Abstract

Development of a GIS-Based Model for Quantification of Scenic Resources
Track: Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management
Author(s): Doug Piercey

The visual landscape has been recognized as being a basic resource and an integral part of holistic or integrated study of the environment. Visual quality can be directly linked to tourism, and the increased use of the forests by outdoor enthusiasts and the tourism industry add to the demands already placed on it. How can trade-offs be measured objectively for a subjective entity such as visual quality? This is the crux of the problem; how to quantify such an intangible, but important, parameter as public perception of aesthetic value. The development, assessment and modification of a GIS-based model for the quantification of visual quality can help in this regard. A model which is theoretically sound and is truly representative of public perceptions can be an extremely valuable tool. This presentation will discuss the visual quality model in terms of development, validation, and utility.

Doug Piercey
Natural Resources Canada
P.O. Box 960
Corner Brook , NL A2H 6J3
Canada
Phone: 709-637-4915
E-mail: dpiercey@nrcan.gc.ca