Statistical models explaining students' ratings of photographs of withinstand forest scenes were constructed for 99 forest inventory plots in east Texas pine and oak-pine forest types. Models with parameters that are sensitive to visual preference yet compatible with forest management and timber inventories are presented. The models suggest that the density of sawtimber-sized trees and the prop...

Tensions between amenity- and timber-based economies in the U.S. and Canadian Pacific Northwest motivated a study of scenic beauty inside mature forests and timber harvests. A diverse sample of regional forests, measures of forest structure, and large, representative samples of photographs and public judges were employed to measure scenic beauty inside un-harvested mature and old-growth forests...

The relationship between scenic beauty grade and measured tree indicators was studied through evaluation of 427 photos of individual Pinus tabulaeformis trees by using the scenic beauty estimation (SBE) method. Thirteen indices to reflect trunk, crown and stem-to-canopy ratios of individual trees were evaluated by invited students. Results showed that students preferred large diameters at breas...

With Taiwan’s steep terrain and fracture geology, natural disasters are likely to occur after heavy rainfall. To reduce the effects of upstream sediment on human surroundings, check dams are an essential transverse structure for streams in watersheds. However, there is likely to be a detrimental visual impact on the landscape without consideration of the integration of dams with the environment...

recent literature attaches high importance to scenic evaluation of natural landscapes. scenic beauty evaluation techniques often use parameters derived from photographs or collected in situ data via field assessment and questionnaires. such techniques are relatively costly and time consuming. park managers and recreational planners require spatial tools and techniques that are fast, flexible an...

The aesthetic quality of forests in the U.S. is actively managed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. To support this mission, several forest lands in the southern U.S. have been carefully photographed and analyzed for factors contributing to scenic content. In this paper we describe algorithms that we developed to automatically assess the scenic quality of imag...

this paper discusses the importance of environmental aesthetics and scenic beauty of currentroadside vegetation in the highways, and the necessity for the contribution of users (motorists) preferences inthe integration of scenic beauty of roadside vegetation into its management plans. the results of a questionnairesurvey of motorist’s opinion on the landscape aesthetics and quality of some high...

Forests are important place for outdoor recreation and scenery appreciation. So in order to better meet the needs of the public, forest appreciation has received increasing attention from foresters in recent years. However, related research is still limited. Therefore, this paper seeks to examine the relationship between forest colors (measured by specific elements and spatial indices of color)...

The main purpose of this study is to derive forest recreation demand in Jizerske Mountains Protected Landscape Area and to disentangle aesthetic factors that are responsible for changes in recreation utility of visitors. We estimate visitors’ preferences for alternative forest sites as a function of site characteristics using choice experiment technique. As forest scenic beauty may represent a ...

A forest landscape visualization system was developed and used in creating realistic images depicting how an area might appear if harvested. The system uses a ray-tracing renderer to draw model trees on a virtual landscape. The system includes components to create landscape surfaces from digital elevation data, populate/cut trees within (polygonal) areas, and convert GIS output data into a form...