Forest Visitors To Be Surveyed

Bridger Teton National Forest has been selected as one of relatively few forests where a visitor use survey is to be conducted over the next year.  The National Visitor Use Monitoring Project began Monday and continues for 12 months, determining what attracts visitors to the forest, their activities, spending habits andsatisfaction with the services and facilities available on the forest.  Spokesperson Mary Cernicek says there will be a total 299 days during the year when people will be out visiting with forest users.  She says the findings will then have both national and local implications.  She says it also gives the Forest a chance to get “a little bit better handle on the types of recreation and the things people like to see out on their public lands.”  Cernicek says the days the various recreation sites throughout the forest will be sampled will be selected randomly.  She says at times, the surveyors will be out at boat ramps while at other times they will be campgrounds or trailheads.  However, she says altogether, they will survey all kinds of uses across the forest. The compiled findings will then be used in future management decisions.