Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists
New Park Comment System ... July 30, 2008 ... ABR News Item
Despite the increase in abuse of backcountry campsites, there's an increasing number of backcountry recreationalists who want to help park staff by reporting maintenance needs and related incidents.
At the same time, park staff requires more detailed feedback from park users for planning and management purposes. These two situations are being addressed by the park's development of a more useful and responsive "comment system".
The park hopes to have its new "comment system" fully operational by spring of 2009. One of the executive of the ABR was fortunate to have had input in the early concept-development stage of the design of this new "comment system".
In anticipation of the system's eventual implementation, the ABR has designed and published its own version of an "incident report form" for backcountry recreationalists to use for submissions to the park's "comment system".
The ABR recognizes that digital information is increasingly useful in making detailed and accurate reports. For this reason , its "incident report form" provides for reporting both GPS co-ordinates and digital photo files, along with conventional methods of description.
On June 18, 2008 park management was provided with a preview of the ABR "comment form". Shortly thereafter, the ABR released its form for public use in PDF format. It is available here for download.
For comparison purposes, the old questionnaire which has been used for approximately 10 years, is shown here to the right ...
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