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Interviewing at Zion NP
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Welcome to the Park Studies Unit Website!
The Park Studies Unit (PSU), based at the University of Idaho, is
a branch of the National
Park Service Social Science Program. Formerly called the
"Cooperative Park Studies Unit," it has operated since 1979. This
project currently conducts two types of surveys in units of the National
Park System:
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Yellowstone NP visitor fishing |
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Through the in-depth studies, park managers obtain accurate information
about visitors--who they are, what they do, their needs, and opinions.
The VSC provides more general visitor feedback on services and opinions
about satisfaction. Managers have found this information valuable in
helping to manage the parks more efficiently and better serve visitors.
The PSU produces an annual report called Serving the
Visitor that describes how well the NPS is serving visitors to units
of the National Park System.
The PSU also offers technical assistance to parks, develops new
evaluation tools, and provides training throughout the NPS and to other
agencies.
In addition to the Visitor Survey Card and in-depth visitor studies,
the PSU has capabilities of conducting other types of surveys, including
mail and telephone surveys. If your park has information needs that can
be met through a survey, please contact us: Steve Hollenhorst at stevenh@uidaho.edu, Margaret
Littlejohn at
littlej@uidaho.edu or Jennifer Russell at jhoger@uidaho.edu.
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The PSU is a National Park Service research unit, part of the Department
of Conservation Social Sciences in the University of Idaho College of
Natural Resources.
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