forest and site type are shown in appendix 1.

Within strata, the greatest numbers of short sample days were at OUDS sites. This

likely occurred because interviewers erroneously left campground sample sites after

finding no campers at the site on the sample day.

Region 10 Response Rate and Completed Surveys

Under the NVUM protocols, every individual contacted and agreeing to be interviewed is asked a series of questions to ascertain if they are recreating at the site

and leaving for the last time on that day. Those at the recreation site for some nonrecreation purpose (e.g., “just passing through,” only using the restroom, etc.) and

those not leaving the recreation site that day are ineligible to complete an NVUM

survey. In all, 2,845 individuals were contacted during round 1 sampling in R-10.

Of those, 2,609 agreed to be interviewed, resulting in a refusal rate of just 8 percent. This refusal rate is based only on those individuals contacted. There are no

means via the round 1 data to definitively estimate the number of individuals who

saw the onsite survey station and chose not to stop. Of those agreeing to be interviewed, 806 were deemed ineligible or did not complete the survey for some other

reason. The total number of surveys completed by last-exiting recreation visitors in

R-10 in round 1 was 1,803 (table 11).
16

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

The greatest number of visitor surveys collected was on the Tongass-Chatham

sample forest (616) while the least number of visitor surveys collected was on the

Tongass-Stikine sample forest (221) (table 11). A total of 546 visitor surveys were

obtained on the Chugach NF, and 420 surveys were obtained on the TongassKetchikan sample forest. The average number of completed surveys per survey

day within strata ranged from 0.5 (Tongass-Stikine WILD sites) to 8.9 (TongassChatham DUDS sites) (table 12).

The fewest completed surveys by site type were obtained at WILD (74) and

OUDS (167) sites (table 11), and the most from DUDS sites (976)—representing

54 percent of all completed surveys. The Tongass-Stikine was the only sample forest where the greatest number of surveys was not collected at DUDS sites. Regionwide, the number of completed surveys per survey day was lowest at WILD sites

(0.7) and highest at DUDS sites (6.6) (table 12). The very low number of completed surveys per survey day at WILD sites indicates that those sites established

in round 1 were not effective in capturing exiting wilderness recreation users. This

may reflect the presence of few wilderness recreation users, wilderness interview

sites that were not well located, systematic problems in NVUM data collection in

R-10, or some combination.

The NVUM process involves three types of surveys, a “Basic” survey collecting

standard visit information, a “Basic-Economics” survey collecting economics data

including trip expenditures, and a “Basic Satisfaction” survey including questions

about the satisfaction and perceived quality of Forest Service facilities and resources. The Basic-Economics and Basic-Satisfaction surveys also contain the

questions in the Basic survey. When distributed to sample forests, the surveys are

Table 11—Number of surveys completed by site typea and sample forest

Sample forest DUDS OUDS GFA WILD Total

Tongass-Stikine 76 29 87 29 221

Tongass-Chatham 331 54 205 26 616

Tongass-Ketchikan 298 28 75 19 420

Chugach 271 56 219 n/a 546

Total 976 167 586 74 1,803

n/a = not applicable.

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites,

GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
17

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

presorted to reduce the potential for bias in the distribution of the supplemental

forms. Therefore, the forest has limited control in the numbers of each type of

survey completed. Across R-10, approximately 45 percent of the surveys completed

by respondents were “Basic” surveys (table 13), economic supplemental surveys

were 29 percent, and satisfaction supplemental surveys 26 percent of the completed

surveys.

Sampling Review by Recreation Feature and Setting

The R-10 national forests have a number of special recreation features. Some of

these features include DUDS sites that provide opportunities to explore glaciers,

visit culturally significant sites, or view wildlife; overnight cabins located in remote

areas of the forests offering once-in-a-lifetime recreation experiences for many

users; and the great extent of dispersed recreation settings accessible only by air,

boat, or foot travel. In some cases, it can be challenging to contact exiting visitors

in a reasonable and efficient manner who are using these recreation features and

settings. At some sites (e.g., recreation cabins or remote trailheads), it can be difficult or even infeasible to follow all of the standard NVUM protocols. In this

section, we review round 1 sampling for a number of different categories of recreation sites and interview settings related to the recreation resources of R-10 to

gauge the success of NVUM sampling at these sites and in capturing the dispersed

recreation in R-10.

The round 1 NVUM interview sites were reclassified into the following designations: air, boat, cabin, campground, trailheads, DUDS-general, OUDS-general,

Table 12—Average number of surveys collected per survey

day by site typea and sample forest

Sample forest DUDS OUDS GFA WILD

Tongass-Stikine 1.9 1.2 1.6 0.5

Tongass-Chatham 8.9 2.8 3.8 1.2

Tongass-Ketchikan 7.8 1.2 1.6 0.7

Chugach 7.7 1.9 3.7 n/a

Region 10 6.6 1.7 2.7 0.7

n/a = not applicable.

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed

sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
18

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

GFA-general, and WILD-general (table 14). Sites were placed into each designation according to the descriptive properties of the site name. For example, Wilson

Narrows Cabin was designated as a “cabin,” and Auke Bay Boat Harbor was designated as “boat.” As stated previously, 584 sites were identified as R-10 NVUM

sites and the randomly selected sample days occurred at 232 different sites. Boat

sites were the most common type of interview site reflecting the high number of

boat sites identified as NVUM sites in R-10 (table 15). Cabins and trailheads were

the next most frequently selected sites in round 1—39 and 35 sites, respectively.

Eighteen campground locations were sampled, with more campgrounds sampled

on the Chugach NF than on any other sample forest in R-10. The Tongass NF

contained the majority of air and boat sites sampled, 26 and 43, respectively. The

number of air and boat sites sampled in round 1 was fairly similar among the

Tongass sample forests. The Chugach NF had only two sites of each designation

Table 13—Region 10 surveys collected by site and survey typea

Sample forest DUDS GFA OUDS WILD Total

Tongass-Stikine:

Basic 3 11 1 0 15

Basic+Economics 53 51 15 17 136

Basic+Satisfaction 20 25 13 12 70

Tongass-Chatham:

Basic 176 115 29 12 332

Basic+ Economics 77 46 14 6 143

Basic+ Satisfaction 78 44 11 8 141

Tongass-Ketchikan:

Basic 108 34 8 3 153

Basic+ Economics 101 18 9 8 136

Basic+ Satisfaction 89 23 11 8 131

Chugach:

Basic 141 126 29 0 296

Basic+ Economics 63 39 14 0 116

Basic+ Satisfaction 67 54 13 0 134

Region 10:

Basic 428 286 67 15 796

Basic+ Economics 294 154 52 31 531

Basic+ Satisfaction 254 146 48 28 476

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites,

GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.

Boat sites were the

most common type

of interview site

reflecting the high

number of boat sites

identified as NVUM

sites in R-10.
19

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 14—Definitions of site categoriesa

Air Fixed-base operators, float plane docks, concessionaire offices, and

landing strips on nonnational forest land via which national forest

visitors can access remote forest locations.

Boat Site at which visitors can access remote forest locations via waterways.

Includes docks as well as boat launches and parking areas. Not all boat

sites are located on National Forest System (NFS) lands

Cabin Enclosed structure on NFS lands where recreationists can stay

overnight. Often in remote locations with no vehicle access.

