CULTURAL HERITAGE QUESTIONNAIRE
A Study of the Impacts of Interpretive Signs on Cultural Heritage Sites
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(I am sorry if this is a duplicate mailing)
I am an archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service and a graduate student at
California State University, Chico. I am seeking archaeologists,
interpreters, and
cultural resource managers who are involved in the interpretation of cultural
heritage sites. I need to find professionals who have knowledge of the
condition of
a site, or sites, prior to and after the installation of interpretive signs
in order to
ascertain the changes (if any) in site condition.
This questionnaire may seem familiar to some of you, but in actuality, it is
different. A questionnaire distributed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
in
1989 addressed views of professionals in relation to cultural resource
signing
practices. Respondents expressed a strong need for "field research to
evaluate
various signing strategies." This questionnaire makes that attempt.
More specifically, this study aims to assess the impact of interpretive
signing on
cultural heritage sites by examining data relating to type and placement of
interpretive signs and changes in site condition. It will also serve to
gather data in
order to compare sign type and placement with site type and setting in hopes
of
drawing some conclusions as to which type of interpretive signs are more
effective
in assisting in resource protection.
Conclusions drawn with the aid of this survey will guide resource managers in
selecting the best signing alternatives for their respective sites. Results
of this study
will be available to all who want them.
The questionnaire consists of five sections. Section V provides space for
expansion, as necessary, on any of the questionnaire responses or to make any
general comments. Please use one questionnaire for each site reported.
This questionnaire is being distributed using a variety of electronic
systems. I
would encourage respondents using the DG system to file the questionnaire,
edit in
your responses, and return to the DG address below. For others, it would
probably
be easier to print the questionnaire and mail back to me using the
conventional
mailing system: whatever works best for you. Please excuse the formatting
(or
lack of it). This electronic mailing system is somewhat limited.
THANK YOUR FOR YOUR HELP !!
John W. Jones
DG Address: E-Mail Address: Mailing Address:
J.Jones:R06F20 [log in to unmask] John W. Jones
12011 Mallory Drive
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
CULTURAL HERITAGE QUESTIONNAIRE ------------------
SECTION I. GENERAL SITE DATA
Q1. Is your site...
1 PREHISTORIC
2 HISTORIC
3 ETHNOGRAPHIC
4 MULTICOMPONENT (Historic and Prehistoric)
Q2. What is the site type?
1 LITHIC SCATTER 8 RAILROAD LOGGING
2 VILLAGE SITE 9 HISTORIC AGRICULTURE
3 VISION QUEST 10 HISTORIC STRUCTURE
4 PETROGLYPH/PICTOGRAPH 11 TRASH/CAN DUMP
5 PREHISTORIC AGRICULTURE 12 MINING
6 QUARRY 13 OTHER ___________
7 FOOD PROCESSING
Q3. What is the size of the site?
1 < 1/2 ACRE
2 1/2 TO 2 ACRES
3 2 TO 10 ACRES
4 10 TO 50 ACRES
5 > 50 ACRES
Q4. What is the driving distance from your site and the NEAREST population
center?
1 IT IS WITHIN THE POPULATION CENTER
2 < 10 MILES
3 10 TO 25 MILES
4 25 TO 50 MILES
5 > 50 MILES
Q5. What is the size of the NEAREST population center?
1 < 500
2 500 TO 1,000
3 1,000 TO 5,000
4 5,000 TO 25,000
5 25,000 TO 75,000
6 75.000 TO 200,000
7 > 200,000
Q6. What is the driving distance from your site to the NEXT CLOSEST
population center?
1 < 10 MILES
2 10 TO 25 MILES
3 25 TO 50 MILES
4 50 TO 100 MILES
5 > 100 MILES
Q7. What is the size of the NEXT CLOSEST population center?
