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Scenic Quality Management
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The Trevey, A Dynamic Planning System for Rural Areas
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This unit is modified from The Overstory #185, February 26, 2007 --Trees for scenic quality management by Grant Revell. It was developed by him from
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INTRODUCTION
Agroforestry systems are fast becoming major features of Australian
rural landscapes. Their type and placement in the landscape can
significantly improve a farm or catchment's scenic value or, conversely,
degrade it.
Often, scenic improvements can only be achieved if suitable landscape
designing is integrated into the overall agroforestry planning process.
Failure to do this may cause unacceptable levels of social,
environmental and economic impact whilst reducing the potential multiple
use value of agroforestry resources.
From the outset, it should be noted that the management of scenic
quality on farms must follow sound ecological design principles and is
usually site specific. Whilst farm landscapes can be appreciated as
large 'gardens' they should not be designed to significantly compromise
conservation requirements of the wider catchment environment. Often, the
aesthetic character of farms can be simply and creatively managed as a
designed by-product of tree planting for wildlife and soil conservation,
salinity control, shelter, fodder, and windbreak and timber production
requirements.
This article provides a general, practical background to the landscape
design requirements of agroforestry systems. The design principles and
guidelines presented have been adapted from various works, in particular
Revell (1994), Van Pelt (1980) and Crowe (1978). Details of these
publications and others are provided as further reading at the end.
Farmers and land managers who wish to obtain more information on this
topic and who are working within sensitive landscapes are encouraged to
seek further assistance from qualified landscape architects,
environmental designers and/or land conservation agencies working in
your farming region.
THE WHAT, WHY, HOW AND WHEN OF SCENIC QUALITY DESIGN
Here are the most commonly asked questions (and the answers) to the
needs and practices of scenic quality management of agroforestry
landscapes.
What is scenic quality management?
Scenic quality management is a positive and integral component of
agroforestry planning and management processes. Its prime goal is to
ensure that all agroforestry uses and activities are planned and
implemented so as to complement rather than detract from the inherent
visual qualities of the environments in which they occur.
Why should we design for scenic values in agroforestry management?
Rural areas have a wide range of visual qualities. As a part of multiple
resource land management farmers are often committed to sensitively
managing such landscape scenic qualities. Some areas are scenically
outstanding, and there are others that are severely degraded and are
major visual blights on the landscape. When tree planting areas are
selected, planned and designed, established and harvested, such
landscape scenic qualities should be taken into account. With proper
planning, we can visually protect, maintain, or enhance natural or
cultural landscapes with tree plantations.
When is a farm landscape scenic?
Scenic qualities vary from district to district depending upon such
factors as landform, vegetation, waterform and landuse patterns. As a
general rule, scenic quality increases with:
Landscape appreciation should also consider the position and numbers of
viewers both public and private. Generally speaking, scenic views from
major travel routes or look-out areas are more visually sensitive than
from the 'back-blocks'. However, local communities or individual farmers
may insist that their landscapes be as sensitively managed as the more
populated and visited areas of the countryside.
Classifying farm areas into 'scenic importance zones' and whether they
are seen in the foreground, middleground or background from prime
viewing locations will help determine management priorities and
attention to planting design detail.
When does a landscape become scenically degraded?
Scenic degradation is usually due to changes in landscape naturalness.
Examples include over-clearing, excessive planting, over-grazing, soil
erosion, poor paddock design, the construction of buildings, roads, dams
and other structures and the impacts associated with mining, harvesting,
fire and disease.
What is the scenic significance of tree planting and management?
The following aspects of agroforestry need to be considered for their
scenic significance:
MAJOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES TO CONSIDER
Design principles and guidelines for background scale landscapes
The scale of the plantation should reflect the scale of the surrounding
landscape. For example, large open valley type landscapes can
accommodate a greater area of plantation establishment and harvest area
than smaller ones. Scale impacts can be minimised by separating
plantation areas with existing vegetation or by creating cells of
varying age classes.
Patterns of the plantation areas should reflect or imitate
surrounding landuse patterns.
Plantation design should, where possible, follow existing landscape
lines treeline, roadline, fenceline, creekline, ridgeline, etc. The
delineation of the plantation establishment or harvest area should
respect these lines. Avoid reinforcing lines if they are incongruous
with the surrounding landscape. For example, in a landscape setting
which predominantly exhibits free-flowing lines, avoid breaking skylines
and reinforcing property and fencelines that are geometric in nature.
Plantation access roads and firebreaks should be of low visual impact,
preferably screened, with alignments following contours, existing road
patterns or vegetation lines as opposed to artificial property
boundaries.
In visually sensitive areas, potential plantation impacts can be reduced
by enhancing and extending existing vegetation areas with similar
species plantings. These plantings could be protected from future
harvesting, optimising wildlife, soil, water and recreation values. If
harvested, the sequence and timing of cut should be separate from the
main plantation harvest schedule.
Design principles and guidelines for middleground scale landscapes
At this scale, middleground areas dominate the landscape. The local
appreciation of ridges, valleys and plains is offered. In comparison to
background scale plantation areas, the whole plantation is unlikely to
be viewed at one time. Perception of detail increases, colour and
texture replaces shape, and pattern and line become the major visual or
scenic elements.
The outline of the plantation area at this scale should be defined by
gullies, spurs and ridges and borrow from the lines offered by the
surrounding landscape. Plantation areas should be defined as individual
units broken up by ridges, drainage lines and dominant landuse patterns.
Avoid over-reinforcing areas of maximum visual contrast such as
treelines, skylines, vegetation changes, etc. Ensure that such contrasts
are reflecting other contrasts (if present) in the surrounding
landscape. For example, in 'natural' settings, edges of vegetation
change can be softened by sympathetic boundary lines, gradual changes in
density or age class across the interface or with the use of species of
different form, colour and texture.
