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National Visitor Use Monitoring underway on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

HELENA - The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is underway on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest to help gather data for forest managers on where visitors go, what activities they engage in, and what experiences they have.

 

"Although the survey is entirely voluntary, participation is important so we can assess visitor experiences on the Forest and strive to make it a better place to visit," said Forest Recreation Program Manager Rory Glueckert. "We would appreciate it if visitors would pull over and answer a few questions. It's important for interviewers to talk with local people using the forest, as well as out-of-area visitors, so that all types of visitors are represented in the study."

 

The survey began this October and will run through Sept 30, 2023.  During this time visitors may encounter Forest Service employees wearing bright orange vests and/or signage reading, "Traffic Survey Ahead," near developed and dispersed recreation sites and along Forest Service roads on the Helena, Townsend, and Lincoln ranger districts. 

 

The survey gathers basic visitor information and their impact to the local economy.  It provides national forest managers with an estimate of how many people recreate on the forest, what activities they engage in while there and how satisfied people are with their visit. The information gathered will be used for both forest planning and local community tourism planning. 

 

Visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum to learn more about the National Visitor Use Monitoring program.

 

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