1 < 500
2 500 TO 1,000
3 1,000 TO 5,000
4 5,000 TO 25,000
5 25,000 TO 75,000
6 75.000 TO 200,000
7 > 200,000
Q8. How is your site accessed ?(mark all that apply)
1 BY HIGHWAY
2 BY SECONDARY HARDTOP ROAD
3 BY GRAVEL ROAD
4 BY DIRT ROAD
5 BY HIKING TRAIL
6 BY WATER
7 OTHER ________________________
Q9. Is your site accessible to the handicapped?
1 YES
2 NO
Q10. Please describe the environmental setting (be as complete as possible).
SECTION 2. SITE CONDITION
In this section, we are trying to ascertain the change in site condition
after signing.
The words "damage" and "impacts" refer to a change in condition through
intentional or unintentional depreciative behavior.
Q1. Was there damage to the site PRIOR to signing?
1 YES
2 NO
Q2. If you answered YES to Q1, then what type of damage?
Q3. Did the damage appear to be intentional?
1 YES
2 NO
Q4. What change in impacts have you noticed AFTER signing?
1 LARGE INCREASE OF IMPACTS
2 SOME INCREASE OF IMPACTS
3 NO CHANGE OF IMPACTS
4 SOME DECREASE OF IMPACTS
5 LARGE DECREASE OF IMPACTS
Q5. What type of damage was noticeable AFTER signing?
Q6. Was the damage caused AFTER signing intentional?
1 YES
2 NO
Q7. Was the sign or signs themselves vandalized?
1 YES
2 NO
Q8. In your OPINION, was the signing responsible for the change in site
condition?
1 YES
2 NO
3 PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE (please explain)
Q9. Do yo have a formal or informal site monitoring program?
1 YES - FORMAL
2 YES - INFORMAL
3 WE HAVE NO MONITORING PROGRAM
SECTION 3. RATIONALE FOR PLACEMENT AND TYPE OF SIGN(S)
Q1. What is you typical visitor (e.g., children, males over 20 years old,
etc.)?
Q2. Why was the site signed (e.g., educational purposes, law enforcement,
etc.)?
Q3. What type(s) of sign(s) was used (e.g., wooden, fiberglass, metal, text
only,
artwork, etc.)?
Q4. Where was the sign(s) placed? (mark all that apply)
1 ON SITE
2 ADJACENT TO SITE
3 OFF-SITE AT PARKING AREA
4 OTHER ______________________________________
Q5. How many signs were installed?
1 ONE
2 TWO
3 THREE
4 FOUR
5 MORE THAN FOUR
Q6. What was the method of installation (e.g., on a post, stake, tree,
cement/rock
mount, etc.)
Q7. Sign message. Please provide specific text of each sign.
SECTION 4. QUESTIONNAIRE PARTICIPANT DATA
Now we would like to ask some questions about you.
Q1. What is the highest level of education you have COMPLETED?
1 HIGH SCHOOL 5 SOME GRADUATE SCHOOL
2 SOME COLLEGE 6 MASTERS DEGREE
3 ASSOCIATE DEGREE 7 COURSEWORK BEYOND MASTERS
4 BACHELORS DEGREE 8 DOCTORATE DEGREE
Q2. What is your present job title? __________________________________
Q3. How long have you been in this position? __________________________
Q4. If you are an archaeologist or an interpreter, how many TOTAL years of
experience do you have as one of the above?
1 ARCHAEOLOGIST ____________YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
2 INTERPRETER ____________YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Q5. Who is your present employer?
1 FEDERAL AGENCY:
a. NPS b. USFS c. USFWS d. Army Corps of Eng.
e. other ______________________________
2 STATE AGENCY
(Please specify state and agency) _____________________
3. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
4. UNIVERSITY
5. OTHER ___________________________________________
Q6. In what state/country or park/forest is your site located?
SECTION 5. COMMENTS
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for completing this
questionnaire! Please use this space to expand, as necessary, on any of the
questionnaire responses or to make any general comments on the use of signs
at
cultural heritage sites.
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If you would like to have a copy of the results of this survey, please either
write your DG
Address or E-Mail address at the bottom of this form or write your name and
address on
the back of your return envelope.
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