For skyline edges, maintain ridges with species typically dominant
within the surrounding landscape. For example, avoid pines in a hardwood
forest setting. If pines are necessary then locate them below the
skyline and vary age class and planting density where possible. The
harvesting of ridge or skyline plantation areas should be sequenced to
reduce the extent of clearing disturbance visible at any one time or to
enable adjoining areas to be regenerated successfully.
The upper margins of any planted area are prominent components of the
planting design. In settings of a strong 'natural' character these
margins should rise and point up in the valleys and depressions and fall
or point down on the spurs. The upper margin should be located so that
any open ground above the planting area is of sufficient size to reflect
the scale of the hill cap, knoll or ridge.
The visual impacts of powerlines, transmission towers and corridors can
be reduced by creating a series of irregular planting spaces. Trees can
be planted closer to powerlines opposite pylons or towers than in
mid-span, while smaller trees and shrubs can be grown closer still.
Design principles and guidelines for foreground scale landscapes
At this scale, foreground areas dominate the landscape. All perception
of the background and middleground landscapes is lost. The microscale
dominates with occasional glimpses extending to the middle and
background areas. The observer is virtually in the plantation or
revegetated landscape. There is total perception of details of
individual trees, their colours and textures, their diversity or
uniformity. Visual change to the plantation is most easily detected at
this scale. These plantation landscapes require a high degree of scenic
quality management throughout all stages of the plantation program.
Follow the visual expression of the surrounding foreground
landscape. Avoid contrasts to these details. For example, in a uniform, colourful
patchwork, geometric, foreground agricultural landscape setting the
visual character of an exotic, regimented-looking belt of blue gums or
pines could enhance the local landscape.
In 'natural', non-uniform settings encourage diversity through the
physical separation of plantation sections or compartments. These areas
may differ with age, species mix, planting density or thinning regime.
Maintaining visual penetration through the plantation can enhance visual
quality of the plantation landscape. This can be achieved by an open or
clumped planting density or through thinning techniques. In 'naturally'
appearing landscape settings, thinning regimes should be non-uniform.
Conversely, in geometric or culturally dominated landscapes thinning
regimes should be regular and uniform. Access tracks and firebreaks
should be designed and constructed with low visual impact.
Within sensitive areas, avoid visual impacts created by plantation
debris or slashed material. Reduce impacts by screening, burning,
mulching or scattering debris away from seen areas. In visually
sensitive areas, harvest areas should be of minimal size in relation to
the overall plantation landscape. Felled areas should not dominate over
unfelled areas.
In visually sensitive areas, employ harvest sequencing techniques.
Near-roadside vegetation, for example, can reduce the visual impacts of
adjoining harvest areas. Final harvesting of near-roadside vegetation
should take place after surrounding coupe areas have been regenerated or
replanted and have grown to become a strong visual element.
Near-roadside vegetation could also be treated as multi-aged stands and
harvested sequentially within themselves.
THE ESSENTIAL STEPS IN THE SCENIC QUALITY DESIGN OF AGROFORESTRY LANDSCAPES
In summary, the major steps to follow in the scenic quality design
process are:
REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Campbell, A. (1988). Whole Farm Planning. Potter Farmland Plan, Ian
Potter Foundation, Victoria.
Campbell, A. (1991). Planning for Sustainable Farming. The Potter
Farmland Plan Story. Lothian Books.
Crowe, S. (1978). The Landscape of Forests and Woods. U.K. Forest
Community Booklet No. 44.
Forestry Commission Edinburgh. (1989). Forests and Landscapes.
Government of Edinburgh, U.K.
Forestry Commission Tasmania. (undated). A Manual For Forest Landscape
Management. Government of Tasmania.
Forestry Commission Victoria. (1982). Design and Layout of Pine
Plantations - Design and Siting Guidelines. Government of Victoria.
Revell, G. (1994). Guidelines for Managing Plantation Landscapes.
Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.
Van Pelt, J. W. (1980). Landscape analysis and design for conifer
plantations. Journal of Australian Forestry 43 (3), 178188.
Van Pelt, J. W. (1977). Community pressures on the forest landscape for
recreation and aesthetics. Proceedings Eighth I.F.A. Conference.
Adelaide, Volume 1.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grant Revell teaches, researches and practices environmental design at
the University of Western Australia. His research Interests include
landscape assessment and planning, landscape design, and landscape
ecology. Contact information:
WEB LINKS
The Joint Venture Agroforestry Program of the Rural Industries, Land &
Water Australia and Forest and Wood Products Research and Development
Corporations (RIRDC, Land W Australia and FWPRDC):
<http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/aft.html>
World Resources Institute, Biodiversity and Protected Areas:
<http://www.wri.org/biodiv/>
ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service's
Conservation Easements: <http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/coneasements.html>
Biodiversity Support Programme: <http://www.BSPonline.org/>
The Australian Master TreeGrower (MTG) Program is an educational
program for landholders interested in the development of farm
forestry: Mississippi State University Extension Service offers Forest
Management Alternatives For Private Landowners and other
extension materials for prospective farm foresters at:
See Ranging.
See Views
See Viewscapes Group
This Web site is maintained by R. H.Giles, Jr.
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
Level 2, 15 National Circuit, BARTON, ACT 2600, Australia
Postal Address:
PO Box 4776, KINGSTON ACT 2604, Australia
E-mail: rirdc@rirdc.gov.au
Website:
Grant Revell, Associate Dean
School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts
M433
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia
E-mail: grant.revell@uwa.edu.au
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Last revision September 24, 2006.