Forest Service Technology & Development Program s1

FOR OFFICIAL FOREST SERVICE USE ONLY Forest Service Technology & Development Program Date: Project Proposal Submitted by: Jan Spencer Unit: TEAMS Enterprise Unit Project Name/Title: Address: PO Box 1888 Jackson, WY Guidebook for development of the 83001 Scenery Management System for Forest Planning

Phone: 307-734-1432 E-mail: [email protected] OVERALL PROBLEM/OBJECTIVE STATEMENT (Describe the problem, how the work is currently being done, and why improvement is needed):

Forest Planning is a complex process in several ways. Although AH 701, Landscape Aesthetics: A Handbook for Scenery Management describes a variety of means to address scenic resources in the forest planning process, it is not widely understood and is greatly left to individual interpretation. This has lead to inconsistencies across the Forest Service in the methodology used to define the elements of the scenery management system, and the process used to determine scenic integrity objectives.

PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT WORK (Describe your concept of the end product, such as a new equipment design, a PowerPoint presentation, a video, a handbook, Web site, CD, etc.):

Develop a guidebook would be based on AH 701. Include case studies of methods and processes that have previously been applied and lessons learned from those case studies. With the increased emphasis on recreation and recreation settings in the proposed planning rule, and the emphasis of maintaining or enhancing recreation settings in the Sustainable Recreation Framework, it is timely to develop a user’s guide to achieve a consistent process for development of forest plan inventories/assessments and processes for scenic resources.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS (Describe how this project will reduce cost, save time, improve safety, increase efficiency, or improve resource management):

A guidebook would move the Forest Service to a position of having a consistent way of managing our scenic resources. It would also increase the efficiency of developing the scenery management system during forest planning, reducing the amount of time and cost for each forest.

Focus areas of the Framework for Sustainable Recreation that this proposal would help to achieve are: Restore and Adapt Recreation Settings, Enhance Communities, Invest in Special Places, Provide the Right Information, and Develop our Workforce. This could be a collaborative effort with the BLM, and Park Service. Center Manager Center Manager San Dimas Technology & Development Center Missoula Technology & Development Center 444 East Bonita Ave. 5785 Hwy. 10 West San Dimas, CA 91773-3198 Missoula, MT 59808-9361 Phone: 909-599-1267 0371-2M05-MTDC Phone: 406-329-3900 Fax: 909-592-2309 (Rev. 6/04) Fax: 406-329-3719