Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: 1991 visitor survey data

Metadata:

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Below you will find the data available in this data publication and a short description of the contents of each file.

DATA FILES:

\Data\BWCA_1991_mailback_data.csv: Comma-delimited ASCII text file containing the compiled response data from mailback surveys sent to overnight visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (See \Supplements\BWCAW_1991_mailback_survey.pdf for the corresponding mailback survey instrument.)

SEQ = unique row id

QNUM = unique individual ID/questionnaire number

DVBWCAW = Date visited BWCAW in the format "day-month-year" (ex: 30-MAY-91)

(1) PADPCAN-TRAVDESC = How did you travel in the wilderness on this visit? (1=checked; blank=no/unchecked)
PADPCAN = Paddled private canoe
PADRCAN = Paddled rented commercial canoe
MOTPCAN = Motored private canoe
MOTRCAN = Motored rented commercial canoe
MOTPBOAT = Motored in private boat
MOTRBOAT = Motored in rented commercial boat
TRAVOTHR = Other
TRAVDESC = Description of other

(2) FISHING-OTHERDES = What activities did you participate in, and how important were they? (1=participated but not major trip reason; 2=activity was major trip reason; blank=missing/did not participate in activity)
FISHING = Fishing
HIKONTRL = Hiking on Trails
HIKOFTRL = Hiking off trails
NATURSTD = Nature study
PHOTO = Photography
VIEWSCEN = Viewing scenery
SWIMMING = Swimming
DOGTIME = Spending time with dog
COLECTED = Picking berries
OTHERACT = Other activity
OTHERDES = Description of other

(3A) NIGHTUS = Number of nights camped in U.S.
(3A) NIGHTCAN = Number of nights camped in Canada
(3B) GASTOVE = Did you use a gas stove for cooking? (1=no; 2=yes)
(3C) TIMEWOOD = How many times on trip did you have a wood fire?
(3C) WOODEVEN = How many wood fires were in the evening?
(3C) EVENJOY = How many evening fires were for enjoyment, not cooking?

(4) TNPADGRP-FLOATBYM = Estimate the following for your wilderness visit (TN/T/etc=total for trip; LN/L/etc=least in a day; MN/M/etc=most in a day)
(4A) {TN/LN/MN}PADGRP = Number of paddle canoe groups seen
(4B) {TN/LN/MN}MOTCGP = Number of motor canoe groups seen
(4C) {TN/LN/MN}MOTBGP = Number of other motorboat groups seen
(4D) LG{TOTAL/LEAST/MOST} = Number of large groups (> 11) seen
(4E) DOG{TOTAL/LEAST/MOST} = Number of groups with dogs seen
(4F) CAMP{TOTL/LEST/MOST} = Number of groups camped within sight or sound of campsite
(4G) FLOATBY{T/L/M} = Number of groups that paddled or boated close to campsite

(5) MANYPEOP = How many people were in your group in the wilderness on this trip, including yourself?
(5) MANYFIVE = How many were under 5 years old?
(5) MANYBTWN = How many between 5-17 years?
(5) MANYFEML = How many were female?

(6) GROPDESC = Describe your group (1=friends; 2=family; 3=friends and family; 4=alone; 5=organization; 6=other)
(6) OTHRGROP = Description of other group type

(7) EXPADCA-EXPFLOAT = How did the following compare with what you expected to see in the Boundary Waters? (1=far fewer; 2=fewer; 3=about what expected; 4=more than expected; 5=far more; 6=had no expectation; blank=missing)
(7A) EXPADCA = Number of paddle canoe groups
(7B) EXPMOTCA = number of motor canoe groups
(7C) EXPMOTBO = number of motorboat users
(7D) EXPCTLG = number of large groups (> 11)
(7E) EXPCTDOG = number of groups w/dogs
(7F) EXPCCAMP = number of groups camped w/in sight or sound of your campsite
(7G) EXPFLOAT = number of groups paddled or boated close to your campsite

(8) SYSTEMOK = How do you feel about the current permit system? (1=okay; 2=allow fewer permits; 3=provide more permits; 4=don't know/no opinion; blank=missing)