Campground Designated campground at which visitors reside overnight.

Trailhead Site that serves as a starting point for hiking and backpacking trips.

DUDS- Day use developed sites not classified elsewhere at which visitors

general partake in a variety of activities. Can include, but is not limited to

picnic areas, visitor centers, viewing areas, parking areas, and fishing

areas.

OUDS- Overnight use developed sites not designated as a cabin or

general campground.

GFA- General forest area not classified elsewhere at which visitors can

general partake in a variety of activities (hiking, hunting, fishing, water sports,

etc.).

WILD- Designated wilderness area not classified elsewhere at which visitors

general can partake in or access a variety of activities in wilderness.

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest

area, and WILD = designated wilderness.

Table 15—Number of sites where NVUM sampling occurred by sample forest and site designation, a proxy and

nonproxy

Sample DUDS- OUDS- GFA- WILDforest Air Boat Cabin Campground Trailhead general general general general

TongassStikine 7 15 13 3 1 6 0 14 2

TongassChatham 8 17 6 4 12 7 0 2 0

TongassKetchikan 11 11 12 3 5 9 2 9 1

Chugach 2 2 8 8 17 11 0 4 0

 Total 28 45 39 18 35 33 2 29 3

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated

wilderness.
20

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

sampled in round 1. Appendix 2 identifies the designation, number of surveys

completed, and number of assigned sample days for every selected interview

location in R-10.

The DUDS-general sites accounted for the greatest number of completed

visitor surveys (976 surveys) (table 16). The next greatest number of surveys was

completed at GFA-general sites (219 surveys). On average, approximately seven

completed surveys were obtained on every DUDS-general survey day in R-10 in

round 1—approximately double that collected per survey day at any other type of

interview site (table 17). The GFA-general sites yielded slightly more than three

surveys per survey day. Trailhead sites yielded approximately three completed

surveys per survey day, and air sites and cabin sites yielded approximately 1.3

interviews per survey day. Wilderness sites not classified elsewhere, and boat sites

were the least efficient sites in terms of numbers of surveys collected per survey

day (0.6 and 1.1, respectively).

Surveys at Designated Cabin Sites

Thirty-nine cabins (28 in the OUDS site type and 11 in the WILD site type) were

represented in the sample day random draws (table 18).3

 The number of cabins

surveyed on each sample forest was relatively uniform.4

 In total, 59 surveys were

collected from visitors to R-10 cabins (table 19). Of the 59 cabin surveys, 33 (56

percent) were obtained from OUDS cabin users and 26 (44 percent) from WILD

cabin users. Attempts to complete surveys at 14 of the chosen cabin survey sites

yielded no completed surveys. Most of the surveys completed by cabin users were

either Basic-Economics or Basic-Satisfaction surveys (table 19). The distribution

of survey type indicates that R-10 interviewers made efforts to have those few

cabin users who were sampled complete the economic or satisfaction supplemental

surveys. In this case, this nonrandom distribution of surveys allowed for more data

to be collected from cabin users than may have otherwise been collected; this likely

did not introduce significant bias because surveys were not necessarily distributed

differentially within the cabin user population.

3

 In the latter years of round 1, the standard NVUM protocols were modified to allow R-10

personnel to contact by phone individuals who had recreated at cabins other than those

identified on the sample day.

4

 In round 1, cabins located in the Admiralty Island National Monument (in the TongassChatham sample forest), which is a wilderness area, were not listed as cabin proxy sites.
21

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 16—Number of surveys collected by sample forest, survey type, and site designation, a proxy and nonproxy

Sample forest and Camp- DUDS- OUDS- GFA- WILDsurvey type Air Boat Cabin ground Trailhead general general general general TotalTongass-Stikine:

Basic 0 7 0 1 0 3 0 4 0 15Basic+Economics 0 15 17 6 11 53 0 33 1 136Basic+Satisfaction 0 5 15 6 5 20 0 17 2 70

Total 0 27 32 13 16 76 0 54 3 221

Tongass-Chatham:

Basic 49 14 3 32 14 176 0 44 0 332Basic+Economics 24 6 0 16 6 77 0 14 0 143Basic+Satisfaction 24 8 0 13 6 78 0 12 0 141

Total 97 28 3 61 26 331 0 70 0 616

Tongass-Ketchikan:

Basic 4 6 1 1 7 108 6 20 0 153Basic+Economics 6 0 10 1 6 101 4 8 0 136Basic+Satisfaction 9 0 8 0 7 89 6 11 0 130

Total 19 6 19 2 20 298 16 39 0 419

Chugach:

Basic 0 25 3 26 70 141 0 31 0 296Basic+Economics 0 7 1 13 21 63 0 11 0 116Basic+Satisfaction 0 9 1 12 31 67 0 14 0 134

Total 0 41 5 51 122 271 0 56 0 546

Region 10:

Basic 53 52 7 60 91 428 6 99 0 796Basic+Economics 30 28 28 36 44 294 4 66 1 531Basic+Satisfaction 33 22 24 31 49 254 6 54 2 475

Total 116 102 59 127 184 976 16 219 3 1,802

a DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
22

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 17—Number of survey days and surveys collected by site designation, a proxy and nonproxy sites

DUDS- OUDS- GFA- WILDAir Boat Cabin Campground Trailhead general general general general

Survey days 86 89 43 61 61 149 5 65 5

Total surveys

collected 116 102 59 127 184 976 16 219 3

Surveys per

survey day 1.3 1.1 1.4 2.1 3.0 6.6 3.2 3.4 0.6

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated

wilderness.

Table 18—Number of sampled cabin sites by

site typea and sample forest

Sample forest OUDS WILD

Tongass-Stikine 7 6

Tongass-Chatham 6 0

Tongass-Ketchikan 7 5

Chugach 8 0

Total 28 11

a

 OUDS = overnight use developed sites WILD =

designated wilderness.

Table 19—Number of surveys collected at cabin sites by sample forest and survey

type

Site typea and Basic+ Basic+

sample forest Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

OUDS:

Tongass-Stikine 0 9 7 16

Tongass-Chatham 3 0 0 3

Tongass-Ketchikan 1 4 4 9

Chugach 3 1 1 5

Total 7 14 12 33

Wilderness:

Tongass-Stikine 0 8 8 16

Tongass-Chatham 0 0 0 0

Tongass-Ketchikan 0 6 4 10

Chugach n/a n/a n/a n/a

Total 0 14 12 26

Total 7 28 24 59

n/a = not applicable.

a

 OUDS = overnight use developed sites.
23

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Surveys at Designated Air Sites

Interview sites were established at airstrips, float plane docks, and fixed-base

operators (FBOs) located on nonnational forest land, air carriers offering backcountry transport, and concessionaire air carriers offering flightseeing tours operated under NFS special use permit in an effort to capture visitors exiting the

dispersed areas of the R-10 national forests. Twenty-eight air sites were included in

the random draw of sample days (table 20). These air sites were evenly divided

between the GFA and WILD site types. The Tongass-Ketchikan had the greatest

number of air sites sampled (11), and the Chugach NF had the least (2). Five of the

sampled air sites were proxy sites. Just six of the 28 air sites yielded completed

visitor surveys—suggesting there are substantial problems with sampling national

forest visitors at air travel locations. In all, 116 surveys were collected from these

six air sites (table 21). The vast majority (97, or 84 percent) of these surveys were

collected on the Tongass-Chatham sample forest (table 21). The remaining surveys

(19, or 16 percent) were collected from Tongass-Ketchikan sample forest. No

surveys were collected at air sites on the Tongass-Stikine sample forest or Chugach

NF. Of the 116 surveys collected, 108 (93 percent) were collected at GFA air sites,

and 8 (7 percent) at WILD air sites (table 21). All of the surveys collected at WILD

air sites were from the Tongass-Ketchikan sample forest.

