[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 183 (Friday, September 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54362-54363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Day Use on Urban National Forests

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the extension with no revision of a currently approved 
information collection, Day Use on the National Forests of Southern 
California.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before November 18, 
2008 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Dr. 
Deborah J. Chavez, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 4955 Canyon 
Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507. Comments may also be submitted via 
facsimile to 951-680-1501, or send an e-mail to [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at the Pacific Southwest 
Research Station's Riverside Fire Lab at 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, 
Riverside, CA during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to 
call ahead to 951-680-1500 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Deborah J. Chavez, Pacific 
Southwest Research Station, 951-680-1558, e-mail to [email protected]. 
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 twenty-four 
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Day Use on Urban Proximate National Forests.
    OMB Number: 0596-0129.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 07/31/2009.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    Abstract: The Forest Service is seeking to renew OMB approval to 
collect information from visitors at outdoor recreation day-use sites 
(developed picnic areas, general forest day-use sites, off-road staging 
areas, trails, etc.) on urban-proximate national forests land.
    Users of urban-proximate national forests (national forests within 
1 hour driving distance of 1 million or more people) come from a 
variety of ethnic/racial, income, age, educational, and other socio-
demographic backgrounds. The activities pursued, information sources 
utilized, and site attributes preferred are just some of the items 
affected by these differences.
    Past studies have provided baseline information, from which 
managers have made decisions, revised forest plans, and renovated/
redesigned recreation sites. Additional information is necessary for 
the urban proximate national forest managers to validate previous 
results and maintain information regarding the continuously changing 
profile of the visitor population. Without this information, the Forest 
Service will be ill-equipped to implement changes in response to day 
use visitors' needs and preferences.
    Sites, dates of data collection, and individuals participating in 
the study are selected randomly. Survey instruments are available in 
English and Spanish, and research teams are bilingual. Participation is 
voluntary and individuals provide responses to questions covering the 
following topics:
     Socio-demographics.
     National Forest visitation history and patterns.
     Activity patterns.
     Information and communication.
     Site amenities/characteristics.
     Perceptions about the environment and land uses.
     General comments.
    The Agency has used previously collected data to create forest 
newspapers, add site renovations to existing picnic areas, and in 
forest planning. The Forest Service has presented previous survey 
results at local, national, and international meetings. The Agency has 
published collected data in various outlets. Future data collections 
under this OMB number will be utilized in a similar manner, as well as 
provide opportunities for comparisons of visitor profiles and use 
shifts over time.
    Dr. Deborah J. Chavez, of the Pacific Southwest Research Station, 
will evaluate and analyze the collected data. Consequences of not 
collecting these data include, but are not limited to:
    (a) Decreased service delivery due to decreased quality and breadth 
of information provided to resource managers regarding the socio-
demographic profile of visitors, visitation history and patterns, 
information and communication, site amenities/characteristics, 
perceptions about the environment and land uses;
    (b) Decreased ability to continue and expand approved research work 
unit's assigned study topics, such as understanding visitor profiles;
    (c) Increased response time for inquiries into topics from managers 
and university contacts;
    (d) Increased dependency on cooperator availability to carry out 
research unit mission; and
    (e) Loss of information represented in follow-up longitudinal 
studies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 15 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 600.

[[Page 54363]]

    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 150 hours.

Comment Is Invited

    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: September 12, 2008.
Ann M. Bartuska,
Deputy Chief for Research & Development.
[FR Doc. E8-21994 Filed 9-18-08; 8:45 am]
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