About

What is “AIX”?

The National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) Annual Information Exchange (AIX) Survey, administered by North Carolina State University, is conducted every year with participants from all 50 states. This web-based survey comprises seven sections on various aspects of State Park operations. Data collected include the amount and types of State Park units, land areas, facilities, attendance, finances and fees, personnel and salaries, and friends groups. Only aggregate data are reported at the state level. No information is available at finer administrative/spatial scales such as individual park units.

Purpose and a brief history

Effective management of protected areas and parks requires timely information such as facilities, attendance, finances, and personnel. To facilitate information collection and sharing at a national level, a survey of U.S. State Park operations, referred to as the “Annual Information Exchange” (AIX), was conceived in the mid-1970s by the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD).

The AIX survey has been implemented systematically since the early 1990s when the survey scope was expanded and variables were better defined. Since 2006, this survey has been administered by North Carolina State University (NCSU).