Surveys at Boat Sites

Believing that individuals returning by boat from recreating in the dispersed areas

of the forest could be intercepted at harbors and boat ramps, individuals completing prework on sample forests in R-10 identified a number of these locations as

GFA and WILD sites. Although some of these boat sites were located on NFS

Table 20—Number of sampled designated

air sites by site typea and sample forest

Sample forest GFA WILD

Tongass-Stikine 2 5

Tongass-Chatham 5 3

Tongass-Ketchikan 5 6

Chugach 2 n/a

 Total 14 14

n/a = not applicable.

a

 OUDS = overnight use developed sites, WILD =

designated wilderness.
24

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

lands, most were not. Boat sites represented 21 percent of all sites and a little more

than one-third of the nonproxy sites in R-10 in round 1. Because they represent

a significant component of the sites in round 1, the efficacy of the boat sites will

impact the reliability of the R-10 sample forest use estimates and the utility of the

visitor survey data obtained in round 1.

In total, 89 round 1 sample days were completed at 45 boat sites. These sample

days resulted in 494 contacts. Fifty-two (11 percent) of the individuals contacted

refused to be interviewed. Of those agreeing to be interviewed, just 23 percent

(102) reported themselves as last-exiting national forest recreationists—making

them eligible to fully complete an NVUM survey (table 22). More than one-third

of the completed surveys (38) resulted from contacts made at a single boat ramp,

Eyak boat ramp, located on NFS land on the Chugach NF. Excluding the Eyak

boat ramp sample days, the 85 remaining sample days at boat sites yielded 64

complete visitor surveys from last-exiting recreationists from 450 contacts. This

last-exiting visitor percentage of 14 percent is quite low compared to the 69 percent last-exiting visitor percentage (total contacts to completed surveys) found

across R-10 in round 1.

Table 21—Number of surveys collected at air sites by sample forest and survey

type

Site typea

 and Basic+ Basic+

sample forest Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

GFA:

Tongass-Stikine 0 0 0 0

Tongass-Chatham 49 24 24 97

Tongass-Ketchikan 2 4 5 11

Chugach 0 0 0 0

Total 51 28 29 108

Wilderness:

Tongass-Stikine 0 0 0 0

Tongass-Chatham 0 0 0 0

Tongass-Ketchikan 2 2 4 8

Chugach n/a n/a n/a n/a

Total 2 2 4 8

Total 53 30 33 116

n/a = not applicable.

a

 GFA = general forest area.
25

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 22—Surveys completed at boat sites

Sample forest GFAa Wilderness Total

Tongass-Stikine 20 6 26

Tongass-Chatham 2 26 28

Tongass-Ketchikan 6 1 7

Chugach 41 n/a 41

 Total 69 33 102

n/a = not applicable.

a

 GFA = general forest area.

As the boat sites in R-10 were typically not located on NFS land, interviewers

were dependent on respondents to self-identify whether they were indeed a national

forest visitor (i.e., if the respondent entered national forest land for the purpose of

recreation). Of those fully completing NVUM surveys at boat sites (i.e., those that

were presumably national forest visitors) and reporting a primary activity, nearly

half reported that their primary recreation activity was fishing (table 23). Only

three of these fishing respondents also reported participating in an activity during

their recreation trip that is typically land-based (e.g., hiking, camping, hunting,

Table 23—Reported primary activities of

Region 10 boat site respondents

Number of

Primary activity respondents

Camping 2

Resort (cabin use) 1

Viewing wildlife 2

Viewing nature 11

General/relaxing 6

Fishing 32

Hunting 2

Snowmobile use 1

Hiking 5

Biking 1

Nonmotorized water recreation 4

Gatheringa 1

a

 Subsistence gatherers contacted in the course of

NVUM sampling self-reported whether they were

“recreating” or “working.” Some subsistence

hunters will not be counted as recreation visits.
26

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

backpacking, gathering, etc.). Short of these fishing respondents boating through

ocean areas to fish inland lakes and streams on NFS land, it is not definitive that

they were truly national forest recreation visitors. Of the nonfishing boat site respondents, 10 reported a land-based primary recreation activity that would clearly

represent a national forest visit—assuming the activity was on NFS land. Five of

the respondents reported hiking, two reported camping, and single respondents

reported cabin use, biking, and gathering. The remaining boat site respondents

reported primary activities such as nonmotorized water recreation, viewing nature,

viewing wildlife, and general/relaxing—recreation activities that would not necessarily occur on land.

Sampling by Month

Although highly seasonal in the number of travelers (Cerveny 2005, Colt et al.

2002), Alaska national forests offer recreation opportunities year-round. Examination of the seasonal distribution of the NVUM sample allows for assessment of the

extent to which the sample may be representative of recreation use throughout the

year. The pattern of sample days by month is normally distributed with the greatest

number of sample days chosen in the summer months of June, July, and August

(fig. 4). This is fairly reasonable considering Alaska’s climate, the traditional

summer tourist season, and the resulting stratification of site days in the prework.

Slightly more than 100 sample days occurred each month during June, July, and

August. Both proxy and nonproxy locations follow a similar distribution with the

majority of sample days completed in the summer months. The fewest numbers of

sample days occurred in January, February, and March—with just more than 10

sample days selected in each month.

The number of surveys collected by month is consistent with the distribution

of sample days by month (fig. 5). The majority of surveys were collected during

the traditional tourist summer season—with more than 300 surveys collected in

each month from May through August. More than 400 surveys were collected in

July. A very limited number of surveys were collected in November and December.

Individuals recreating on the forest in the winter months are more likely to be

Alaska residents than nonresidents. The limited numbers of completed surveys in

these months likely decrease the sample size from which one could estimate the

characteristics of local resident visitor groups. The number of surveys collected by

sample forest and survey type on a monthly basis is available in appendix 3.

Slightly more than

100 sample days

occurred each

month during June,

July, and August.
27

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Figure 4—Region 10 missed sample days by month, proxy and nonproxy sites, round 1.

Figure 5—Number of surveys collected by month at proxy and nonproxy sites in Region 10,

round 1.

Analysis of Expansion Weights

The NVUM national forest expansion weights assigned to individual survey

cases allow for estimation of the recreation visit characteristics.5

5

 The spending characteristics of recreation visitors are estimated via “exposure

weights” rather than the NVUM national forest expansion weights. The NVUM

national forest expansion weights are used in describing such things as activity

participation, demographics, and visitor origin.
28

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

These expansion weights reflect the amount of recreation use that each individual

survey case represents. For example, if a survey case has a national forest expansion

weight of 250, the characteristics of that interviewed user will represent the characteristics of 250 national forest visits. Examination of these weights allows for

identification of groups of individual survey cases interviewed at particular sites

that have disproportionate influence on the estimation of recreation visit characteristics (e.g., activity participation, demographics, etc.).

