Evaluation of the National Gap Analysis Program (GAP): A Survey of Users of GAP Data—Report to Respondents.

摘要

This report provides a summary of responses to the questions included in a survey of individuals who use or have used data created and provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Gap Analysis Program (GAP). The survey was commissioned by the GAP main office and was conducted by USGS personnel in the Policy Analysis and Science Assistance (PASA) branch. The data collection process started on September 18, 2012, and ended on November 9, 2012. The data-set includes the responses from 359 individuals. The adjusted response rate for the survey was 35 percent. This report provides a summary of results for the survey questions in the order in which the questions were asked. The text of comments provided by respondents to open-ended questions is provided.Because the response rate was lower than 80 percent, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) required a non-response survey of those who did not respond to the first survey. The non-response survey was very brief and included primarily demographic questions. All individuals who were sent the original survey and who did not respond or declined to respond to that survey were sent the non-response survey. The non-response survey was conducted from January 11, 2013, to January 24, 2013. The responses to the questions on the demographic questions. are included in this report.The preliminary conclusions are based only on frequencies and averages of responses to the survey questions. Most respondents to the survey are currently using or have used GAP data within the last 5 years. When asked which geographic set of data they were familiar with, the most frequent response was state data. When asked which type of GAP data they were familiar with, respondents most frequently indicated that they were most familiar with land-cover data.The respondents were asked only questions that pertained to the type of data with which they were most familiar. The respondents who answered questions about land-cover data were generally positive in their opinions. The respondents indicated that the land-cover data should be updated every 5 to 7 years. They rated land-cover data as medium quality and indicated that the data met most of the users’ expectations. Respondents indicated that there are alternative data sources to GAP land-cover data.