Information Collection; Land Management Agency Volunteer Surveys, 56501-56502 [2010-23122]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56501-56502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23122]


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 179 / Thursday, September 16, 2010 / 
Notices

[[Page 56501]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Land Management Agency Volunteer Surveys

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 new information collection, the Land Management 
Agency Volunteer Surveys.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before November 15, 
2010 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 James 
Absher, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 4955 Canyon 
Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507. Comments also may be submitted via e-
mail to: jabsher@fs.fed.us.
    The public may inspect comments received at Forest Service 
Reception, 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: James Absher, Pacific Southwest 
Research Station at 951-680-1500. Individuals who use telecommunication 
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 
1-800-877-8339, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, 
Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Land Management Agency Volunteer Surveys.
    OMB Number: 0596-New.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and 
contracted researchers will contact individuals who currently 
volunteer, or have recently volunteered, for selected natural resource 
(land) management agencies (LMA). Through a short Web-based survey, 
respondents will provide information regarding how often and why they 
volunteer, the positive and negative aspects of that experience, and 
basic socio-demographics. The results of this information collection 
will help researchers and managers improve their ability to provide 
land management services to the public, as well as strengthen 
volunteers' experiences at their respective agencies.
    Participation in the survey will be strictly voluntary. If 
necessary, respondents will be allowed to answer via postal mail at 
their convenience. A Forest Service researcher, agency technician, or a 
contracted researcher will collect and analyze the data.
    Additionally, in order to ensure anonymity, personal information 
will not be stored with contact information at any time, and contact 
information will be purged from researcher files once data collection 
is complete.
    Responses will be used to assess volunteers' experience with 
agencies that have a land management function such as parks, forests, 
recreation areas, or wildlife refuges. Although an abundance of 
research exists regarding volunteering in general, there is very little 
rigorous, academic research on volunteering as it applies to LMAs, 
largely because there is no reliable, uniform, and comprehensive data 
available. Further, it is unknown whether the findings emerging from 
other studies of volunteerism are applicable in the context of LMAs. 
Because of the enormous role that volunteers play in the operations of 
LMAs, clarity and insight into volunteer characteristics and 
experiences is imperative. Ultimately, findings will help researchers 
and resource managers determine the best ways to involve, retain, and 
manage volunteers.
    The primary beneficiaries of results from these surveys will be 
LMAs, such as the Forest Service, and other agencies at all levels of 
government that are concerned with enjoyment, preservation, and 
advancement of our natural resources. These results will be 
particularly important to LMAs because recently these agencies have 
become heavily dependent on volunteer support.
    Without the proposed information collection, managers of volunteers 
in LMAs will continue to rely upon anecdotal or unreliable information, 
which may perpetuate poor volunteer recruitment, retention, and 
satisfaction. The information collected will help researchers develop 
and test models of volunteer management; supply information to LMA 
program managers and other voluntary action managers who are focusing 
their own work on natural resource management values and objectives; 
and will facilitate further application of findings. The exact number 
of respondents will be dependent upon the number of agencies that 
choose to participate. Volunteers from up to ten different agencies, or 
sub-units of those agencies, per year will be selected to participate. 
Each will be allocated 200-600 surveys, for a maximum of 4,000 
completed surveys per year for the project as a whole.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 20 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals who currently volunteer, or who 
have recently volunteered, for a natural resources (land) management 
agency, age 18 or older.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 4,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,333 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

[[Page 56502]]

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 10, 2010.
Carlos Rodriguez-Franco,
Acting Deputy Chief, Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-23122 Filed 9-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P