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Recreation Administration students at California
State University, Fresno are conducting research commissioned by the
U.S. Forest Service to determine the practices and habits of visitors to
national parks and forests.
The research, funded by a $41,000 “Data Collection on the Sequoia
National Forest in California” grant, will be used to collect
information from forest visitors about their day use activities,
recreation patterns and preferences and communication styles, said Jody
Hironaka-Juteau, chair of Fresno State's Recreation Administration
department.
“Resource managers require information from their visitors in order to
better serve them. The type of data being collected with this grant is
most often used in forest planning, communication planning and site
renovations,” Hironaka-Juteau said.
The Recreation Administration department secured the USDA grant over the
summer and assembled a team of faculty and students to begin work
collecting data in the Sequoia National Forest.
The team travels and collects data from remote locations in the Sequoia
National Forest, questioning visitors and collecting data to turn over
to the U.S. Forest Service.
“This project is promoting student success through field-based learning
experiences to expand and deepen their understanding of natural
resources, leisure behavior and research and evaluation. This is a great
opportunity for our students to get some hands-on experience outside of
the classroom,” Hironaka-Juteau said.
The research is expected to continue until late summer or early fall of
2010.
For more information on the grant or the Recreation Administration
department contact Hironaka-Juteau at 559.278.2838.
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