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Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service
Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats. It is the only agency in the Federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of these important natural resources for the American public.
Designated Services
Previously-reported Services
Planning a trip to a national wildlife refuge or public fish hatchery using fws.gov
Description
Customers of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife website, fws.gov, include families looking for an accessible day trip in nature supported by free-onsite programming, educators seeking outdoor inquiry-based learning opportunities, wildlife enthusiasts seeking out a specific bird or animal sightings, and expedition level adventurers seeking out a once in a lifetime Alaskan hunt, or other wilderness experiences. The fws.gov website offers a range of trip planning tools to ensure that all visitors can be prepared for a safe and positive experience on these unique public lands.
Why this service was designated
The fws.gov website draws 60+ million people each year to national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries, boosting local economies. The current virtual trip planning experience on the website uses outdated technology, and has poor search engine optimization, which means users can often get erroneous or outdated information that can negatively impact a trip they are planning.
Quarterly data reported
Q3 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Customers seem to be particularly interested in maps. The Service provides an interactive map for all of our refuges and hatcheries. The agency created a new feature that allows stations to curate often-requested files including static maps at the top of their homepage. We are also investigating how to allow users to print from the interactive map.
Service details
Transaction point: The survey is available on all of our Visit Us pages across FWS.gov
Channel: computer
People served: 671888
Surveys offered: 671888
Responses: 24
Q2 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The agency has identified navigation as a point of confusion for users. We are investigating how to differentiate global navigation from local (a specific refuge or hatchery) navigation. We are improving station websites by allowing each station to specify the most important content from their site front and center. Stations know which information is key to their customers and are in a better position to highlight it than a one-size-fits all solution. We are improving discovery tools in order to simplify how customers choose a station to visit. We are making it more clear which hours each station is open to the public. We are investigating how to make web resources easier to print so customers can bring them along on a visit.
Service details
Transaction point: The survey is available on all of our Visit Us pages across FWS.gov
Channel: computer
People served: 1698704
Surveys offered: 1698704
Responses: 99
Q1 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The Refuge System conducted an analysis of comments submitted by the public. Our users are interested in having access to more printable resources (maps, bird/species lists, )that they can bring into the field where they do not have access to an internet connection. Users are interested in the activities they can participate in on refuges and hatcheries and want faster access to the rules and regulations that apply to those activities. Survey respondents want more information on current conditions on refuges and what species they can expect to see given changing season and migration patterns. Users want to see improved website performance and site-wide search.
Service details
Transaction point: The survey is available on all of our Visit Us pages across FWS.gov
Channel: computer
People served: 1347633
Surveys offered: 1347633
Responses: 32
Q4 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Our agency has been reviewing feedback from this survey. We put out an RFP for improving customer experience based on our Touchpoints feedback. As part of discovery for that contract we’ll review each of the submissions with the contractors to determine how best to improve the trip planning experience with their development team. Some of the things we see most often are, confusion over whether or not dogs are allowed on particular refuges or trails, and that our users want downloadable maps so they can use them in disconnected environments (interactive web maps don’t work on remote refuges).
Service details
Transaction point: The survey is available on all of our Visit Us pages across FWS.gov
Channel: computer
People served: 10307495
Surveys offered: 719388
Responses: 31
Q3 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
We just implemented touchpoints in our new CMS, so this is the first reporting period for which we have data. We don’t have much to compare it against, yet. We have seen some helpful feedback from the public that we’ve responded to on both the content and platform sides of FWS.gov
Service details
Transaction point: Website
Channel: computer
People served: 332376
Surveys offered: 332376
Responses: 18
Previously-reported Services
Prior to the first service designation exercise in 2022, HISPs were collecting data using methods unique to each agency, resulting in data that was not standardized. This previously-reported data was collected to increase visibility and awareness regarding customer experience through feedback data. Per A-11 guidance, service providers will collect feedback in a more standardized way.
Visiting a National Wildlife Refuge
Service url
Description
The National Wildlife Refuge System plays an essential role in providing outdoor recreation opportunities to the American public and the associated economic benefits to local communities. Millions of visitors to National Wildlife Refuges have hunted, fished, observed or photographed wildlife, participated in environmental education or interpretation on a refuge. These activities help National Wildlife Refuges serve as an economic engine for local communities, helping to support thousands of jobs and billions in visitor expenditures as well as providing vital funding for conservation.