The Distance Zones are divisions of a particular landscape being viewed. The three distance zones are: Foreground view (fg) - the individual boughs of trees form texture; Middleground view (mg) - texture normally is characterized by the masses of trees in stands of uniform tree cover; and Background view - texture in stands of uniform tree cover is generally very weak or non-existent.
The Sensitivity Levels are a measure of people's concern for the scenic quality of the National Forest. The three sensitivity levels are: 1 - Highest Sensitivity; 2 - Average Sensitivity; and 3 - Lowest Sensitivity.
The Variety Classes are obtained by classifying the landscape into different degrees of variety. The classification is based on the premise that all landscapes have some value. The three variety classes are: A - Distinctive; B - Common; and C - Minimal.
The Quality Objectives are measurable standards or objectives for the visual management of the lands. They are represented by five terms: P - Preservation; R - Retention; PR - Partial Retention; M - Modification; and MM - Maximm Modification.
By combining variety classes and sensitivity levels codes it produces the visual quality objective for each area. There are a total of 23 different objectives plus pvt code for Private land.