Individuals sampled at GFA sites have the greatest collective sum of expansion

weights in R-10 (1.5 million) (tables 24–27). High total GFA expansion weights

are common throughout the NFS as the total annual visit estimates for the GFA

strata are generally greater than other strata. Within the GFA site type in R-10,

boat site survey cases had the greatest collective expansion weight (approximately

587,000) (table 24). This high collective weight reflects the high volume of traffic

at these sites and the high number of site days classified as open for boat sites in

round 1. The collective expansion weight of individuals sampled at DUDS sites

is also greater than 1 million, with the majority of this collective weight being

associated with DUDS-general sites (table 24). Individuals sampled at WILD sites

had a collective sum of weights of slightly more than 211,000 while OUDS sites

have a collective expansion weight of approximately 68,000 (tables 26 and 27).

Because very few recreating individuals were sampled at boat sites, the average

national forest expansion weight for individual GFA boat site respondents is approximately 7,300 (table 25). This average individual expansion weight means that

each GFA boat case (and the characteristics of that visit) represents 7,300 recreation visits, on average. Only respondents sampled at WILD trailheads have a

similarly high average expansion weight. For comparison, most other respondents

have individual case weights in the hundreds. As such, those recreationists sampled

at GFA boat sites and WILD trailheads have a greater influence over the estimated

characteristics of R-10 national forest recreation than individuals sampled at other

sites. This is cause for concern as the estimated visit characteristics for the Alaska

national forests could be influenced by the inclusion or exclusion of a handful of

cases sampled at these two types of sites.
29

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 24—Descriptive statistics of national forest visit expansion

weights for day use developed sites (DUDS) by site designation

Trailheads DUDS-general DUDS-all

Sum of weights 24,444 1,178,437 1,202,881

Sample size 41 939 980

Mean 596 1,260 1,232

Median 560 799 799

Mode 560 118 118

Standard deviation 368 1,335 1,316

Minimum 25 29 25

Maximum 1,249 7,556 7,556

Table 25—Descriptive statistics of national forest visit expansion weights for

general forest area (GFA) sites by site designation

Air Boat Trailheads GFA-general GFA-all

Sum of weights 202,515 587,777 226,329 520,217 1,536,839

Sample size 112 80 170 215 577

Mean 1,808 7,347 1,331 2,420 2,663

Median 17 1,726 919 980 919

Mode 17 919 463 980 919

Standard deviation 6,191 9,541 1,712 4,572 5,677

Minimum 4 556 46 131 4

Maximum 25,636 25,636 6,391 25,636 25,636

Table 26—Descriptive statistics of national forest visit expansion weights for

overnight use developed sites (OUDS) by site designation

Cabin Campground OUDS-general OUDS-all

Sum of weights 21,281 40,988 6,295 68,564

Sample size 78 72 17 167

Mean 276 569 370 413

Median 168 355 323 168

Mode 168 473 323 168

Standard deviation 446 784 172 615

Minimum 3 1 29 1

Maximum 2,403 2,426 638 2,426
30

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Selected Recommendations for National Visitor Use

Monitoring Implementation

Several recommendations for subsequent NVUM implementation that arose from

this review of R-10 round 1 are described below. A complete set of recommendations for subsequent NVUM implementation in R-10 is documented in a separate

report available from the authors.

Use Level Classification

Region 10 forests identified a very large number of site days as open (calendar days

with use levels classified as low, medium, or high) in round 1 compared to other

similar forests (White and Wilson 2007). Many of these open sample days may

have been more appropriately classified into the “no last exiting use/closed” use

level. Classifying days as open that should be classified as closed (because the site is

inaccessible or recreation use is negligible) in round 1 likely increased the number

of survey days when no exiting traffic was intercepted and inflated the variance of

the resulting recreation use estimates. When completing the NVUM prework in

subsequent years, forest personnel should place greater emphasis on classifying site

days into the no exiting use/closed use level when appropriate. Those individuals

completing the prework should consider whether one would reasonably expect at

least one last-exiting recreationist at the specific interview location on the calendar

day under consideration. When the reasonable answer is “no,” these days should be

classified as no exiting use/closed. In addition, days when the site is administratively closed or typically inaccessible should also be classified as no exiting use/

closed.

Table 27—Descriptive statistics of national forest visit expansion weights for designated

wilderness (WILD) sites by site designation

WILD- WILDAir Boat Cabin Trailheads general all

Sum of weights 2,617 2,611 27,579 177,545 1,208 211,561

Sample size 8 9 27 25 3 72

Mean 327 290 1,021 7,102 403 2,938

Median 434 177 47 1,556 483 338

Mode 434 89 47 1,556 483 47

Standard deviation 198 288 5,021 9,543 139 7,033

Minimum 6 59 7 195 242 6

Maximum 434 922 26,144 26,144 483 26,144

Forest personnel

should place greater

emphasis on classifying site days into

the no exiting use/

closed use level

when appropriate.
31

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Incomplete Sample Days

In round 1, R-10 sample forests missed 67 assigned sample days. These missed

sample days do not include assigned sample days when weather conditions precluded interviewers from traveling to the NVUM site. In addition, 49 nonproxy

sample days were surveyed for less than the prescribed 6 hours. In subsequent

years, R-10 interviewers could work to minimize the number of sample days

missed or not surveyed for the prescribed length of time. If sample days are missed

in subsequent NVUM sample years, it would be useful to document the reasons for

missed sample days. This would aid in future reviews of NVUM implementation

and in the identification of systematic issues leading to missed sample days and any

potential bias introduced in the sample as a result of missed sample days. A number

of the nonproxy sample days not surveyed for the entire length of time occurred at

OUDS sites. Interviewers may have left these sites when they found no campers

recreating at the site. However, as interviewers should contact anyone exiting the

recreation site (recreationists and nonrecreationists) and should interview recreationists that may exit the campground even after taking part only in day-use activities, interviewers should remain onsite at OUDS nonproxy locations for the entire

prescribed 6-hour period.

Air and Boat Sites

Air and boat sites were identified in the NVUM round 1 implementation in R-10

to intercept national forest recreation visitors that had recreated in the dispersed

recreation settings of the forest. However, ultimately these sites yielded very few

completed surveys from last-exiting recreationists. The effectiveness of boat sites

was particularly poor as traffic volumes were very high but few contacted individuals actually reported that they were national forest recreationists. Of those claiming

to have recreated on NFS land, a limited number actually reported a recreation

activity that was definitively land-based—indicating that many of these presumed

national forest recreationists may have not actually recreated on NFS lands.

In subsequent NVUM sampling years, sample forests should largely discontinue identifying boat harbors and docks on nonnational forest lands as NVUM

sites. Boat docks on or adjacent to NFS land should continue to be identified as

NVUM sites, as recreating individuals on NFS boat docks are clearly NFS recreation visitors and those using ramps near NFS land are more likely to be national

forest recreationists. Although air sites also yielded a limited number of national

forest recreationists, sampling at these sites is not complicated by the same factors
32

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

as boat site sampling (e.g., high traffic volumes from individuals not recreating on

the national forest). In subsequent years, R-10 sample forests should continue

sampling at air sites. This sampling could be made more effective by establishing

agreements on interviewer access with the air carriers, FBOs, and concessionaires

prior to the start of the sample year.