(9) DATECHNG = Should there be changes in the dates of the permit system? (1=yes; 2=no; blank=missing)
(9) CHANGE = Description of permit changes

(10) PMAINPRB-BBEARGET = First, what was a problem during your visit; (1=not a problem; 2=a problem; blank=missing)
and second, is the problem getting better or worse? (1=getting better; 2=getting worse; 3=don't know; 0=staying the same; blank=missing)
(10A) PMAINPRB/PMAINGET = portages poorly maintained
(10B) PMARKPRB/PMARKGET = portages poorly marked
(10C) CSVEGDES/CSVEGGET = Destruction of vegetation at or around campsite
(10D) LAKOFSCS/LAKSCGET = lack of suitable campsites
(10E) NOPRIVCS/NOPRIGET = Not enough privacy in campsites
(10F) LITTER/LITERGET = litter
(10G) INADISPO/DISPOGET = Inadequate disposal of human body waste
(10H) LGRPSPPL/LGRPSGET = Large groups of people
(10I) TMNYPPLA/TNYPGET = Too many people in the area
(10J) FINDCAMP/FCAMPGET = Finding an unoccupied campsite
(10K) TMNYREGS/MREGSGET = too many rules and regulations
(10L) REGNOPUB/REGPUGET = Area rules and regulations not adequately publicized
(10M) NOUSEINF/USEUNGET = Not enough information on where other users are likely to be
(10N) PTRQNTAD/PERADGET = Wilderness permit requirement not well advertised
(10O) OBDPRDIF/OBPERGET = Process of obtaining available permits is too difficult
(10P) NOPRKING/NOPRKGET = Not enough parking spaces at wilderness entry points
(10Q) FIREWOOD/NOFIRGET = Not enouh firewood
(10R) DOGS/DOGSGET = Dogs
(10S) SAFEWAT/SWATRGET = Finding safe drinking water
(10T) FISHDISP/FDISPGET = improper disposal of fish entrails
(10U) LOFLYPLN/LOFLYGET = low flying aircraft
(10V) SONBOOMS/BOOMSGET = Sonic booms
(10W) NOISYPPL/NOISYGET = People making too much noise
(10X) TMNYDPPL/MDAYUGET = Too many day users
(10Y ) FRGSASH/FFULLGET = Firegates full of charcoal and ash
(10Z) FGATTRSH/TRSHFGET = Firegates full of trash
(10AA) WATERPOL/WPOLUGET = Lakes/streams appear polluted
(10AB) BBEARS/BBEARGET = black bears

(11) GRADE = What grade would you give this trip? (1=A (very good); 2=B (good); 3=C (fair); 4=D (poor); 5=E (very poor); blank=missing)
(11) FEELDESC = What made you feel this way? (Description; or classified as: 1=environment and scenery; 2=good portages and trails; 3=poor portages and trails; 4=solitude, peace and quiet; 5=crowded; 6=good fishing; 7=poor fishing; 8=good campsites; 9=poor campsites; 10=good to see agency personnel; 11=bad to see agency personnel; 12=confused/non-agreement w/rules; 13=to be with friends/family/dog; 14=access; 15=weather/climate; 16=physical/mental health)

(12A) PREFPRTY = How many other parties would be ideal camped w/in sight or sound of campsite?
(12B) FINDPREF = How often did you find this preferred campsite? (1=always; 2=usually; 3=sometimes; 4=never; blank=missing)

(13) FEELNUMB = How did you feel about the number of other people seen in the BWCAW on this visit? (1=saw way too few; 2=saw too few; 3=about right; 4=saw too many; 5=saw way too many; 6=did not matter; 7=do not remember; blank=missing)

(14) BRINGDOG = Did you bring a dog? (1=yes; 2=no)

