[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 6820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2932]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NRSS-0211-9466; 2340-N003-NYS]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: Creating 
Stewardship Through Biodiversity Discovery in National Parks

AGENCY: National Park Service (NPS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We (National Park Service) will ask the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described 
below. This collection will survey participants of Biodiversity 
Discovery efforts. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
and as a part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other federal 
agencies to comment on this IC. The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that we may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not 
required to respond to a collection unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number and current expiration date.

DATES: Please submit your comment on or before April 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comments to the IC to Phadrea Ponds, 
Information Collections Coordinator, National Park Service, 1201 
Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (mail); or [email protected] (email). Please reference Information Collection 1024-
NEW, BIODISCOVERY in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerard Kyle by mail at Texas A&M 
University, 2261 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 or [email protected] 
(email). Or contact: Kirsten Leong at [email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Biodiversity Discovery refers to a variety of efforts to discover 
living organisms through public involvement. Examples include 
Bioblitzes and All Taxa Biodiversity Inventories (ATBIs). A Bioblitz is 
a field study where NPS and other scientists lead members of the public 
in an intensive 24-hour (or 48-hour) biological inventory to identify 
and record all species of living organisms in a given area. The term 
``Bioblitz'' was coined by NPS naturalist Susan Rudy while assisting 
with the first Bioblitz at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington DC 
in 1996. Approximately 1,000 species were identified at that event. The 
first All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory began in Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park in 1998 and is still ongoing. The effort has engaged 
hundreds of participants and resulted in the discovery of thousands of 
species, including many that are new records for the park. In addition 
to collecting taxonomic data, there appears to be important secondary 
benefits gained by visitors who have taken part in Biodiversity 
Discovery activities. A 2009 study found that such participants felt an 
increased sense of stewardship, a connection to the host park, and a 
better understanding about the species of concern after their 
Biodiversity Discovery experience. The information collected will 
provide NPS managers and planners with a greater understanding of 
public attitudes, preferences, and behaviors related to stewardship and 
resource conservation in their National Parks.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: None. This is a new collection.
    Title: Creating Stewardship through Biodiversity Discovery in 
National Parks.
    Type of Request: New.
    Affected Public: General public.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 300.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 150 hours. We expect to 
receive 300 annual responses. We estimate an average of 30 minutes per 
response.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
None.
    Comments: We invite comments concerning this IC on: (1) Whether or 
not the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency 
to perform its duties, including whether or not the information will 
have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden 
for this collection of information; (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 collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice 
are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including 
your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask OMB in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that it will be done.

    Dated: February 3, 2012.
Madonna L Baucum,
Acting Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2932 Filed 2-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P