Tongass National Forest Sampling Units

Owing to its size, the Tongass NF was split into three units for NVUM sampling in

round 1. There were no findings in the review of round 1 to indicate that the split

of the Tongass NF resulted in poor data collection, recreation use estimation, or

visit characterization. However, the round 1 Tongass sample forest boundaries are

not intuitive, particularly the Tongass-Stikine sample forest, which includes ranger

districts in both the southern and northern portions of the national forest (table 1,

fig. 1). For logistical convenience and ease of interpretation, it is likely advantageous to split the forest into just two sample forests, north and south, in subsequent

years, with the dividing line north of the Petersburg Ranger District.

In round 1 there was an average of 162 sample days per Tongass sample forest. Splitting the Tongass NF into just two sample forests would likely require an

increase in the number of sample days occurring in a given sample year to maintain

the relatively high sampling rates that occurred in R-10 in round 1. This would

likely increase the annual cost of NVUM sampling in the Tongass NF sample years.

However, the actual cost of NVUM sampling is difficult to determine until the

prework calendar is developed and the sample is drawn. Although the annual costs

of NVUM implementation may increase in NVUM sampling years, there would be

no costs for a third year of Tongass sampling that would no longer be required.

Establishment of Additional Proxy Sites

Because a traffic count already exists for proxy sites, sampling is needed only to

characterize the visits to these sites and to gather information to convert the proxy

count to a visit estimate. Proxy sites reduce the number of sample days required to

estimate a given component of recreation use and result in more certainty in the

visit estimate, all else being equal. In completing NVUM prework, forests should

ensure that they have classified all locations with an NVUM-acceptable known

traffic count as proxy sites. In addition, Begich, Boggs Visitor Center on the

Chugach NF and the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center “complex” (visitor center,

parking lot, and approach road) on the Tongass NF should be converted from
33

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

nonproxy to proxy sites via installation of permanent traffic counters. Because in

round 1 these sites were frequently the only locations on the sample forest classified as DUDS-high use, 37 sample days were required to estimate the recreation

use associated with these sites. The conversion of these sites to proxy sites will

reduce the number of sample days required for these sites.

Framework for Future National Visitor Use

Monitoring Reviews

Formal review of the implementation of NVUM sampling in specific NFS regions

or national forests has been limited. Such reviews can be used to improve subsequent forest implementations and identify potential opportunities to revise the

standard NVUM protocols. The review conducted here can serve as a framework

for the completion of such reviews. Initial review steps should examine NVUM

prework implementation such as site identification and site day classification.

Although not available for this review, spatial analyses of NVUM interview sites

and site days may provide some insight into the spatial distribution of the NVUM

population. The implementation of NVUM sample days themselves can be reviewed with particular focus on identifying within NVUM strata any missed sample

days or short nonproxy sample days not surveyed for the prescribed NVUM survey

period. Traffic counts, the numbers of contacts and completed visitor surveys, the

response rate, number of completed surveys per sample day, and the distribution of

survey types can also be reviewed within strata. The seasonal and spatial distribution of assigned sample days and visitor interviews can assist in gauging the degree

to which the NVUM sample is likely representative of the population.

Moving below the level of the NVUM sampling strata, NVUM implementation

(e.g., site day classification, completion of sample days, traffic counts, number of

visitor surveys, etc.) at individual sites can be reviewed to examine site-specific

sampling issues. Comparison of expected levels of exiting traffic (as identified by

the use-level designation) with the observed traffic and completed interview counts

can help in site day classification for subsequent NVUM sampling. In examining

NVUM implementation at specific sites, recall that recreation use estimates and

visit characteristics are not intended to be reliable at the individual site level and

should not be examined at this fine level. Although not completed in this review,

interviews with forest NVUM coordinators and interviewers can also provide additional insight into specific issues related to NVUM implementation on the forest or
34

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

in the region. At the forest level, the personnel responsible for NVUM implementation often change between sampling rounds; documenting these observations can be

useful for subsequent sampling.

Conclusions

This review of the round 1 NVUM implementation in R-10 documents the

implementation and serves as input to the development of recommendations

for subsequent NVUM sampling in R-10. It also provides a framework for reviewing NVUM implementation in other forests and regions and comparing

NVUM implementation across forests or regions. Based on this review, there

are a number of opportunities to increase the extent to which the standard NVUM

protocols are followed in R-10. Additionally, some changes to the standard NVUM

protocols (e.g., establishing a third daily sampling period to accommodate extended

daylight periods in summer in Alaska) are warranted in R-10. Despite challenges

to measuring recreation use in R-10, the recommendations for subsequent NVUM

sampling in Alaska as a result of this review and other analyses will likely improve

the utility and increase the confidence of users in the effectiveness of NVUM

sampling in R-10.

Glossary

prework—The activities conducted by personnel on the sample forests prior to

actual survey sampling, including site identification and development of the site

day calendar.

sample day—A site and date selected by stratified random sample when NVUM

sampling should occur. Not all sample days were completed in R-10 (see also

“survey day”).

sample forest—The individual forests or forest units within Region 10 (R-10) that

were sampled separately. The four sample forests in R-10 in round 1 were the

Chugach, Tongass-Stikine, Tongass-Chatham and Tongass-Ketchikan.

site—A location at which surveys and traffic counts may be conducted.

site days—The population of all possible sites and days on a national forest.

strata—The combination of site type and use level for nonproxy sites and site type

and proxy type for proxy sites.
35

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

site type—Site type designations are day use developed sites (DUDS), overnight

use developed sites (OUDS), wilderness (WILD), general forest areas (GFA), and

viewing corridors.

survey day—The subset of sample days when NVUM surveys were actually

administered at a specific recreation site on a specific day (see also “sample day”).

Acknowledgments

We thank Lee Cerveny, Rickard H. Hokans, Keith D. Stockmann, and Stanley J.

Zarnoch for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this report. We also

appreciate the assistance of Sue Kocis, Donald B.K. English, and Region 10

personnel in providing documentation and data in support of this review.

Metric Equivalents

When you know: Multiply by: To find:

Feet (ft) 0.305 Meters

Miles (mi) 1.609 Kilometers

Acres (ac) .405 Hectares

References

Cerveny, L.K. 2005. Tourism and its effects on southeast Alaska communities and

resources: case studies from Haines, Craig, and Hoonah, Alaska. Res. Pap.

PNW-RP-566. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,

Pacific Northwest Research Station. 147 p.

Colt, S.; Martin, S.; Mieren, J.; Tomeo, M. 2002. Recreation and tourism in

south-central Alaska: patterns and prospects. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-551.

Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 78 p.

English, D.B.K.; Kocis, S.M.; Zarnoch, S.J.; Arnold, J.R. 2002. Forest Service

National Visitor Use Monitoring process: research method documentation. Res.

Pap. SRS-57. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,

Southern Research Station. 14 p.

Reed, P. 2003. A review of year 2000 and 2001 National Visitor Use Monitoring

estimates for Region 10, final report. Unpublished report. On file with: Pat

Reed, 3301 C Street, Suite 202, Anchorage, AK 99503.
36

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service [USDA FS]. 1994. Chugach

National Forest [national forest map]. R10-RG-77. [Place of publication

unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service [USDA FS]. 2004. National

forest visitor use monitoring program—national project results—January 2000

through September 2003. 12 p. http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/nvum/

national_report_final_draft.pdf. (5 April 2007).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service [USDA FS]. 2005. Tongass

National Forest [national forest map]. R10-RG-164. [Place of publication

unknown]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department [U.S. Naval

Observatory]. 2007. Sun or moon rise/set table for one year. http://

aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html. (27 August 2007).

