Nov 28 -- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) invites comment to OMB by December 28, 2022 regarding a new Public Participatory GIS (PPGIS) mapping application to aid in gathering information from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) visitors about their values for public lands and waters for consideration during Federal planning, permitting, and management efforts.
The USGS developed a Public Participatory GIS (PPGIS) mapping application to aid in gathering information from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) visitors about their uses of and values for public lands and waters. The BLM is mandated by the Federal Land and Policy Management Act of 1976 to manage public lands for multiple uses, including outdoor recreation and human use. This information collection would provide data on human uses of and values for public lands and waters for consideration during Federal planning, permitting, and management efforts.
The PPGIS tool used to collect data is called the Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems (VaMPIRE) application. VaMPIRE is a partnership with the BLM and is designed to gather spatially referenced data on the values people attach to places and the activities they do on BLM lands. The spatially referenced data can be used to identify landscape values; how proposed management actions might affect use and value; where potential conflicts might occur; and high-performing areas where multiple values can co-exist. The mapping application incorporates a survey designed to assess behavioral changes by the public based on land use and explores if visitors would change locations, activities, or frequency of visits given possible land-use change scenarios. VaMPIRE also identifies if there is an overall change in the value received from public lands under specified management changes.
This information collection would pilot test the use of VaMPIRE in three different locations, using different methodologies that are appropriate for each location and context. In the Moab (Utah) area, data will be collected online by emailing a link to the application and survey to visitors who reserved BLM campgrounds or permits in certain locations. In Mojave Trails National Monument (California), data will be collected online by emailing the link to interested-party email lists BLM maintains. In San Luis Valley (Colorado), data will be collected through in-person workshops to reach local community members.
The information collected through the VaMPIRE application will be used by USGS to advance the scientific knowledge on public participatory GIS methodologies and specifically on recreation substitution (e.g., what factors impact if someone is going to substitute the timing of their visit, location, or activity under a given scenario). The pilot test is being conducted in partnership with the BLM. The information collected during the pilot testing of VaMPIRE will directly inform BLM decision making when writing or updating Resource Management Plans or other plans related to outdoor recreation and human use of the lands. The methods and tools developed will be replicable and usable by any federal bureau, office, or agency responsible for public land and water management. The methods and tools are being developed in a way to create long-term data collection and monitoring systems for Federal offices, bureaus, and agencies responsible for public land and water management. This is a new collection, so this information has not been previously used.
There are four sections on the survey: (1) experience use history; (2) GIS application to map uses of and values for the landscape; (3) how use of the landscape would change under land use change or management changes; and (4) demographics.
VaMPIRE:
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fort-collins-science-center/science/values-mapping-planning-regional-ecosystems-vampire
USGS submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202203-1028-001 Click on IC List for questionnaire, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this site.
FR notice inviting public comment:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-25803
For AEA members wishing to submit comments, "A Primer on How to Respond to Calls for Comment on Federal Data Collections" is available at
https://www.aeaweb.org/content/file?id=5806