2014 Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
June 4, 2014
In Reply Refer To:
6100 (400) P
EMS TTRANSMISSION 06/06/2014
Instruction Memorandum No. 2014-098
Expires: 09/30/2015
To: All Field Office Officials
From: Assistant Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community Partnerships
Subject: 2014 Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire
Program Areas: All program areas that have visitor centers or visitor contact areas in stand-alone structures.
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) requests that all District and Field Offices that have visitor centers or visitor contact areas in stand-alone structures complete the attached Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire (for FY 2013).
Policy/Action: District and Field Managers are responsible for sending the attached Instructions for Completing the 2014 BLM Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire and the 2014 BLM Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire to the person responsible for the management of the visitor contact area(s) in their jurisdiction. The questionnaire is in a fillable PDF file and the instructions provide detailed definitions on what elements should be reviewed when answering questions.
Time Frame: The questionnaire should be completed within 30 days from the issuance of this IM. The responses to the questionnaires will be compiled in late spring and best practices will be disseminated to the Bureau this summer.
Budget Impact: Negligible
Background: The BLM’s Visitor Center Project is examining the services, management, challenges, and funding at BLM’s visitor centers. The project’s goal is to gain an increased understanding of the available resources and needs of visitor centers, promote networking opportunities, and develop recommendations for management practices that can increase efficiencies and outreach.
Amy Lueders, Nevada State Director, and Carl Rountree, Assistant Director National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) and Community Partnerships, are co-sponsors of this project. A team, consisting of NLCS and Community Partnerships (WO-400) and the Recreation and Visitor Services Division (WO-250), examined visitation, interpretation and education, and limited funding data obtained from other reporting mechanisms. After analyzing the data, the group determined that in order to obtain data, draw conclusions, and gather best practices:
- all visitor contact areas in stand-alone structures should be examined; and
- a questionnaire should be developed to gain a clear understanding of the BLM’s visitor contact areas.
The questionnaire examines the areas of visitation, services provided, how the contact area is managed, priorities and challenges contact area faces, and the current funding of the contact area. It also offers the opportunity for general comment and for the visitor contact area to provide recommendation and feedback.
Manuals/Handbooks Affected: None
Contact: If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact Brianna Candelaria, National Interpretation Lead, at 202-912-7583.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Carl Rountree Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-860
National Landscape Conservation System
and Community Partnerships
2 Attachments
1 - Instructions for Completing the 2014 BLM Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire (5 pp)
2 - 2014 BLM Visitor Contact Area Questionnaire (1 p)