Protocol+Team


 * Activities and reports from the Protocol Team**

Charge (2008 Jan 16) - Develop a 1-page letter to be sent to property owners requesting permission to measure plot - Develop a script for calling property owners to request permission to measure plot - Develop a tracking system, with the GIS Landowner ID team, for tracking who has / hasn't given permission - Develop procedures for what to do when arriving at property - owner home / owner out / etc



- Each team should carry copies of the carry letter to show property owners if there is an issue - Wear NCSU / DFER shirt if possible - Send letter (draft below) to all property owners, follow up with a phone call - Only ask to contact us (in letter) if they DO NOT want us on their property? //<>// - letter vs. phonecall...or both? //<>//


 * GIS Tracking system** (hannah)

- In the process of reformatting the tax data spreadsheet to remove unnecessary information and set it up so that we can easily track who we've contacted and how, and what their response was, if any. - Need to discuss the logistics of keeping the spreadsheet updated. We suggest that one or two people be in charge of keeping the spreadsheet updated. What central location could it be saved? the website? Would need to ensure that names/addresses are kept private. //<>//


 * Arrival at property procedures**

When a plot is clearly visible to a homeowner/ builiding on the property, it would be important to attempt to talk with people in the building before data collection starts. We recommend that you go up to the home.building, and ask to talk to the property owner. If they are available, discuss briefly with them that they have already been contacted by phone/letter and given us permission to collect data on the land. This should be fairly simple and brief. If the property owner is not available, mention the same thing to the resident.

All teams will have a coies of the permission letter, and it can be given to the property owner again at this time. It might be a good idea to keep a copy of the GIS spreadsheet, that way we can have dates of when property owners were contacted.

//Sample Script (VERY general guideleines) for arriving at property// Hello! My name is _, I'm a student with the Department of Forestry & Natural Resources at NCSU. We contacted the property owner //<>// on (date) and were given permission to collect tree data on a portion of your land. We were just stoppping by to say hello and let you know that we are here for our data collection today. Our plot is located (maybe give general idea of where it is on their land). We'd like to thank you again for letting us use your property, let us know if you have any concerns.

It would be important to mention where the plot is exactly, in case their house it smack in the middle of it. Letting the homeowner know we will be walking around their house rather than off in their woods in the backyard is an important step.

If no one is home, we dont think its necessary to do anything. Or we could do something simple and leave a copy of a permission letter with a little note written on it saying we had come by and thank them again.... //<>//


 * Phone Script**:


 * Important to be polite/professional.
 * Try to keep things very simple
 * Keep a copy of the letter nearby to reference if there are any questions

(Keep in mind this is just a guideline- I'm sure it will be more conversational) Hello, my name is _. I am a student studying natural resources at NC State University. May I please speak to the __owner of the property__? (repeat if necessary) I am calling to follow up on a letter you should have received recently regarding a study our class is conducting on Raleigh's urban forests. Are you aware of such a letter? (at this point they will say yes or no... conversation goes from there) If they are familiar with the letter, ask them if they have any questions and thank them (whether or not permission is allowed). //If they// are not //familiar with the letter, briefly describe project (again-important to keep copy of letter nearby) and let them know they should be receiving it shortly.

Give them a general idea of when we will be out collecting data (within the next three to four weeks, etc...) Thank them again

If Voicemail: Hello! My name is _. I am a student at NCSU with the department of Natural Resources. I am calling in regards to a letter we sent to your home requesting permission to measure the trees on a portion of your property. We were calling to verify you received the letter and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please call 555-5555 at your earliest convenience.... not sure what to say next....//

I was looking over *briefly* the parcel information... I noticed a few things we will have to take into consideration when we are talking to people on the phone...

For example... one of the plot locations is owned by a "Macnairs country acres llc", which is a riding facility, so if our plot ends up being in the middle of a horse pasture we will probably have to set up a date/time for us to measure there, so someone can oversee our activities/ let us in... which brings more liability issues into play with businesses like a riding facility. (Where people that are on the property have all signed a liability waiver...)

Just something we will have to keep in mind.