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Aesthetics Considerations for Forest Stewardship Plans

Visual benefits of forest management are too often overlooked on most forestry practices. The following guide suggests avoidance strategies and simple modification to your current forestry practices to improve visual appeal. In the following situations please consider the options available to you.

Forest Roads

  • Always protect water quality.
  • Consider traffic patterns, seasons, and safety.
  • Consider management activities and objectives.
  • Consider proximity to recreation, sensitive and residential areas.
  • Avoid noise, dust, rutting, and mud.
  • Avoid tracking mud onto paved highways.
  • Avoid steep grades.
  • Avoid rutting and damaging roads.
  • Avoid erosion and sedimentation.

Aesthetics for Harvesting Operations
Harvesting operations offer the most cost-effective manner to influence light, visibility and stand composition with a forest. Always plan before you cut to maintain water quality and minimize visual impacts. New computer assisted GIS and topography software can simulate 3-dimensional views and assist in the most sensitive areas.

  • Always plan log decks and landings in a harvest plan in advance. Get help from your North Carolina Forest Service Water Quality forester if needed.
  • Always take locations, terrain, size, number, proximity and visibility from roadways into consideration.
  • Avoid harvesting in sensitive or highly visible areas when wet or during periods of high recreational use.
  • Avoid the appearance of large clear-cuts visible from urban areas, commercial and residential areas, major travel routes, recreational areas, and viewsheds.
  • Avoid felling or leaving tree tops in waterways.
  • Avoid decks and landings in view of roads and travel routes.
  • Expedite reforestation after final harvest.
  • Minimize excessive rutting where vehicles operate.
  • Minimize leaving high stumps and damaged, broken and hung trees.
  • Minimize exposing mineral soil on steep slopes.
  • Minimize stream crossings.
  • Minimize residual tree damage.
  • Minimize decks and landings near property lines.
  • Maximize utilization of the timber resources.

Aesthetic Considerations for Chemical Site Preparation

  • Avoid broadcast application of herbicides in exceptionally visible and/or environmentally sensitive areas.
  • Avoid application adjacent to schools, churches, and other public areas during active hours.
  • Avoid excessive noise during early morning and late evening near residences, churches, businesses, and outdoor recreation areas.
  • Avoid off-site application; protecting sensitive areas, aesthetics management zones, streamside management zones and neighboring properties.
  • Avoid erosion and sedimentation.

Aesthetic Considerations for Reforestation

  • Always orient rows to block or hide roadways and accentuate viewing areas.
  • Always use artificial or natural techniques in accordance with landowner objectives.
  • Always match prescriptions to site conditions and limitations.
  • Avoid leaving seedling containers and trash.
  • Avoid erosion and sedimentation.

Aesthetic Considerations for Prescribed Burning

  • Avoid impacts in smoke sensitive areas.
  • Avoid intensive burns in visually sensitive areas.
  • Avoid high intensity fire in primary streamside management zones.
  • Avoid off-site ignition.
  • Minimize erosion and sedimentation from fireline construction.
  • Minimize residual smoke for extended time to maintain the safety and happiness of area residents.
This page updated: Thursday, January 19, 2017 13:59


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