(15) ABSHUMOB-NODOGS = How desirable or undesirable are the following items in any wilderness? (1=very undesirbale; 2=undesirable; 3=neutral; 4=desirable; 5=very desirable; blank=missing)
(15A) ABSHUMOB = Absence of human-made features (except trails/portages)
(15B) LAKEDAMS = Lakes behind small man-made dams
(15C) NOACCESS = Leaving some areas w/o easy access
(15D) BRIDGES = Bridges over creeks where other-wise feet would get wet
(15E) DEVCAMP = Developed campsites with plank table, fire grate, and pit toilets
(15F) STOPFIRE = Suppression of fires started by lightning
(15G) NOWOODF = Prohibiting wood fires were dead wood is scarce
(15H) LIMITUSE = Restricting the number of visitors to an area that is being used beyond capacity
(15I) LOIMPACT = Accurate information on traveling and camping in wilderness to reduce impact
(15J) CHAINSAW = Use of chainsaws by administration to clear trails and portages
(15K) PACKGARB = Packing unburnable garbage back out
(15L) REQCAMPS = Require visitors to camp at assigned areas in BWCAW
(15M) REQLEASH = Require dogs to be on a leash at all times in BWCAW
(15N) NODOGS = Prohibiting dogs in BWCAW

(16) FNOPARTY--F9BOATPY = How would you feel about the following, while traveling in the BWCAW, where '#' is the number of that type of group: (1=very pleasant; 2=pleasant; 3=neutral; 4=unpleasant; 5=very unpleasant; blank=missing)
FNOPARTY = Seeing no other parties each day (no paddlers, motor canoes, or boats)
F#CANPY = seeing # parties of paddlers each day
F#MCANPY = seeing # parties of motor canoeists each day
F#BOATPY = seeing # parties of motor boats each day

(17) CROWDED = Was the BWCAW too crowded? (1=no; 2=yes in a few places; 3=yes in most places; 4=didn't notice)

(18) CWDANNOY = If too crowded, did it bother you? (1=not at all; 2=a little; 3=moderate amount; 4=bothered me a lot)

(19) CWDCHANG = if too crowded, did your trip change in any way? (1-no; 2=length; 3=route; 4=both; blank=missing)

(20) WEARTEAR-LITTERNG = Conditions of the wilderness in terms of the following (1=very good; 2=good; 3=fair; 4=poor; 5=very poor; 6=do not remember; blank=missing)
WEARTEAR = wear and tear
LITTERNG = littering

(20) OBPRCOND = If poor, where were these conditions observed?

(21) PCANLLUN-FLOTULAC = For each characteristic below, we ask that you make three types of judgments:
{LLUN}-{ULUN} = range of values along the scale provided that is completely unacceptable
{PREF} = value that is most preferred
{LLAC}-{ULAC} = range of values that would be acceptable
(21A) PCAN{ZZZZ} = Lower limit of unacceptable number of paddling groups seen each day
(21B) MCAN{ZZZZ} = lower limit unacceptable, number of motor canoeists groups seen each day
(21C) BOAT{ZZZZ} = lower limit unacceptable, number of motor boat groups seen each day
(21D) CAMP{ZZZZ} = lower limit unacceptable, number of groups camped w/in sight or sound of campsite each night
(21E) FLOT{ZZZZ} = lower limit unacceptable, number of groups that paddled or boated close to my campsite

(22A) VISBTIME = how many times have you visited the Boundary Waters before this trip?
(22B) FRSTVISB = How many years ago did you first visit the BWCAW?

(22C) NUMOTHRW = How many other federal wilderness areas have you visited? (1=this is the only one; 2=1-2 areas; 3=3-5 areas; 4=6-10 areas; 5=11-20 areas; 6=over 20 other areas)
(22D) FRSTVISW = How many years ago did you first visit a federal wilderness area, besides BWCAW?

(22E) TIMVSPST = Including this visit, how many times did you visit a wilderness in the past 12 months?
(22E) MOLFPRYR = Is that number more or less than in previous years? (1=more; 2=less; 0=equal)
(22E) WHYMOLVS = why? (Description, or classified as: 1=time; 2=moved; 3=family reason; 4=school; 5=organized occupation/hobby/interest; 6=money; 7=work; 8=weather; 9=personal; 11=permit related)

(22F) TOTDAWPY = Total days spent in wilderness in past 12 months
(22F) TOTMOLPY = Is that number more or less than in previous years? (1=more; 2=less; 0=equal)
(22F) WHYTOTML = Why? (Description, or classified as: 1=time; 2=moved; 3=family reason; 4=school; 5=organized occupation/hobby/interest; 6=money; 7=work; 8=weather; 9=personal; 10=found other area; 11=permit related)

