PUEBLO, CO…The Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche Grasslands will be participating in a nationwide visitor use survey beginning this October. Field interviewers will be collecting pertinent information from recreationists over the next year. Expect to see traffic stops set-up in campsites, picnic areas, at trailheads and road-side areas.

These voluntary interviews of recreationists will use a set of standardized questions and the entire process takes no more than 15 minutes. Motorists are asked to watch for traffic signs alerting visitors of an upcoming interview location.

The information will be used to better understand:

• Demographics of visitors,
• Reasons for coming to the national forests and grasslands,
• How to better use and improve our facilities to meet public needs, and
• Financial spending habits of the public during their visit.

According to Forest Supervisor Bob Leaverton, "Thank you in advance for helping to contribute recreation information we can use to manage this National Forest and Grasslands. Ultimately, public responses to th survey will help recreation managers improve visitor satisfaction with their federal public lands."

As the Forest Service gathers information about recreation visitors, we are also gathering information about how all people use the national forest and grassland road systems and facilities. This includes people commuting to work on forest service roads, commercial traffic, and people just passing through. This information helps managers understand all the uses occurring on the public lands.

The final National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) report for 2001 is posted on the web at: www.fs.fed.us/recreation/program/nvum.