White, E.M.; Wilson, J.B. 2007. Review of the round 1 National Visitor Use

Monitoring implementation: a comparative analysis of Region 10 and Region 2,

final report. Unpublished report. On file with: Eric White, 3200 SW Jefferson

Way, Corvallis, OR 97331.

Zarnoch, S.J.; Kocis, S.M.; Cordell, H.K.; English, D.B.K. 2002. A pilot

sampling design for estimating outdoor recreation site visits on the national

forests. Res. Pap. SRS-29. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 20 p.
37

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Appendix 1: Nonproxy Site Survey Hours by

Sample Forest, Site Type, and Use Level

Table 28—Tongass-Stikine nonproxy sample days by onsite hours, site

type,a and use level

Use level

Site type and Percentage

site hours High Med Low Total of total

Percent

DUDS:

6 hr 14 13 11 38 97

< 6 hr 0 0 1 1 3

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

GFA:

6 hr 14 20 11 45 84

< 6 hr 0 1 1 2 4

Not

reported 0 2 1 3 6

Missed 0 2 1 3 6

OUDS:

6 hr 0 0 12 12 92

< 6 hr 0 0 1 1 8

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

WILD:

6 hr 12 15 12 39 94

< 6 hr 1 0 0 1 2

Not

reported 0 0 1 1 2

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
38

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 29—Tongass-Chatham nonproxy sample days by onsite hours, site

type,a and use level

Use level

Site type and Percentage

site hours High Med Low Total of total

Percent

DUDS:

6 hr 10 14 7 31 75

< 6 hr 2 3 1 6 15

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 1 2 1 4 10

GFA:

6 hr 9 15 22 46 60

< 6 hr 5 1 3 9 12

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 1 6 14 21 28

OUDS:

6 hr 0 0 6 6 67

< 6 hr 0 0 2 2 22

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 0 1 1 11

WILD:

6 hr 0 7 8 15 53

< 6 hr 0 2 3 5 18

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 3 5 8 29

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA

= general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
39

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 30—Tongass-Ketchikan nonproxy sample days by onsite hours, site

type,a and use level

Use level

Site type and Percentage

site hours High Med Low Total of total

Percent

DUDS:

6 hr 10 11 9 30 91

< 6 hr 0 1 1 2 6

Not

reported 0 1 0 1 3

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

GFA:

6 hr 0 9 21 30 60

< 6 hr 0 3 1 4 8

Not

reported 0 11 2 13 26

Missed 0 2 1 3 6

OUDS:

6 hr 0 0 4 4 40

< 6 hr 0 0 5 5 50

Not

reported 0 0 1 1 10

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

WILD:

6 hr 0 5 7 12 44

< 6 hr 0 3 3 6 22

Not

reported 0 5 3 8 30

Missed 0 0 1 1 4

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
40

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 31—Chugach nonproxy sample days by onsite hours, site type,a and

use level

Use level

Site type and Percentage

site hours High Med Low Total of total

Percent

DUDS:

6 hr 10 6 10 26 87

< 6 hr 0 0 0 0 0

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 4 0 4 13

GFA:

6 hr 21 21 9 51 81

< 6 hr 1 1 1 3 5

Not

reported 0 1 1 2 3

Missed 1 1 5 7 11

OUDS:

6 hr 0 0 4 4 45

< 6 hr 0 0 2 2 22

Not

reported 0 0 2 2 22

Missed 0 0 1 1 11

WILD:

