Social Science to Improve Fuels Management: A Synthesis of Research on Aesthetics and Fuels Management.

摘要

Fuels management, like many other aspects of forest management on public land, can be highly controversial. The public's concern that forest thinning projects will significantly impact the scenic beauty of the forests in which it recreates and resides is often a root cause of this controversy. Given that the public's acceptance of forest management practices, including fuels reduction, is heavily based upon the visual appearance of the forest (Ribe 2002), fuels managers can improve their chance of success by incorporating aesthetic considerations into management decisions. In fact, a visually preferred landscape can be the natural outcome of fuels treatments if managers understand the important characteristics that shape the public's landscape preferences. Fortunately for forest planners and managers, a large body of research has explored the impact of forest management, particularly timber harvests, on forest aesthetics. This report summarizes the existing body of research on aesthetics and forest management, and suggests strategies for managers and planners to use in applying this research information to fuels management. The goal of this report is to help managers reduce fuels hazards in a manner that respects, or even improves, the scenic beauty of the forest.