Research Project – Winter Travel in Mountain Terrain
Information About the Research Project
“Monitoring Winter travel in mountain terrain”. This page provides information about the goals of this research project and what it entails for you.
Purpose
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) have set up a series of checkpoints in various locations in the Scottish mountains. These checkpoints have Bluetooth sniffers/counters that solely record how many people pass by. The simple number data is completely anonymous, and it is impossible to identify who has passed— only that a device has passed. (SEE DATA EXAMPLE BELOW) This data is important for understanding where and when people travel.
This is part of a wider study for the SAIS and other interested parties and is in collaboration with the Centre for Avalanche Research and Education (CARE) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the Avalanche Warning Service at NVE who are carrying out similar surveys in Norway.
Example of data collected:
Who Is Responsible for the Research Project?
Mark Diggins SAIS and Audun Hetland at CARE, UiT, are responsible for the project.
Why Are You Included in the Study?
You are included because you are travelling in a location where we are counting passing winter recreationists.
What Does the Project Entail for You?
The project has no practical implications for you, as we are simply counting how many people carry out winter activities on a specific mountain at a specific time.
Your Right to Object
You may object to being included in this research project at any time, and you do not need to provide a reason. If you choose to object, all data recorded during the period you were near the “sniffer/counter” unit will be deleted. There will be no negative consequences for you if you object. To do this, we just need to know the date and time you where near the sniffer unit, so we can delete all Bluetooth data for the specified period at the given location (NB. this will erase all units counted during this period as we cannot identify single devices).
Your Privacy – How We Store and Use Your Information
We will this record information about your passing device only for the purposes described in this page.
What Happens to Your Data When the Research Project Ends?
Data from the Bluetooth counters is entirely anonymous. The only data we have access to is the number of passing bluetooth units. It will provide useful data from which we can determine mountain activity over time.
What Gives Us the Right to Process Your Data?
We process information about winter recreationists activity because the research project can be of benefit to all those who engage with the winter mountains enabling greater understanding for agencies that provide advice and information to all winter recreationists.
However, you have the right to object if you do not want to be included in the project.
Your Rights
Although you cannot be identified in any way, you have the right to:
- Object
- Request the deletion of data related to the specific time you were near the sniffer unit.
If you have questions about the study and wish to learn more about the project objectives, or exercise your rights please contact:
Mark Diggins SAIS
[email protected]
Tel: 01479861264
Additionally you can contact:
Audun Hetland
UiT The Arctic University of Norway and go here for further information: https://uit.no/ research/care
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (NO) 93041612
