|
Primitive ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Retention Visual Quality Objective. An Existing
Visual Condition of Preservation is fully compatible and encouraged. |
| Access |
Cross-country travel and travel on non-motorized trails and
on waterways is typical. Use of airplanes, helicopters, motorboats and snowmachines
for traditional activities, subsistence, emergency search and rescue, and
other authorized resource management activities may occur but is rare. |
| Remoteness |
No or infrequent sights and sounds of human activity are present.
Setting is located more than 1.5 hours walking or paddling distance, or
3 miles, from any human developments other than infrequently-traveled marine
travelways. Areas are generally greater than 5,000 acres, but may be smaller
if contiguous with a Semi-primitive class |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are very rare. Signing
is limited to directional information and safety. There are no on-site interpretive
facilities. There is great opportunity for discovery on the part of the
use |
| On-site Recreation Development |
Structures do not exceed Development Scale I,
except for public recreation cabins, and are maintained for appropriate
levels of use. |
| Social Encounters |
User meets less than 3 parties per day during trip. No other
parties are within sight or sound of dispersed campsites or cabins. Maximum
party size is generally 12 people. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts to resources are slight and usually
not noticeable the following year. Site hardening is limited to boardwalk
trails and necessary boat moorings or bearproof food caches and rustic public
recreation cabins. |
|
Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Retention Visual Quality Objective. An Existing
Visual Condition of Preservation is fully compatible and encouraged. |
| Access |
Cross-country travel and travel on non-motorized trails is
typical. Use of airplanes, helicopters, motorboats and snowmachines for
traditional activities, subsistence, emergency search and rescue, and other
authorized resource management activities may occur unless specifically
restricted for safety and/or resource protection purposes. |
| Remoteness |
Nearby sights or sounds of human activity are rare, but distant
sights or sounds may occur. Setting is located more than ½ hour walk
or paddle, or approximately ½ mile (greater or less depending on
terrain and vegetation, but no less than ¼ mile) from: 1) infrequently
traveled waterways; 2) roads and trails open to motorized recreation use,
and 3) clearcut harvest areas. Aircraft access is only occasional. Areas
are generally greater than 2,500 acres but may be smaller if contiguous
with Primitive or Semi-primitive motorized classes. |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are rare. Visitor information
facilities may be used to interpret cultural and natural resource features,
but are not elaborate and harmonize with the setting. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
Facilities and structures generally do not exceed Development
Scale II and are maintained to accommodate the types and levels of use anticipated
for the site. Forest Service recreation cabins are fully compatible. |
| Social Encounters |
User meets less than 10 parties per day (6 parties per day
in wilderness) on trails and waterways during 80% of the primary use season.
No other parties are within sight or sound of dispersed campsites during
80% of the primary use season. Maximum party size is generally 12-20 people.
Outside of wilderness, larger party sizes may occur during less than 15%
of the primary use season in limited locations. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts to resources are rare and usually not
long-lasting. Site hardening is limited to boardwalk trails, boat tramways,
moorings and docks, bear proof food cache facilities and rustic public recreation
cabins. |
|
Semi-Primitive Motorized ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Partial retention Visual Quality Objective.
Existing Visual Conditions ranging from Preservation through Retention are
fully compatible and encouraged. |
| Access |
Travel on motorized and non-motorized trails and Traffic Service
Level D roads, although some Traffic Service Level C roads provide access
to and through the area. Use by high clearance vehicles and motorized water
travel is common. Road density is less than one mile per square mile. Off-road
snowmachine travel on snow may occur. |
| Remoteness |
Nearby sights or sounds of human activity are rare, but distant
sights or sounds may occur. Setting is located within ½ hour walk
or paddle or within ½ mile (greater or less depending on terrain
and vegetation but no less than ¼ mile) of infrequently traveled
waterways or small aircraft access points and/or roads which are open and
maintained for passage by high clearance and four-wheel drive vehicles (Maintenance
Level 2) and provide access to recreation opportunities and facilities.
Areas are generally greater than 2,500 acres but may be smaller if contiguous
with Primitive or Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized classes. |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are few. Control facilities
consist primarily of informational signs and site-specific road closures.
Visitor information facilities may be used to interpret cultural and natural
resource features, but are not elaborate and harmonize with the setting. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
Facilities and structures generally do not exceed Development
Scale II and are maintained to accommodate the types and levels of use anticipated
for the site and area. Forest Service recreation cabins are fully compatible. |
| Social Encounters |
User meets less than 10 parties per day (6 parties per day
in wilderness) on trails, roads, and shorelines during 80% of the primary
use season. During 80% of the primary use season no other parties are visible
from campsites. Maximum party size is generally 12-20 people. Outside of
wilderness, larger party sizes may occur during less than 15% of the primary
use season in limited locations. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts may be noticeable, but not degrading
to basic resource elements. Site hardening is very infrequent, but, when
it occurs, is in harmony with, and appropriate for, the natural-appearing
backcountry setting. |
|
Roaded Natural ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Modification Visual Quality Objective and
typically is Partial retention. Existing Visual Conditions ranging from
Preservation through Retention are fully compatible and encouraged. |
| Access |
All forms of access and travel modes may occur. Access to
and through the area is typically by passenger vehicle, although motorized
use may be restricted to provide for resource protection, user safety, or
to provide a diversity of recreation opportunity. |
| Remoteness |
Remoteness is of little importance, but low to moderate concentrations
of human sights and sounds are preferred. Setting is located within ½
mile (greater or less depending on terrain and vegetation but no less than
¼ mile) of moderate to heavily-traveled waterways and/or roads which
are maintained to Levels 3, 4, and 5 and open for use by the public or those
areas that receive heavy small aircraft travel. |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are obvious. Control facilities
such as parking areas, barriers and signs harmonize with the natural environment.
