6. FOCUS GROUPS: RATIONALE AND PROTOCOL
Focus Group Selection IFMAT will work with the Tribal forester or other designated liaison to identify a diverse group of tribal members. This group could include Elders, Tribal Council or other government figures, tribal youth, loggers, allottees or any other member with an interest and opinion in forest management. The ideal group size is generally 6-8 individuals. In instances where more tribal members are available for a focus group, IFMAT moderators will break the group into smaller subgroups. In cases where a translator is needed, IFMAT will work with the tribal liaison to identify and contract a qualified individual. COVID-19 Strategy Considering COVID-19, we will collaborate extensively with the tribal liaison to explore virtual options for engagement, such as Zoom or other video conferencing platforms. Focus groups will be recorded, for content analysis, if consent of all parties is received. In all cases (virtual or in-person, recorded or not), information will be aggregated and kept confidential. Information will not be sent to Tribal Council, departmental offices or any other entities and no individual will be named in the final report or other documents.
An important component of the IFMAT information gathering process is the tribal member focus group, which when combined with the tribal member satisfaction survey, provides important insights into how tribal members view the management of forests on their reservation and how that perception has changed over time. Methodology The methodology for the focus group was first created during IFMAT I and has remained essentially unchanged in subsequent IFMATs. A group of tribal members representing a diversity of views and life experience are invited by the Tribal Forest Manager/ liaison or other tribal official to a focus group, where each participant is asked to answer the following three questions: 1. What do you most value/want from your forest and why? 2. What do you think about current management practices on your tribal forest? 3. Have you seen changes in management since the last IFMAT (ten years ago), and if so, what has changed? Every focus group member will get a chance to answer all three questions. Frequently follow up questions and dialogue between group members occurs during this process.
7. SURVEYS: DESCRIPTION AND AUDIENCE
forest management and their degree of satisfaction with various types of management activities on the ground. It is largely unchanged since IFMAT I, providing important trend data over a thirty-year period. This survey can be provided to forestry staff and to members of the tribal public interested in how tribal forests are managed. It is also provided to focus group participants. Estimated time to complete survey is 15-20 minutes. Workforce Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IFMATIVwfs Developed originally for IFMAT III, this survey is designed to get more detail on the tribal and BIA workforce, including age, education, and past experiences, as well as input regarding desired training. Please have all tribal forestry staff fill out this survey. Estimated time to complete survey is about 10-15 minutes.
Surveys have played an important role in data gathering throughout previous IFMAT reports and have been instrumental to understanding the values and management goals of tribal members throughout the nation and have also provided detailed insights into the BIA and tribal forestry workforce. The forest manager and/or liaison plays an important role in gathering this data by providing the surveys to forestry staff and the tribal public. A copy of each survey as well as a link to the survey website are included separately. Below is a brief description of each survey and the audience that it is designed for: Tribal Membership Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IFMATIVtms This survey is designed to understand the values of both tribal members and foresters related to
Appendix ix — IFMAT IV Site Visit Handbook A-75
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