Validity of using photographs to simulate visible qualities of forest recreation environments

Abstract

Forest recreation managers and researchers interested in conserving and improving the visual quality and recreation opportunities available in forest environments must often resort to simulations as a means of illustrating alternatives for potential users to evaluate. This paper reviews the results of prior research evaluating the validity of using photographic simulations to represent forest environments (i.e. comparing responses obtained in the field to those of photographic representations). The findings of three previously unreported validity tests conducted in northeastern forests are presented. The results indicate that simulations are both effective and appropriate useful to represent in stand conditions. However, simulations that involve a portion of a wider vista may have difficulty establishing the wider context of the scenes.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 1994 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Hoffman, Robin E.; Palmer, James F. 1995. Validity of using photographs to simulate visible qualities of forest recreation environments. In: Vander Stoep, Gail A., ed. Proceedings of the 1994 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium; 1994 April 10-12; Saratoga Springs, NY.: Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-198. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 83-89