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Abstract
The problem of identifying the scenic value of forest attributes and management plans is empirically explored. A sample of hardwood forests in Wisconsin, representing a diversity of management histories, is analyzed through photographs and field inventories. Scenic beauty judgements of the photographs by a diversity of respondents yield general scenic beauty estimates for the sampled forests. A general model is reported for predicting these estimates from forests' structural attributes. This model is then used to isolate and identify the marginal scenic impacts of single critical forest attributes with the effects of other attributes discounted. These are interpreted for their relative scenic value. In addition, rough estimations of scenic beauty flows for each of several basic long-term hardwood management alternatives are identified. These scenic flows are compared for their average scenic beauty "output". The results provide guidance to hardwood forest managers in selecting overall management plans and management prescriptions for forests where scenic beauty is an important goal.
Parent Publication
Citation
Ribe, R.G. 1991. The scenic impact of key forest attributes and long-term management alternatives for hardwood forests. In: McCormick, Larry H.; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings, 8th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 1991 March 4-6; University Park, PA. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-148. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 34-54.