6 hr 0 0 0 0 0

< 6 hr 0 0 0 0 0

Not

reported 0 0 0 0 0

Missed 0 0 0 0 0

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA =

general forest area, and WILD = designated wilderness.
41

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

Chugach CRD Cabin Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

CRD Childs Glacier

Campground OUDS Campground FE4 0 0 0

CRD Childs Glacier/Million

$$ Bridg DUDS DUDS-other 10 3 1

CRD Cordova Air Office GFA Air 0 0 3

CRD Eyak Boat Launch GFA Boat 38 7 4

CRD Eyak River Trailhead GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

CRD Green Island Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 0 0 1

CRD Mile 10 Copper

River Hwy GFA GFA-general 22 5 1

CRD Mile 22 DUDS DUDS-general 3 1 2

CRD One Eyed Pond DUDS DUDS-general 2 1 2

GRD Alder Pond Fishing

Area DUDS DUDS-general 10 2 2

GRD Alpine Air GFA Air 0 0 0

GRD Begich, Boggs

Visitor Center Si DUDS DUDS-general 161 39 12

GRD Black Bear

Campground OUDS Campground DUR4 0 0 0

GRD Byron Glacier

Trailhead GFA Trailhead 5 0 1

GRD Chugach Powder

Guides GFA GFA-general 0 0 0

GRD Coghill Recreation

Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 0 0 0

GRD Johnson Pass North

Trailhead GFA Trailhead 10 2 4

GRD Moose Flats Day

Use Area DUDS DUDS-general 5 1 2

GRD Portage Glacier

Cruises DUDS DUDS-general FR2 5 0 1

GRD Turnagain Pass

Motorized GFA GFA-general 27 5 6

GRD Turnagain Pass

Non-Motorized GFA GFA-general 7 1 4

GRD Williwaw

Campground OUDS Campground DUR4 2 0 1

Appendix 2: Region 10 Sample Day Interview Locations
42

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

GRD Williwaw Fish

Viewing Platform DUDS DUDS-general 34 7 5

GRD Winner Creek Trailhead GFA Trailhead 17 3 2

SRD Caribou Creek Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 0 0 0

SRD Carter Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 9 1 3

SRD Coeur d’Alene

Campground OUDS Campground 2 1 7

SRD Cooper Creek

Campground OUDS Campground DUR4 6 2 3

SRD Cooper/Russian

Lake TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 0

SRD Crescent Creek

Trailhead GFA Trailhead 5 0 2

SRD Crescent Saddle Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 0 0 0

SRD Dale Clemens Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 0 0 0

SRD Devil’s Pass Trailhead GFA Trailhead 2 1 3

SRD Footprint

Archaeological Site DUDS DUDS-general DUR4 1 0 1

SRD Grayling Day Use Parking DUDS DUDS-general TB3 35 8 3

SRD Grayling Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 3 1 3

SRD Johnson Pass South TH GFA Trailhead 7 1 5

SRD Lost Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 2 1 1

SRD Manitoba Mountain

Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP2 1 0 2

SRD Pink Salmon Day Use

Parking DUDS DUDS-general TB3 5 1 1

SRD Porcupine Campground OUDS Campground DUR4 1 0 2

SRD Primrose Boat Ramp

& Trailhead GFA Boat 3 0 2

SRD Rainbow Lake

Trailhead GFA Trailhead 2 0 1

SRD Resurrection Pass

North TH GFA Trailhead 6 1 2

SRD Resurrection Pass

South TH GFA Trailhead 14 3 4

SRD Resurrection River

Trailhead GFA Trailhead 6 2 3
43

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

SRD Russian Lakes

Trailhead GFA Trailhead TB3 34 5 4

SRD Russian River

Campground OUDS Campground TB3 35 9 4

SRD Swan Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 1 0 0

SRD Tenderfoot Campground OUDS Campground DUR4 5 1 1

SRD Trout Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin RE4 3 1 0

TongassChatham AMALGA HARBOR

BOAT RAMP GFA Boat 0 0 2

AMALGA HARBOR

BOAT RAMP—WILD WILD Boat 0 0 1

Angoon boat harbor-WILD WILD Boat 8 2 1

Appleton Cove Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 0 0 1

Auk Village CG OUDS Campground FE4 1 0 1

AUKE BAY BOAT HARBOR GFA Boat 0 0 2

AUKE BAY BOAT HARBORWILD WILD Boat 17 4 12

Auke Rec. Picnic Area DUDS DUDS-general 19 4 4

Bessie Creek TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 2

Blue Lake63oad GFA GFA-general 10 2 2

Bridge Parking TH-Dredge Lk GFA Trailhead 3 1 1

COASTAL HELI. GFA Air 2 1 4

Crescent Shelter Ramps

(2)/BL-WLD WILD Boat 0 0 1

Eagle Beach PG DUDS DUDS-general 35 9 6

East Glacier Trhead-South GFA Trailhead 5 1 2

East Turner Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 1 0 1

ECHO COVE BOAT RAMP GFA Boat 0 0 1

ERA HELI. GFA Air 40 11 9

FISHERMAN’S BEND

DOCK GFA Boat 0 0 1

FISHERMAN’S BEND

DOCK-WILD WILD Boat 1 0 1

FLOAT POND GFA Air 7 1 1

FLOAT POND—WILD WILD Air 0 0 1

Gavan Hill Trailhead GFA Trailhead 3 1 2

Harbor Mt. Rec Area DUDS DUDS-general 16 2 1
44

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

Harbor Mt. Rec Area DUDS DUDS-general 16 2 1

Harris Air-WLD WILD Air 0 0 2

Herbert Glacier TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

Kook Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 1 0 1

Lake Creek TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

Laughton Glacier Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 0 0 1

Lena Beach PG DUDS DUDS-general 3 1 3

Loken Air GFA Air 0 0 2

Mendenall CG Gate/Skaters GFA Campground 10 2 1

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor

Center DUDS DUDS-general 169 38 16

Mendenhall Lake CG OUDS Campground FE4 6 2 3

Mendenhall VC Parking Lot GFA GFA-general 60 12 9

N.DOUGLAS BOAT

RAMP GFA Boat 0 0 1

N.DOUGLAS BOAT

RAMP-WILD WILD Boat 0 0 1

North Harbor-Petersburg GFA Boat 0 0 1

Old Sitka Boat Ramp-WLD WILD Boat 0 0 1

Peterson Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 0 0 1

Peterson Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 1 0 1

Port Alexander boat harbor GFA Boat 2 0 1

Samsing Cabin OUDS Cabin RF4 1 0 2

Sawmill Creek CG OUDS Campground 44 12 8

Sealing Ramp #2-WLD WILD Boat 0 0 2

South DOUGLAS

HWY-Dan Moeller TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 2

Spaulding-Auke Nu TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

Starrigavan Bird Viewing

Shelter DUDS DUDS-general 57 14 5

Starrigavan PG DUDS DUDS-general 32 9 2

Tal Air—WILD WILD Air 0 0 1

TEE HARBOR 1 GFA Boat 0 0 1

TEE HARBOR 1—WILD WILD Boat 0 0 1

TEMSCO HELI. GFA Air 48 11 7

Sealing Ramp #2-WLD WILD Boat 0 0 2

South DOUGLAS

HWY-Dan Moeller TH GFA Trailhead 0 0 2
45

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

Thunder Mountain TH-valley GFA Trailhead 3 1 2

West Glacier TH GFA Trailhead 11 2 1

TongassKetchikan Big Goat Lake Cabin-OUDS OUDS Cabin 0 0 0

Big Goat Lake Cabin-WILD WILD Cabin SUP4 1 0 0

Checats Lake Cabin WILD Cabin SUP4 3 2 0

Hugh Smith Cabin WILD Cabin SUP4 2 1 0

K Bar Harbor Ramp

#4 (Highliner) GFA Boat 0 0 1

K Bar Harbor Ramp 1

(K-MFRD) GFA Boat 0 0 1

K Bar Harbor Ramp 4

(Highliner) WILD Boat 1 0 2

K City Float GFA Air 0 0 1

K City Float WILD Air 0 0 2

K Fish Ck Wildlife

Viewing (Hyder) DUDS DUDS-general PTC1 7 1 1

K Island Wings WILD Air 7 2 5

K Jordan Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 0 0 1

K Knudson Cove Boat Ramp WILD Boat 0 0 2

K Lukin Air WILD Air 0 0 0

K Margaret Ck Wildlife

Viewing DUDS DUDS-general 17 6 2

K Misty Fiords Air WILD Air 0 0 0

K Mountain Point Boat Dock GFA Boat 0 0 1

K Pacific Air GFA Air 0 0 0

K Patching Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 4 2 0

K Perseverance Trailhead GFA Trailhead 18 6 2

K Pro Mech Air GFA Air 0 0 0

K Pro Mech Air WILD Air 0 0 5

K S. E. Heckman Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 0 0 1

K Scott Air GFA Air 0 0 0

