Informed Consent to Participate in Human Subject Research

Lynn Markham, Shoreland and Land Use Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is conducting a study to develop educational materials to help Wisconsin communities with forest planning and implementation. You are being asked to participate in this study.

As part of the study, you will be asked a series of questions about the forestry planning initiatives in your community. As a result of your participation in this study, you will have more information about forest planning. In addition, this study will assist other Wisconsin communities as they do forest planning.

There is no risk anticipated to you from participating in this study. However, you will be asked to comment about other people who may or may not agree with your interpretation of events.

For the purpose of the study, your interview results will be coded so that your name will not be kept with your interview responses. It is your choice whether or not to remain anonymous. Please check the option you prefer for identification in presentations and publications that result from this project: __ Use my name, title and affiliation (local municipality or organization) __ Use only my title and affiliation __ Do not use my name, title or affiliation

If you chose the third option above no information about you will be released to any one other than yourself. Publication or presentation of the study data would in no way identify you as a participant. Only Lynn Markham and Bobbie Webster, project coordinator, will have access to your name and this information will be kept on a password protected computer in her office and destroyed at the end of the study.

Written interview summaries will be sent to you to confirm prior to use for educational purposes. Audiotapes assist in accurate depiction of your answers to foest planning questions, we would like to audio tape the interview. Do you agree to have your interview audiotaped? __ Yes __ No

If you want to withdraw from the study, at any time, you may do so without penalty. Any information collected on you up to that point would be destroyed.

Once the study is completed, you may receive the results of the study. If you would like these results, or if you have any questions in the meantime, please contact: Lynn Markham Shoreland and Land Use Specialist Center for Land Use Education - CNR University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI 54481 (715) 346-3879

If you have any complaints about your treatment as a participant in this study or believe that you have been harmed in some way by your participation, please call or write: Dr. Sandra Holmes, Chair Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI 54481 (715) 346-3952

Although Dr. Holmes will ask your name, all complaints are kept in confidence.

I have received a complete explanation of the study and I agree to participate.

Name______Date______(Signature of subject)

Your completion and submission of the survey to the researchers represents your consent to serve as a subject in this research.

This research project has been approved by the UWSP Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects.