Working with Human Subjects

When applying for a research permit for the collection of data/information from human subjects within the Alberta Parks system (visitors and/or staff)

1. If you are associated with an organization that has access to an ethics board, please include the ethics board approval* with your application.
2. If you do not have access to an ethics board, please submit a document satisfying the following requirements:

• Assurances to participants regarding their voluntary participation (i.e. they are not compelled to participate or complete any questioning)
• Description of research purpose and proposed outcomes that will be articulated to participants (including explicit acknowledgment to participants that research is conducted by the research organization and not Alberta Parks)
• How the participant’s privacy and confidentiality will be ensured
• How personal information or identification that is captured will be stored, reported and disposed of
• What, if any, material rewards or incentives there are for participation (e.g. money, gifts, prize draws, etc.)
• Whether children or vulnerable people are being sampled
• A copy of any interview guides and survey questions
• Field methods for the intended work (e.g. timing, duration, locations, technical aspects such as data collection tools)
• Names of researchers, enumerators or interviewers who will be active in the proposed park site

*An ethics board approval would likely address the points listed above.  If not, additional information may need to be provided.

NOTE: Staff of Parks Division may conduct research that entails collecting data/information from human subjects. Their work is subject to the same requirements noted above.

Types of projects that typically involve human subjects in parks include

• Surveys (e.g. face-to-face interviews, hardcopy survey forms, web-links to online surveys etc.)
• Passive counts (e.g. by in-situ enumerators, electronic trail counters, etc.)
• Video and photography, including trail cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles ("drones")
• Requests for secondary data captured by Alberta Forestry and Parks or other organizations

Albert Parks has a duty to protect the privacy of park visitors and to facilitate enjoyable park experiences. We encourage human-dimensions research of high quality, that can inform park management or contribute to a better understanding of how and why people visit parks and protected areas.

Please contact Dr. Brian Joubert ([email protected]) for additional information.