Visitor information facilities are not elaborate or complex. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
Facilities and structures generally do not exceed Development
Scale III and are maintained to accommodate the types and levels of use
anticipated for the site and area. Typical facilities include outdoor interpretive
displays and rustic campgrounds and picnic areas. |
| Social Encounters |
User meets less than 20 other parties per day on trails and
in dispersed areas, during at least 80% of the primary use season. User
may meet numerous other parties on roads and developed recreation sites.
Developed sites often are at full capacity but do not exceed 80% of the
design capacity over the season of operation. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts are noticeable, but not degrading to
basic resource elements nor do they exceed established Visual Quality Objectives.
Site hardening may be dominant, but is in harmony with natural-appearing
landscape and appropriate for the site and setting. |
|
Roaded Modified ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Maximum Modification Visual Quality Objective.
Apply visual management techniques to soften effects of maximum modification
conditions in the foreground of sensitive travel routes and recreation sites. |
| Access |
All forms of access and travel modes may occur, although roads
are generally not well suited to highway-type vehicles. OHV use on designated
routes or areas is encouraged. Use by high clearance vehicles is common. |
| Remoteness |
Remoteness from urban conditions and high concentrations of
other people is important. Low concentrations of human sights and sounds
in a backcountry roaded setting are preferred. These areas are accessed
by Forest roads which are maintained to Levels 2, 3, and 4 and are available
for public use. They generally involve areas with timber management activities. |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are few. Control facilities
are appropriate for the predominating backcountry roaded setting. Visitor
information facilities may be used to interpret management activities, but
are not elaborate and are appropriate for the setting. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
Facilities and structures generally do not exceed Development
Scale II and are maintained to accommodate the types and levels of use anticipated
for the site and area. |
| Social Encounters |
User meets less than 20 other parties per day on trails and
in dispersed areas during at least 80% of the primary use season. Numerous
other parties may be encountered on roads. Few parties are visible at dispersed
campsites. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts are noticeable, but not degrading to
basic resource elements. Site hardening may dominate at campsites and parking
areas, but is in harmony with, and appropriate for, backcountry roaded setting. |
|
Rural ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed Modification in the Foreground and Maximum Modification
in middleground. |
| Access |
All forms of access and travel modes may occur, although access
to and through the area is primarily by passenger vehicle. Road and trail
surfaces are often hardened. |
| Remoteness |
Remoteness is of little importance and moderate to high concentrations
of people and sights and sounds of human activity are acceptable when not
continuous. Setting is located within 1/2 mile of heavily traveled roads
and state highways or areas that receive heavy aircraft travel. |
| Visitor Management |
On-site regimentation and controls are obvious. Control facilities
such as parking areas, medians and barriers harmonize with natural/exotic
landscaping. Information and interpretive facilities may be complex and
dominant on developed sites. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
All Development Scales (I-V) are appropriate and maintained
at intended standards necessary to accommodate the types and levels of use
anticipated for the site and area. Facilities typically include visitor
centers, major campgrounds and other facilities for concentrated use. |
| Social Encounters |
User may meet many (more than 20) other parties per day on
trails, in dispersed areas, on roads, and in developed facilities. Developed
sites often are at full capacity, but do not exceed 80% of the design capacity
over the operating season |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts are noticeable, but not degrading to
basic resource elements nor do they exceed established Visual Quality Objectives.
Site hardening may be dominant, but is in harmony with natural/exotic landscape. |
|
Urban ROS Class
|
| Setting Indicators |
Standards and Guidelines |
| Visual Quality |
Not to exceed the Modification Visual Quality Objective in
the foreground and Maximum Modification in middle ground. |
| Access |
Access and travel facilities are highly intense, motorized
and often with mass transit supplements. |
| Remoteness |
Remoteness is not important. High concentrations of people,
and sights and sounds of human activity are acceptable. |
| Visitor Management |
Intensive on-site controls are numerous and obvious. Information
and interpretive facilities may be complex and dominant. |
| On-site Recreation Development |
All Development Scales (I-V) are appropriate and maintained
at intended standards necessary to accommodate the types and levels of use
anticipated for the site and area. Synthetic materials are commonly used.
Facility design may be highly complex and refined, but in harmony or complimentary
to the site. Facilities typically include visitor centers, major campgrounds
and other facilities for concentrated use. |
| Social Encounters |
Interaction between large numbers of users is high. Sites
often are at full capacity, but do not exceed 80% of the design capacity
over the operating season. |
| Visitor impacts |
Visitor-caused impacts are noticeable, but not degrading to
basic resource elements or exceed established Visual Quality Objectives.
Site hardening may be dominant, but is in harmony with natural/exotic landscape
and appropriate for the site and setting. |
