Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation E488 Van Vliet Centre http://www.physedandrec.ualberta.ca/ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H9 [email protected] Dear Willmore Wilderness Park Visitor! Exploring the Human Dimension: Visitor Use Analysis of Willmore Wilderness Park is a project being conducted by the University of Alberta with support from the Foothills Research Institute and Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. We are interested in learning more about you and your trip into Willmore. As part of this project, we are conducting Willmore Wilderness Park user surveys, determining user numbers through trail cameras, mapping user patterns through GPS Tracksticks, and conducting interviews with selected individuals. This information is critical to learn as it will help ensure that your Willmore trip experience is being maintained and improved in ways which will greatly benefit you – the Willmore Wilderness Park visitor! The data will also be incorporated into my thesis, part of my Master’s degree requirements at the University of Alberta. We request that one member from your group complete this survey as you enter or exit the park. This includes ALL users regardless of where you are from or what activity you are doing. e.g., locals, non-locals, commercial trail operators, mountain bikers, hikers, outfitters etc.). Please fill out a survey each time you visit Willmore for both day use or overnight use. During this study, you may be offered a GPS Trackstick to use during your Willmore trip. The GPS Trackstick is a small GPS unit that would collect location data about your movement through the park. The unit would be attached for example, to your backpack or saddlebag while you are travelling. The GPS Trackstick is not a safety tracking device and we will not know where you are visiting until the GPS Trackstick is returned to us and the data is analyzed. The data collected by the GPS Trackstick will be linked to the user survey and will be used as part of this research project. All information that you provide will be strictly confidential. Only a summary of everyone’s answers will be made public and your name will never appear with your answers. You can also skip over questions that you do not wish to answer at any time during the survey. Images from the trail cameras will be securely stored and will be utilized to determine user numbers. These cameras are not intended for law enforcement purposes, however, legal prosecution may result if illegal activities are Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation E488 Van Vliet Centre http://www.physedandrec.ualberta.ca/ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H9 [email protected] captured on images. This project has obtained human ethics research approval from the University of Alberta. Please contact Kelvin Jones, Acting Chair of the PER-ALES-NS Research Ethics Board at the University of Alberta at 780-492-0650 with any concerns or questions related to the ethical aspects of this project. Dr. Jones has no direct involvement with this project. We emphasize the importance of collecting this information and we hope that you will complete the entire survey. Survey drop boxes will be available at Rock Lake, Sulphur Gates, Big Berland and Cowlick Creek trailheads, the Willmore Wilderness Foundation office in Grande Cache, and also at the Grande Cache, Hinton, William A. Switzer, and Jasper Visitor Information Centers. You can also download a trail survey online from the Foothills Research Institute website. The completed survey can also be mailed to the following address: Survey Mailing Address: University of Alberta c/o the Foothills Research Institute Willmore Wilderness Survey P.O. Box 6330 Hinton, Alberta T7V 1X6 Project Website: http://foothillsresearchinstitute.ca/pages/willmore_project/default.aspx Thank you and we hope you will enjoy your visit to the Willmore Wilderness Park! My contact information: My supervisor’s contact information: Name: Debbie Mucha Name: Elizabeth Halpenny Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: (780) 865-8290 Phone: (780) 492-5702 Address: Department of Physical Education Address: Faculty of Physical Education and and Recreation, E-419 Van Vliet Centre Recreation, E-419 Van Vliet Centre University of Alberta University of Alberta Edmonton, AB Edmonton, AB T6G 2H9 T6G 2H9 Sincerely, Debbie Mucha, MA Candidate University of Alberta (Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation) Willmore Wilderness Park User Survey The University of Alberta with support from the Foothills Research Institute would like to understand how you use Willmore Wilderness Park. This will help staff to better manage backcountry areas within Willmore. We request that one member from your group complete this voluntary survey as you enter or exit the park on each visit. Please deposit completed surveys in the survey box or mail it to the address provided below. Surveys are also available online at http://foothillsresearchinstitute.ca. All responses will be treated in a confidential manner. Please note: this is not a trip safety registration system, Willmore is a remote wilderness area and you are responsible for your own safety. Date: _____________________ Time: _____________________ Day Month Year 1. From which trailhead to Willmore did you start your trip? Rock Lake Sulphur Gates Big Berland Cowlick Creek Other _____________________________________________________ (specify) 2. How many times have you visited Willmore before this trip? __________________ And how many times in the past 12 months? ______________________ 3. Where are you from? Canada – Postal Code: United States – Zip-code: Other country ___________________ (specify) 4. Who are you travelling with? (check all that apply) Alone Family Guide/outfitter Business associates/colleagues Spouse/partner Friends Organized group/club Other __________________________ (specify) 5. How many males and females in your group (including you) fall into the following age categories: Male Female Male Female 9 and under ______ ______ 40 to 49 ______ ______ 10 to 19 ______ ______ 50 to 59 ______ ______ 20 to 29 ______ ______ 60 and over ______ ______ 30 to 39 ______ ______ 6. How is your group traveling within Willmore? (check all that apply) Hiking Horseback Mountain bike Other ___________________________ (specify) 7. Are you visiting Willmore on a Day trip or Overnight trip – If overnight, what is/was the expected date you will complete your trip: _______________________ Day Month Year Survey continued on the back page 8. What is your main activity of your trip into Willmore? (please only check one) Hiking Fishing Photography Wildlife viewing Biking Sight-seeing Scientific Research Job-related Hunting Horse riding Climbing Other ________________________ (specify) 9. It is very important to learn what specific trails are used in the Willmore Wilderness Park. Please refer to the map attached to this survey and using a crayon trace your intended route or the route that you took on your trip using lines and arrows Also, indicate with a x where you plan to camp or have camped during your current visit by referring to the numbered campsites on the attached map. If you are not sure how to do this, please list the trails and campsites you used/intend to use: _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Do you have any general comments about your visit to the Willmore Wilderness Park? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 11. May we contact you to participate in additional information gathering related to your visits to the Willmore Wilderness Park? The information gathered will assist staff in maintaining and improving your visitor experience in Willmore. Yes No If you answered yes: would you be willing to complete a more detailed questionnaire? Yes No Would you be willing to participate in an in-depth interview/focus group? Yes No If you answered yes, please provide your name and address along with your mailing/email address: a) Name: ____________________________________________________________________ b) Mailing Address: __________________________________________________________________________ Address City/Town __________________________________________________________________________ Province/State and Country Postal/Zip Code c) Email Address ______________________________________________________________ Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey! If you have comments or questions please contact Debbie Mucha, at (780) 865-8330. If you missed finding a drop box for your survey, please mail to: University of Alberta c/o the Foothills Research Institute, Willmore Wilderness Survey, P.O. Box 6330, Hinton, Alberta T7V 1X6. Please go to the next page Survey No. for the map Legend Kakwa Primary Paved Roads Willmore Wilderness Area t[ Willmore Primitive Campsites Wildland BC Roads t[ Jasper National Park - Campgrounds Park Survey Reference Map Secondary and Gravel Roads Railway *Disclaimer: This map is not intended for navigational Highway 40 Primary Trails purposes. It has been provided for the sole purpose ± Secondary Trails