Institutional Review Board (IRB) Informed Consent Form SUSTAINABILITY ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN TRODUCTION : You are invited to be in a research study of the habits and attitudes of Appalachian Trail Hikers . You are invited to be a possible participant because you are a member of a Facebook group relevant to the subject of the study I ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study. This study is being conducted by: Katia Meyer, a student at Colorado Mountain C ollege BACKGROUND : The purpose of this study is to gather data about what kinds of sustainable habits Appalachian Trail hikers have (ex. following Leave No Trace principles) in order to make recommendations about how to most effectively protect the Appa lachian Trail from the effects of erosion, fire damage, litter, etc . Procedures: If you agree to be in this study, we would ask you to answer questions in a survey which should take no more than 15 minutes RISKS/BENEFITS : This study has no known risk s. CO NFIDENTIALITY : The records of this study will be kept private. In any sort of report I might publish, I will not include any information that will made it possible to identify a participant. Research records will be kept on a secure website and personal la ptop ; only the researcher will have access to the records. VOLUNTARY NATURE OF THE STUDY : Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with Colorado Mountain College , or any organization affiliated with the Appalachian Trail. CONTACTS AND QUESTIONS The researcher conducting this study is Katia Meyer If you have any quest ions, you may contact the researcher’s advisor Professor Hillmer - Pegram at kchillmer - pegram@coloradomtn.edu. If you have any questions about the IRB form or procedures, you may contact Colorado Mountain College’s IRB chair Veneeya Kinion at 970 - 384 - 8526 or vkinion@coloradomtn.edu. STATEMENT OF CONSENT I have read the above information. I have asked qu estions and have received answers. I consent to participate in the research. Please return to the survey and check the box to indicate that you have read the information presented here and consent to participate in the research.