K Signal Creek ( fee) OUDS OUDS-general FE4 4 2 2

K Signal Creek (no fee) OUDS OUDS-general 12 2 2

K Taquan Air GFA Air 11 4 2

K Taquan Air WILD Air 1 0 0

K Thomas Basin WILD WILD-general 0 0 1
46

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

K Ward Lake Complex - Road DUDS DUDS-general 241 86 17

K Ward Lake-Trail (Frog Pond) DUDS DUDS-general 8 3 1

Manzanita Cabin WILD Cabin SUP4 2 1 0

P 20-Mile Spur Trailhead GFA Trailhead 2 0 2

P Balls Lake Day Use DUDS DUDS-general 1 0 1

P Cable Creek fish Pass GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

P Coffman Cove Boat Harbor GFA Boat 0 0 1

P Coffman Cove Sweetwater

Road GFA GFA-general 5 2 2

P Control Lake Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 0 0 0

P Control Lake South GFA GFA-general 21 4 3

P Craig False Island

Boat Launch GFA Boat 4 0 1

P Eagle’s Nest CG No Fee OUDS Campground 0 0 4

P El Capitan Cave DUDS DUDS-general FR1 4 1 4

P Harris River CG Fee OUDS Campground FE4 2 1 3

P Harris River CG No Fee OUDS Campground 0 0 3

P Harris River Day Use DUDS DUDS-general 7 2 3

P Hollis Boat Harbor WILD Boat 0 0 1

P Kasaan Boat Harbor GFA Boat 0 0 1

P Maybeso road #2 GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

P Memorial Beach day Use DUDS DUDS-general 2 1 1

P One Duck Trailhead GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

P Polk Road GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

P Red Bay Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 1 0 1

P Salmon Bay Cabin OUDS Cabin SUP4 4 2 1

P Sandy Beach DUDS DUDS-general 11 1 7

P Soda Lake Trailhead GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

P Thorne Bay Boat Harbor GFA Boat 1 0 1

P Thorne Bay Gravelly Cr Rd GFA GFA-general 11 2 6

P Thorne Bay Sandy Beach Rd GFA GFA-general 1 0 1

P Trocadero Trailhead GFA Trailhead 0 0 1

P Whale Pass Boat Harbor GFA Boat 0 0 1

P Whale Pass Cavern Lake

Road GFA GFA-general 1 0 2
47

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

P Whale Pass Exchange

Cove Road GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

Wilson Narrows Cabin WILD Cabin SUP4 2 2 0

TongassStikine 3 Lakes Loop Rd-North #125 GFA GFA-general 4 3 1

3 Lakes Loop Rd-South #126 GFA GFA-general 5 4 1

Anan Wildlife Obser THD #151 DUDS DUDS-general 33 20 8

Banana Pt Boat Launch

Site #140 WILD Boat 1 1 4

Beach Road East #15 GFA GFA-general 0 0 2

Beach Road West #16 GFA GFA-general 0 0 2

Berg Bay Cabin #160 OUDS Cabin SUP4 3 3 0

Blind River Rapids Thd #131 GFA GFA-general 18 12 4

Blind Slough Picnic Area #101 DUDS DUDS-general 21 18 6

Breiland Slough Cabin #107 OUDS Cabin SUP4 1 0 0

Cabin Crk Rd (FR6204) #123 GFA GFA-general 1 0 1

Cannon Beach #1 DUDS DUDS-general 9 7 15

Castle Flats Cabin #109 OUDS Cabin SUP4 0 0 0

Dangerous River Bridge #24 WILD WILD-general 3 1 2

Float Plane Dock #144 WILD Air RE4 0 0 0

Forest Highway 10 #14 GFA GFA-general 3 2 2

Forest Highway 16 #173 GFA GFA-general 3 2 1

Freshwater Road #52 GFA GFA-general 5 0 1

Frosty Bay Cabin #164 OUDS Cabin SUP4 5 3 0

Gustavus Dock #56 GFA Boat 6 0 1

Gut Island #2 Cabin #188 WILD Cabin SUP4 4 0 0

Harding River Cabin #165 OUDS Cabin SUP4 5 3 0

Hoonah Boat Harbor #53 GFA Boat 0 0 1

Kake 6040 Road #129 GFA GFA-general 0 0 0

Kake Portage Boatramp #133 GFA Boat 0 0 0

Koknuk Cabin #192 WILD Cabin SUP4 1 0 0

Little Dry Island Cabin #187 WILD Cabin SUP4 4 3 0

Lost River Road #18 GFA GFA-general 9 6 6

Mallard Slough Cabin #186 WILD Cabin SUP4 2 2 0

Man Made Hole Picnic

Area #102 DUDS DUDS-general 7 5 1

Middle Harbor #136 GFA Boat 9 5 3
48

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

Middle Harbor #143 WILD Boat 0 0 1

Nemo CG Host Interp

Site #152 DUDS DUDS-general 2 1 2

Nordic Air (airport) #146 WILD Air RE4 0 0 0

Ohmer Creek Campground #104 OUDS Campground FE4 6 2 4

Ohmer Creek Campground #150 OUDS Campground 6 3 4

Pacific Wing

(airport) #145 WILD Air RE4 0 0 0

Pelican Harbor #62 WILD Boat 1 1 2

Rainbow Falls Trailhead

#172 GFA Trailhead 16 11 4

Rifle Range #21 GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

Russell Fiord/East Gate

Jct #25 WILD WILD-general 0 0 2

Ryman’s Italio Sport

Camp #13 OUDS Campground 1 1 8

S Harb Park Lot

(northend) #134 GFA Boat 1 1 1

Salt Lake Bay Cabin #58 OUDS Cabin SUP4 1 0 1

Shakes Slough #1

Cabin #182 WILD Cabin SUP4 5 3 0

Shoemaker Bay DockWild #179 WILD Boat 0 0 1

Situk Lake Cabin #22 WILD Cabin SUP4 0 0 1

South Harb Park Lot

(north) #141 WILD Boat 0 0 2

South Harb Park Lot

(south) #142 WILD Boat 2 2 3

Spurt Cove Cabin #119 OUDS Cabin SUP4 1 0 0

Sunrise Aviation-Wild #180 WILD Air RE4 0 0 0

Swan Observatory #103 DUDS DUDS-general 4 2 7

Twin Crk Rd (FR 6209) #124 GFA GFA-general 0 0 1

Wdpecker Cove Rd(6245) #128 GFA GFA-general 6 4 2

Wrangell Harb-F&G Float #168 GFA Air 0 0 4

Wrangell Harb-Inner Harb #169 GFA Boat 1 1 3
49

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 32—National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) sites selected in sample days in NVUM round 1, Region 10

(continued)

Completed

Sample Assigned NVUM Site Proxy Completed Economic sample

forest site name typea Designation code surveys surveys daysb

Wrangell Harb-Reliance

Dk #167 GFA Boat 0 0 5

Wrangell Harb-F&GFloat

(W) #177 WILD Air 0 0 9

Wrangell Harb-InnerHarb

(W) #178 WILD Boat 1 1 9

Wrangell Harb-ReliancDk

(W) #176 WILD Boat 5 3 5

YAK Airport FBO #17 GFA Air RE1 0 0 4

a

 DUDS = day use developed sites, OUDS = overnight use developed sites, GFA = general forest area, and WILD = designated

wilderness.

b

 Sample days of “0” indicate that although sample days were assigned to the site, they were not completed.
50

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740
51

National Visitor Use Monitoring Implementation in Alaska

Table 33—Number of surveys collected by month and survey type,

Tongass-Stikine

Basic+ Basic+

Month Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

January 0 0 1 1

February 0 0 0 0

March 0 0 0 0

April 1 20 10 31

May 0 16 6 22

June 0 11 10 21

July 1 31 16 48

August 7 25 15 47

September 3 14 3 20

October 0 13 6 19

November 3 6 3 12

December 0 0 0 0

Table 34—Number of surveys collected by month and survey type,

Tongass-Chatham

Basic+ Basic+

Month Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

January 48 7 7 62

February 9 6 4 19

March 10 2 4 16

April 22 7 7 36

May 57 33 28 118

June 72 35 35 142

July 45 23 23 91

August 46 21 21 88

September 21 9 11 41

October 2 0 1 3

November 0 0 0 0

December 0 0 0 0

Appendix 3: Number of Surveys Collected by

Month, Sample Forest, and Survey Type
52

GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-GTR-740

Table 35—Number of surveys collected by month and survey type,

Tongass-Ketchikan

Basic+ Basic+

Month Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

January 0 0 0 0

February 3 1 0 4

March 10 9 8 27

April 1 1 1 3

May 40 36 36 112

June 18 22 19 59

July 37 38 34 109

August 12 15 16 43

September 14 11 11 36

October 17 3 5 25

November 1 0 1 2

December 0 0 0 0

Table 36—Number of surveys collected by month and survey type,

Chugach National Forest

Basic+ Basic+

Month Basic Economics Satisfaction Total

January 3 0 0 3

February 3 2 1 6

March 5 1 3 9

April 1 1 0 2

May 36 17 21 74

June 60 26 24 110

July 87 32 42 161

August 71 24 31 126

September 15 5 6 26

October 6 3 2 11

November 3 2 1 6

December 6 3 3 12
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