On July 29, Department Conservation and Natural Resources State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger announced the department is resuming a partnership with Penn State University to survey visitors about their experiences in two state forests.

“This visitor use monitoring project will be instrumental in providing a representative snapshot in two of our 20 state forest districts,” Shultzabarger said. "The insights and understanding these projects provide are always helpful in our management, and they are of even greater importance in developing insight into the use level and user perspective changes since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Visitors to Gallitzin State Forest in Bedford, Cambria, Indiana and Somerset counties, and Rothrock State Forest in Huntingdon County, may encounter pairs of Penn State students doing on-site surveys and are encouraged to participate if passing a survey point.

Survey questions will include where the visitors are from, activities pursued, length of stay in the area and spending patterns, and satisfaction with the experience. Counting the number of vehicles at certain locations also will be included.

The Visitor Use Monitoring Project began in July and will continue through December, with a final report to be prepared in the spring of 2023.

DCNR and Penn State University’s Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management have partnered on monitoring projects since 2000.

The most recent VUM project report was released in 2019, assessing user needs at Bald Eagle State Forest and Loyalsock State Forest.

Find more information about these forests, visit Gallitzin State Forest and Rothrock State Forest webpages.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

NewsClips:

-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Blog: What It’s Like To Be A Park Ranger? - By Brian Price, Ranger Supervisor, French Creek State Park

-- Erie Times - Brain Whipkey: PA Looks To Accommodate E-Bike Riders In State Parks, Forests

-- PennLive - Marcus Schneck: DCNR Floats New Policy On E-Bikes In State Forests, State Parks

-- Reading Eagle: Young Workers At The Big Woods In French Creek State Park Encouraged By PA Official

-- PA Environmental Council Blog: Barriers To Equitable River Access Persist In Delaware River Basin, But They’re Not Always What You Expect

-- Williamsport Sun: DCNR Celebrates Induction Of Beartown Woods Natural Area

Related Articles:

-- DCNR Blog: Celebrating Parks And The People Who Make Them Possible [PaEN]

-- U.S. Forest Service Cancels DCNR's Keystone Crew Deployment To Sugarloaf Wildfire In Wyoming; Crew Returning To Await Another Assignment  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Awards $955,500 In ATV/Snowmobile Trail Project Grants To Support 7 Projects; New Grant Round Opens Aug. 1  [PaEN]

-- Growing Greener Coalition: DCNR Online Grant Application Workshop Set For Nov. 3

-- DCNR Invites Comments On Draft E-bike Policy; Advisory Council Meets July 27 On Policy  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Announces Sustainable Trail System Project In Mountain Creek Watershed, Michaux State Forest, Cumberland County  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Helps Celebrate Completion Of The Northwest River Trail In Lancaster County  [PaEN]

-- DCNR: Work On Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam At Shikellamy State Park Complete, Boating Begins

-- Health/DEP/DCNR Urge Pennsylvanians To Fight The Bite And Protect Themselves From Mosquitoes To Prevent West Nile Virus  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna Greenway Partners Name Winners Of 2022 Photo Contest [PaEN]

-- July 29 Take Five Fridays With Pam From PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 29, 2022]

8/1/2022