Visitors Hugely Satisfied with Refuge System
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A new survey gives national wildlife refuges a 4.48 rating on a 5.0 scale. Only two percent of respondents who answered survey questions at 47 representative refuges reported they were dissatisfied with their overall experience.
Photo Credit:
Ryan Hagerty/USFWS |
National wildlife refuges scored a solid "A" for visitor satisfaction, according to a recent FWS survey.
"This is heaven on Earth," wrote one respondent. "Thumbs up!"
A whopping 95 percent of visitors at 47 refuges covered in the survey said they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they were satisfied with their experience. Respondents' overall satisfaction rating was a 4.48 on a 5.0 scale. Only two percent of respondents reported they were dissatisfied with their overall experience.
"We are extraordinarily proud of these results," said National Wildlife Refuge System Chief Bill Hartwig. "The Refuge System is providing quality wildlife-dependent recreation and opportunities for family education that will benefit the health of our wildlife resources for generations to come."
Survey highlights included:
- Visitors were highly satisfied with the service they received from employees and volunteers, with their overall rating 4.7 out of a possible 5.0. They specifically noted that employees and volunteers were courteous and knowledgeable about refuge wildlife and recreation programs.
- The majority of respondents indicated their main reason for visiting was to watch or photograph wildlife, noting that information about the refuge, including maps and signs, was easy to locate and understand. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 identifies six wildlife-dependent priority uses for national wildlife refuges: hunting, fishing, photography, wildlife observation, interpretation and environmental education.
- For visitors who paid a fee, whether for entry to the refuge or for a specific service, 83 percent agreed that the fee was appropriate. Indeed, 9 percent of the respondents thought the fee was too low, and another 8 percent voiced concerns about the low level of funding for refuges.
- Those who reported dissatisfaction pointed to the condition and quality of roads as well as the number of parking spaces. These, along with providing visitor services, have been focal points for Refuge System improvements.
"Welcoming and orienting visitors to wildlife refuges is a priority for us and we are working very hard to bring people closer to the outdoors," said Mr. Hartwig.
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| Visitors give refuge employees and volunteers outstanding marks for the valuable information and service they provide, according to a recent Visitor Satisfaction Survey. Photo Credit: John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS/USFWS |
Survey results are based on responses from 2,456 visitors in fall 2004, during the peak migration of waterfowl and songbirds. Survey sites represented a cross-section of refuges, based on number of visitors and staff, physical size, and geographic location.
Part of a Department-wide performance measurement program, the survey covered more than 30 questions on topics ranging from customer service and facility conditions to the quality of specific recreation.
2004 Visitors Satisfaction Survey >> (5.2 MB PowerPoint)
2002 Visitors Satisfaction Survey >>
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