1 / 44

Visual Resource Management

Visual Resource Management. Overview of the Visual GAR process for the Kootenay lake TSA December 11, 2013. FLNRO representatives. Peter Rennie , Regional Landscape Forester, Kamloops Kevin Lavelle , District Stewardship Officer, Revelstoke

lilli
Download Presentation

Visual Resource Management

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Visual Resource Management Overview of the Visual GAR process for the Kootenay lake TSA December 11, 2013

  2. FLNRO representatives • Peter Rennie, Regional Landscape Forester, Kamloops • Kevin Lavelle, District Stewardship Officer, Revelstoke • Julie Castonguay, District Stewardship Forester, Nelson

  3. Meeting Agenda • Overview of visual management in BC; • Example of visual management in Kootenay Lake TSA; • Importance of VQO’s for tourism; • Review of visual management in Kootenay Lake TSA; • Overview of the Scenic Area and Visual Quality Objectives GAR process; • Status of the current Scenic Area and Visual Quality Objectives GAR process for Kootenay Lake TSA; • Questions

  4. Theobserver vs landscape • Visual perception with the sense of sight provides 87% of information to the brain.

  5. Why is Visual Quality Important? • Scenic, natural-appearing landscapes are highly valued. • Scenic landscapes provide BC’s tourism industry with a marketable resource and competitive edge. • Well designed landscapes create public confidence by reinforcing the idea that our forests are being managed with care. • Public planning processes, including High Level Plans (HLPs), have made various commitments regarding visual management. • Forest legislation focuses on sustainable use, including conservation of scenic values. Visual Quality is one of 11 core values to be managed and conserved under the Forest & Range Practices Act (FRPA).

  6. Legal visual management requirements

  7. What is Visual Resource Management? • involves understanding and working harmoniously with natural characteristics of the landscape when designing development activities.

  8. Fine Balance: Maintain scenic values while harvesting timber sustainably

  9. Visual Inventory • About 16 million ha (~20% of the forest land base) have been mapped as visually sensitive landscapes in BC. • Over half of these areas are designated Scenic Areas with legally established objectives under FRPA.

  10. A 0005 PR M/H/H/H 3 A Visual Inventory • Involves the identification, classification and recording of visual values on maps and forms. • The visible landscape is mapped from specific view locations, • The visible landscape is divided into management units, • Each landscape unit is assessed using 35 factors, rated for visual sensitivity to forest alterations, and assigned a Visual Sensitivity Class.

  11. Visual Quality Objectives (VQOs) • a resource management objective established by the district manager or contained in a higher level plan that reflects the desired level of visual quality based on the physical characteristics and social concern for the area. • Define benchmarks of acceptable landscape alteration. • Range from no visible change to large scale visible change. • VQOs are legally established under the Government Actions Regulation and defined under the Forest Planning & Practices Regulation. • Identified through visual inventories and strategic plans • Refined through public consultation

  12. Preservation (P) • consisting of an altered forest landscape in which the alteration, when assessed from a significant public viewpoint, is • very small in scale, and • not easily distinguishable from the pre-harvest landscape;

  13. Retention (R) • consisting of an altered forest landscape in which the alteration, when assessed from a significant public viewpoint, is • difficult to see, • small in scale, and • natural in appearance;

  14. Partial Retention (PR) • consisting of an altered forest landscape in which the alteration, when assessed from a significant public viewpoint, is • easy to see, • small to medium in scale, and • natural and not rectilinear or geometric in shape;

  15. Modification (M) • consisting of an altered forest landscape in which the alteration, when assessed from a significant public viewpoint, is • very easy to see, and • is (A)  large in scale and natural in its appearance, or (B)  small to medium in scale but with some angular characteristics;

  16. Maximum Modification (MM) • consisting of an altered forest landscape in which the alteration, when assessed from a significant public viewpoint, is • very easy to see, • is (A)  very large in scale, (B)  rectilinear and geometric in shape, or (C)  both.

  17. Percent alteration

  18. Predicting VQOs for Partial Cuts

  19. Both drawings have 7 % alteration visible, which is the upper “limit” for partial retention. In this example, the top figure meets a partial retention definition because the openings are small or moderate in scale. The lower figure meets a modification definition because the opening is large in scale and is somewhat angular in shape.

  20. Visual impact assessment (VIA), local example VIA is an evaluation of the visual impact of resource development proposals on forest landscape.

  21. Kalesnikoff CP 24, visual simulation with perspective view from Golf course

  22. Kalesnikoff CP 24, visual simulation with perspective view from Hwy 3A

  23. Kalesnikoff CP 24, post treatment view from Hwy 3A

  24. Aerial view of CP 24

  25. Importance of Tourism • Economic Benefits of Managing Forestry and Tourism at Nimmo Bay • Published February 2003 • The study concluded: the greatest benefit to the Crown is realized by managing viewscapes for both tourism and forestry.