(23) WTRPFREQ = Since your first visit, how often have you gone on wilderness trips? (1=> 10 per year; 2=2-10 per year; 3=1 per year; 4=1 per two years; 5=< 1 per two years; 6=this was my first visit to wilderness)

(24) PARENTGO = How often did your parents take you on hiking or canoe trips? (1=never; 2=occasionally; 3=often; 4=don't remember)

(25) CLUB = Do you belong to a club or ogranization? (1=no; 2=yes)
(25) LISTORGS = Club or organization that is primarily concerned with conservation or outdoor recreation? (1=sierra club, wilderness society, friends of earth (etc, wilderness org.); 2=Am. Forestry, Audobon (etc. conservation org.); 3=youth org.; 4=canoe org.; 5=Rod & Gun, Fishing (etc. resource org.); 6=other; 7=1 and 2 combo; 8=other combo)

(26) HOMEGRO = Where did you spend the most time growing up? (1=farm or ranch; 2=rural or small town; 3=town (pop 1-5k); 4=small city (5-50k); 5=medium city (50-500k); 6=large city (500k-1mil); 7=major city (> 1mil); 8=suburb (w/in 20 min of city > 500k))

(27) HOMENOW = Where do you live now? (1=farm or ranch; 2=rural or small town; 3=town (pop 1-5k); 4=small city (5-50k); 5=medium city (50-500k); 6=large city (500k-1mil); 7=major city (> 1mil); 8=suburb (w/in 20 min of city > 500k))

(28) EDUCHIST = Highest level of education attained? (1=< 8 years; 2=8 years; 3=9; 4=10; 5=11; 6=12; 7=13; 8=14; 9=15; 10=16; 11=> 16 (1-6= high school, 7-10=undergrad; 11=grad or higher))
(28) STUDSTIL = Are you still a student? (1=yes; 2=no)

(29A) OCCUP = Occupation? (1=employed outside home; 2=unemployed; 3=retired; 4=full time homemaker; 5=student; 6=laid off)
(29B) FULLPART = Employed full or part-time (1=fulltime; 2=part-time)
(29B) STUDTIME = Student full or part-time (1=fulltime; 2=part-time)

(30A) JOBTITLE = Occupation title
(30B) KINDWORK = Kind of work?
(30C) COMPYBUS = Kind of company?

(31) HHINCOME = Annual household income before taxes (1=< 5k; 2=5k-9,999; 3=10k-14,999; 4=15k-19,999; 5=20k-24,999; 6=25k-34,999; 7=35k-49,999; 8=50k-74,999; 9=75k-100k; 10=> 100k)

(32) PAIDVACA = How many weeks of paid vacation do you receive per year?

(33) GENDER = Gender (1=male; 2=female)

(34) AGE = Age

(35) MEALTOFR-ALLEXPEN = Your share of expenses for the following items on this trip:
(35A) MEALTOFR = meals while traveling to and from wilderness
(35B) LODGTOFR = lodging while traveling to and from wilderness
(35C) TRAVTOFR = transportation to and from wilderness
(35D) ALLEXPEN = all other expenses

(36) HERITAGE = What cultural or ethnic group do you identify with? (1=American Indian or Alaskan Native; 2=Asian or Pacific Islander; 3=Black; 4=Hispanic; 5=White; 6=other)

(36A) OTHRHER = other description


\Data\BWCA_1991_onsite_data.csv: Comma-delimited ASCII text file containing data gathered from onsite interviews and surveys of overnight visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. These visitors were later sent the mailback survey. (See \Supplements\BWCAW_1991_onsite_survey.pdf for the corresponding onsite survey instrument.)

