UI, Hollenhorst Continue Leadership of National Park Service’s Visitor Projects
Friday, January 31 2003
Jan 31, 2003^MOSCOW – University of Idaho Professor Steven J. Hollenhorst will direct key national park visitor research programs.^James H. Gramann, National Park Service visiting chief social scientist, announced Hollenhorst’s selection to direct the agency’s Visitor Services Project and the Visitor Survey Card.^The choice of Hollenhorst means both national programs will remain based on the UI’s Moscow campus. As project director, he succeeds UI Forest Resources Professor Gary Machlis, who was recently appointed NPS visiting senior scientist.^"We are extremely pleased that Dr. Hollenhorst has accepted this important role within the Social Science Program," said Gramann. "His appointment ensures that the VSP and VSC will continue to provide strategically important visitor information to parks."^The programs are housed at the University of Idaho Park Studies Unit, located within the College of Natural Resources’ Department of Resource Recreation and Tourism. ^Beginning with a single pilot study in 1982, the VSP has completed over 140 in-depth visitor studies in over 100 NPS units. Custom surveys developed for the visitor services project monitor demographics, behaviors, needs, and opinions in about 10 national parks each year to provide managers with useable information.^Since 1998, the VSC project has used a standardized mail-back survey to annually measure visitor satisfaction and understanding at more than 330 Park Service units.^Together the projects have become a model for a sustained program of social science research in the national parks, and have been adopted internationally. ^On the UI campus, Margaret Littlejohn serves as VSP coordinator and Jennifer Hoger as VSC coordinator.^Hollenhorst is chair and a professor of the Department of Resource Recreation and Tourism. He has carried out annual Government Performance and Results Act studies since 1998 for the Park Service with colleagues Michael Schuett from Texas A&M University and Steven A. Whisman from Marshall University. ^Contacts: Steve Hollenhorst, UI Resource Recreation and Tourism Department chair, (208) 885-7911, stevenh@uidaho.edu; or Bill Loftus, science writer, (208) 885-7911, bloftus@uidaho.eduM/I>^-30-^BL-1/31/2003-CNR^
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