River Management Symposium/ National Outdoor Recreation ... · Washington, DC Office Desk:...
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River Management Symposium/ National Outdoor Recreation Conference – Boise 2016
Transcript of River Management Symposium/ National Outdoor Recreation ... · Washington, DC Office Desk:...
River Management Symposium/ National Outdoor
Recreation Conference – Boise 2016
WHY does the BLM inventory
scenic resources?
A Historical Reflection
Billboard and sign clutter
Clear-cut forestsKansas City, MO air pollution Abandoned mine spoils
Flood Plain junk yards
Billboard clutter Transmission Power Lines
Water Pollution Water Pollution
A Historical Reflection
In President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 Address to
Congress
“The beauty of our land is a natural resource. Its
preservation is linked to the inner prosperity of the
human spirit.”
A Historical Reflection
Events leading to the
inventory requirement:1965 White House Conference on
Natural Beauty
Events leading to the inventory requirement:
1965 White House Conference
1969 National Environmental Policy Act
A Historical Reflection
Events leading to the inventory requirement:
1965 White House Conference
1969 National Environmental Policy Act
1976 Federal Land Policy & Management Act
“the public lands be managed in a manner that will
protect the quality of...scenic...values....”
“maintain on a continuing basis an inventory of all
public lands and their resources and other values
(including, but not limited to, outdoor recreation and
scenic values)....”
A Historical Reflection
Inventory Polices
1975 Inventory-Directed Management
1978 Inventory-Directed Management
1983 Inventory-de-emphasized in favor of onsite contrast reducing design solutions
1984 Inventory-is considered in Management Decisions
1998 Directive: Re-emphasizes the importance of the Visual Resource Program
A Historical Reflection
2001 Land Use Planning Revisions
• Dated Visual Resource Inventories
• Resource Management Plan Protests
A Historical Reflection
2005 Wind Energy PEIS
2008 West Wide Transmission
Energy Corridors PEIS
2008 Geothermal PEIS
• Priority Renewable Energy
Projects
2012 Solar Energy Programmatic
EIS (24 Solar Energy Zones)
A Historical Reflection
2012 Visual Inventory Resource Data
Standard
• Inventories 2010 and forward were in
accordance with the 2012 standard
2012 VRM Blanket Purchase Agreement
• Four contractors on board to respond
to VRM Needs
A Historical Reflection
So…How DO you do a VRI ?
Typically, with 5 Major Steps:
1. Field Office Kickoff Meeting/Workshop
2. Delineate Visual Distance Zones
3. Determine Sensitivity to change within visual landscape
4. Evaluate Scenic Quality
5. Determination of VRI Classes (post processing)
• Interactive Workshop
• Data Gathering - it’s a
collaborative process!
• Training
• More Data Gathering
• Travel Plan
• Fieldwork
Field Office Meeting/Kickoff
DISTANCE ZONES: Measure of distance where a closer
exposure is more significant than a farther exposure.
• Foreground/Middleground
(0-5 miles)
• Background
(5-15 miles)
• Seldom Seen
(15+ miles or shielded
from view)
About 45 miles
About 5 miles
About 2 miles
Inventory Factor – Distance Zones
VDZ – Visual Distance Zones
• Major roadways
• Scenic Byways
• Recreation areas
• Trails
Red = FG
Orange= MG
Blue = Seldom Seen
Where do people view
the landscape?
GIS exercise
Sensitivity to Changes in Scenic Quality
Sensitivity Level: Measure of public concern for scenic quality
Input from:
• BLM staff
• Federal, tribal, local,
state governments and
local organizations
Conduct online research
- Talk with BLM staff and compare findings from data gathering
- Bring it all together (5 factors)
o Types of users
o Amount of use
o Public interest
o Adjacent land uses
o Special areas
Rating : High, Moderate, Low
Sensitivity to Changes in Scenic Quality
• Landscape is broken
into areas of similar
likeness
• Scenic Quality Rating
Units (SQRUs)
Landscape Character: Measure of visual quality based on
classic visual elements and patterns.
Inventory Factor - Scenic Quality
• Inventory Teams includes BLM
Staff
• Systematic Process
• Inventory Observation
Points (IOPs)
• Confirm SQRU boundaries
• Photo documentation
• Scenic quality ratings
• Considerations
• Photo shooting light
• Access
• Remote locations
Inventory Factor - Scenic Quality
So… you drive around and take pictures?
Evaluation of scenic qualityTRANSLATING THIS…
Painting a picture
with words…
INTO THIS…
And an opportunity for some really GOOD STORIES…
Questions/Comments
John McCarty, Chief Landscape Architect/ National Visual Resource
Management LeadUSDOI, Bureau of Land ManagementWashington, DC OfficeDesk: 202.912.7284Mobile: [email protected]
Diane Simpson-Colebank, PLA, ASLA, Principal
Logan Simpson51 W. 3rd St., Ste. 450Tempe, AZ 85281P (480) 967-1343C (602) [email protected]
Thank you !
