Modeling forest scenic beauty : concepts and application to ponderosa pine /

Abstract

Statisticalmodels are presented which relate near-view scenic beauty of ponderosa pine stands in the Southwest to variables descrbing physical characteristics. The models suggest that herbage and large ponderosa pine contribute to scenic beaty, while numbers of small and intermediate-sized pine trees and downed wood, speacially as slash, detract from scenic beauty. Areas of relatively dense stands tends to improve scenic beauty once the stand has recovered from obvious harvest effects. The recovery period can be greatly reduced by slash cleanup.