Treesearch

The variable "complexity," or "diversity," has received a great deal of attention in recent research efforts concerned with visual resource management, including the identification of complexity as one of the primary evaluation measures. This paper describes research efforts that support the hypothesis that the landscapes we value are those with perceived diverse and variable environments.

Qualitative assessments of landscape resources can best be approached through direct measurement of landscape perceptions. Results from a survey of one District in Hertfordshire, England, show this approach not only to be viable but also to yield much information relevant to plans for landscape improvement and protection. Consensus was high and the socio-economic variables generally had little effect on evaluations. Residential location was important in affecting landscape perceptions, resulting in an urban/rural variation in results. For detailed surveys of landscape resources prior to...

The changes in scenic quality resulting from urbanization are explored for a region in the Northeast. The relative contributions to scenic quality of certain landscape features are examined by developing regression models for the region and for town landscapes within that region. The models provide empirical evidence of the importance of trees for maintaining high scenic quality in areas undergoing urbanization.

Five petroleum-related facilities often sited in the coastal zone during development of Outer Continental oil and gas can change the visual appearance of coastal areas. These facilities are service bases, platform fabrication yards, marine terminals and associated storage facilities, oil and gas processing facilities, and liquified natural gas terminals. Examples of innovative approaches to managing the visual impacts of these facilities are discussed. Subject areas requiring additional research are identified.

Forests are products of solar radiation use. The sun also drives the hydrologic cycle on forested watersheds. Some basic concepts of climatology and solar radiation are summarized in including earth-sun relations, polar tilt, solar energy, terrestrial energy, energy balance, and local energy. An example shows how these principles can be applied in resource management. This paper is designed to be used with an earlier report on controlling solar light and heat in a forest by managing shadow sources.

Not too long ago winter sports facilities were small and simple. As more people participated in winter sports and technology advanced, the impact on the land in-creased not only from the standpoint of actual facilities needed for winter recreation but also from associated facilities. In many instances winter sports areas developed into full fledged tourist oriented communities with a multitude of services. Although these areas were initially only winter sports oriented, it soon became apparent that the summer recreationists could enjoy them as well. To make the areas attractive to people,...

The urban-wildland interface is treated as a place where extremes meet--where it is difficult to maintain a visually appealing transition from country to city. Problems are identified in relation to stable cities, urbanizing areas, and developing resorts in the wildlands. The visual problems of urbanization are also discussed in relation to physical impacts such as unstable soils, flooding hazards, and wildfires.

This paper outlines the opportunities for visual resource management (VRM) in the southern Appalachian coal basin resulting from the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. It focuses upon VRM as a regulatory activity that works to insure the proper enforcement of the law and effective development of its implementation programs. VRM for Appalachian surface mining is directly controlled by the law which can significantly protect the region's visual resources given proper enforcement and program development. However, the full environmental, economic and social costs of achieving the...