¶ … counting or documenting observations," according to authors Maxfield and Babbie. The descriptive study in this paper relates to a controversy in a small town near my home, in which a barbed wire fence has been erected to keep people out of a forest of pine trees. The problem emerged when The Nature Conservancy purchased an 800-acre easement on 1,400 acres of woodlands. People in the community had used trails in the property (it has always been private property) to get downtown, or to the high school. Suddenly a 6-strand barbed wire fence blocked the trails citizens had used for 80 years or more.
What is the purpose of this research? The research is to document and explain how neighbors and other people in the community responded to the erection of a 6-strand barbed wire fence (with barbed wire wrapped around the top of the gates that were installed).
The descriptive study is also intended to show the dynamics at a meeting that the group in opposition to the barbed wire fence organized. The local parks and recreation board met and heard the complaints and suggestions from citizens who had organized a petition drive to try and get The Nature Conservancy to open up the fence so the trails could be used again.
How were the concepts defined?...
Second, the neighbors were surveyed. A meeting was attended to record the comments and protests. How did I measure these concepts? How was it done? I counted the people arriving at the fence and surveyed their responses. I observed one afternoon for 3 hours near a gate that had been open for walkers. Four young boys on mini-bikes arrived and quickly lifted the 4rd stand up and the 5th strand down; they entered the no trespassing zone and rode into the forest. They said nothing. Two senior citizens arrived; they were more sad than angry. "I've been walking these trails since my daughter was born, twenty-seven years ago," said a man with a walking stick. "We are going to sign the petition," his wife added. Three neighbors came to the gate. "It looks like a gulag now, doesn't it," said Amy. "I cry every day. It makes me sick." A total of 21 people came to the gate. Some were aware of the fence and others were startled. "The Nature Conservancy came in and never asked the community if there were trails that were part of the master plan," a bearded man in his 30's said in a loud voice. "This is arrogant and we want this fence to come down," his friend added.
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