River Management Symposium/ National Outdoor Recreation ... · Washington, DC Office Desk: 202.912.7284 Mobile: 202.631.5362 [email protected] Diane Simpson-Colebank, PLA, ASLA, Principal

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 !