SEQ_NUM = unique row id

GROUP = unique visitor group id number

ENTRY = Entry point into BWCAW (1=Trout lake; 2=Phantom Lake; 4=Crab Lake; 5=Cummings lake Trail; 12= Crane/Little Vermillion Lake; 14= Indian Sioux North; 16=Moose River North; 23=Range Lakes; 24=Fall Lake; 25=Moose Lake; 30=Lake One; 31=Farm Lake; 32=South Kawishiwi River; 33=Little Gabbro River; 36=Hog Creek; 37=Kawishiwi Lake; 38=Sawbill Lake; 39=Baker Lake; 41=Brule Lake; 43=Bower Trout Lake; 45=Morgan Lake; 47=Morgan Lake; 48=Meeds Lake; 53=Brant Lake; 54=Sea Gull Lake; 55=Saganaga Lake; 57=Magnetic Lake; 60=West Bearskin/Duncan lake; 62=Clearwater Lake; 64=East Bearskin Lake; 66=Crocodile River; 69=John lake; 70=North Fowl Lake; 71=Canada East of Basswood; 77= South Hegman Lake; 80=Larch Creek)

OFFICE = Interview or permit receipt location. (Unfortunately we don't know exactly what all the values in this column mean. There is a value of "40", which may be a known location. Presumably, the "onsite" and "telephone" values indicate that the participant got their permit onsite or over the phone, respectively.)

EDATETIM = Date and time of interview in the format DDMonthYY:HH:MM (ex. 24MAY91:02:05; times of 00:00 indicate no time was recorded)

(1) GRPSIZE = number of people in the group

(2) PCCRAFT-MBCRAFT = How many of each type of watercraft on this trip?
PCCRAFT = paddle canoes
MCCRAFT = motor canoes
MBCRAFT = motorboats

(3) NNBWCAW-NNQUETIC = How many nights spent in each of the following?
NNBWCAW = BWCAW
NNQUETIC = Quetico, Canada

(4) OUTFIT = Use of an outfitter? (1=not at all; 2=yes for all services; 3=yes for some services)

(5) GRPTYPE = Group type (1=friends; 2=family; 3=friends and family; 4=alone; 5=organization; 6=other; blank=missing)
(5) CLUBTYPE = group organization description

(6) INDIVID = Individual number within group
(6) PRIORVIS = How many previous visits to BWCAW?
(6) CITY = mailing address city
(6) STATE = mailing address state
(6) ZIP = mailing address ZIP (NOTE: Excel will automatically drop leading 0s unless imported as text)

QNUM = unique individual ID/questionnaire number


SUPPLEMENTAL FILES:

\Supplements\BWCA_1991_coverletters.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF file containing the first, second and third cover letters attached to mail back surveys in the packets sent to overnight visitors in 1991.

\Supplements\BWCA_1991_mailback_survey.pdf: Comma-delimited ASCII text file containing the compiled response data from mailback surveys sent to overnight visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

\Supplements\BWCA_1991_onsite_survey.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF/a file containing the original survey instrument used to collect the onsite visitor data in BWCA_1991_onsite_data.csv.

\Supplements\BWCAW_1991_report.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF/a file containing an analysis report, revised in September 1992, of the mailback survey data.

\Supplements\Cole_et_al_1995_INT-RP-483.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF/a file containing the reseach paper: Cole, David N.; Watson, Alan E.; Roggenbuck, Joseph W. 1995. Trends in wilderness visitors and visits: Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Shining Rock, and Desolation Wildernesses. Research Paper: INT-RP-483. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station.

\Supplements\Watson_1995_NJAF.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF/a file containing the journal article: Watson, Alan E. 1995. Opportunities for solitude in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 12(1): 12-18.

\Supplements\Watson_Cronn_1994_Trends.pdf: Adobe Acrobat PDF/a file containing the article: Watson, Alan E.; Cronn, Richard. 1994. How previous experience relates to visitors' perceptions of wilderness conditions. In: Backcountry Recreation Management. Washington, DC: Trends 31(3): 43-46

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

See the supplemental files listed above.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20180207

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Alan E. Watson

Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute

Contact_Position: Research Social Scientist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 790 East Beckwith Avenue

City: Missoula

State_or_Province: MT

Postal_Code: 59801

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 406-542-4197

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: awatson@fs.fed.us

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999

Metadata_Access_Constraints: None

Metadata_Use_Constraints:

None