  26. Rate of return of clients to Nimmo Bay for a given VQO level • 77.1% would return to a retention scene, • 70.8% would return to a partial retention scene, and • 35.4% would return to a modification scene

  27. Brief history of the visual management in the Kootenay Lake TSA • 1981 – Forest Landscape Handbook • 1987 – VQO’s identified for West Arm (P. Bekker) • 1989 – Logging in Kootenay Landscapes: The Public Response. (Berris & Bekker) • 1992 – VQO’s identified for remainder of District (Mirkwood Consultants) • 1994 – Visual Landscape Design Training Manual (S. Bell) • 1993-1999 – minor modification of VQO’s (S. Flett) • July 1999 – District Manager establishes recommended Visual Quality Classes (VQC’s) • 2004 - The VQC’s were grand parented into legal scenic areas and VQO’s under Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA).

  28. Why changing the scenic areas and VQOs for the Kootenay Lake TSA now? • The current legal version of the visual landscape inventory (VLI) is a product of several different people at different point in time and therefore is not consistent with provincial standards for VLI.

  29. Visual Resource Management Process

  30. Using the Government Actions Regulation (GAR) to establish scenic areas & VQOs Prior to Establishment Mechanisms for Establishment Process for Establishment

  31. Prior to Establishment Reasons for Establishment: Visual inventory has been updated. Planning process or government direction has identified visually sensitive areas that require special management or alternatively no longer require management. Inventory may have existed but not been made legal. Need to add, modify, cancel VQOs Note: Prior to establishment, the visual inventory should be reviewed for technical accuracy.

  32. Mechanisms for Establishment Government Actions Regulation (GAR) s.7(1) allows a DDM to establish Scenic Areas, and GAR s.7(2) provides authority for a DDM to establish Visual Quality Objectiveswithin Scenic Areas. District Managers of FLNRO now have authority under both these sections and can be covered with a single order. Land Act s.93.4 provides authority to establish a land use objective, which can include objectives for visual quality similar to Visual Quality Objectives if defined in an equivalent manner. (Note: GAR establishment is the more common method of establishment.)

  33. Process for Establishment GAR s.2: Limitation on Actions GAR s.3: Consultations and Reviews Preparation of Rationale and Order GAR s.4: Notice of Order

  34. Process for Establishment GAR s.2 Limitation on Actions: DDM must be satisfied that Order is consistent with other established objectives (GAR 2(1)(a)). A review of overlapping resource values and established objectives will clarify potential conflicts. Order must not unduly reduce the supply of timber (GAR 2(1)(b)). Depending on the magnitude of change, some timber supply analysis work may be required. Benefits to the public would outweigh any material adverse impact on delivered wood costs, and undue constraint on agreement holder’s rights (GAR 2(1)(c)). (This may be difficult to quantify.)

  35. Process for Establishment GAR s.3 Consultations and Reviews: Opportunity for review and comment must be provided to the agreement holders under the Forest and Range Acts that will be affected by the Order (GAR 3(1)). Other key stakeholders who may be affected by the order should also be provided opportunity to comment. This may include outdoor tourism operators, guide-outfitters, local outdoor recreation groups and users, rural resident associations, wilderness councils, local governments, etc.

  36. Process for Establishment GAR s.3 Consultations and Reviews: (cont’d) Ads in local newspapers may be useful in reaching a variety of local stakeholder groups. However, the GAR consultation process is not intended to replicate other planning processes. FN consultation requirements must be met. There is generally a 60-day consultation period for this type of order. The consultation packages may include a map showing the proposed Scenic Areas/VQOs including an area comparison table. This information can also be made available for review in local district offices or links provided to digital data.

  37. Process for Establishment Prepare Rationale and Order: Review comments from agreement holders and other stakeholders. Make adjustments where necessary to VQOs to address concerns. Prepare Rationale and draft Order.

  38. Process for Establishment Prepare Rationale and Order: Rationale will describe:-Description of area and objectives-Summary of input received,and measures to address.-Fulfillment of GAR 2 and 3 requirements.-Determination. Order should be brief and include the following:-Authority to establish.-Description of area and reference to maps and digital data.-Statement of establishment by DDM.-Effective date of order.

  39. Process for Establishment GAR s.4 Notice of Order: A notice of the order must be given: - Posted on the Ministry’s website: - http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hth/frpa-admin/frpa-implementation/gar.htm -Published in the Gazette: - http://www.crownpub.bc.ca/Home/Gazette - Made publicly available at the regional office. Note: Although not mentioned in the regulation, the order and map should also be made available at the applicable local office or offices.

  40. Current vs Proposed VQOs • 8,673 ha (734ha THLB) more scenic area • 55 % less Retention (THLB) • 7.6 % more Partial Retention (THLB) • 2.7 % more Modification (THLB)

  41. Public review and comments • June 15 to August 15, although we have accepted letters beyond the closing date; • Advertised twice in each of the 4 local newspapers during the month of June (Nelson Star, Pennywise, Valley Voice and Creston Valley Advance); • Received over 80 letters and emails from agreement holders and other stakeholders.

  42. Questions?

More Related