The population of desert tortoises in Targland's Red Desert has declined, partly because they are captured for sale as pets and partly because people riding all-terrain vehicles have damaged their habitat. Targland plans to halt this population decline by blocking the current access routes into the desert and announcing new regulations to allow access only on foot. Targland's officials predict that these measures will be adequate, since it is difficult to collect the tortoises without a vehicle.

Which of the following would it be most important to establish in order to evaluate the officials' prediction?

【选项】Whether the Targland authorities held public hearings before restricting entry by vehicle into the Red Desert