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Visual landscape management and visual impact assessment in Monchique,

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VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN MONCHIQUE

VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT AND VISUAL

IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN MONCHIQUE, PORTUGAL

T. PANAGOPOULOS

Faculdade de Engenharia de Recursos Naturais, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de

Gambelas, 8000 Faro, Portugal. Email: tpanago@ualg.pt

ABSTRACT

Scenic landscapes are integral component of the forest resource base, those landscapes
are identified and described in any forest development plan. A visual impact assessment is
prepared when the forest development and access management plans are proposing
harvesting, soil preparation, reforestation and road construction in scenic areas. It will be
presented the visual landscape management of the "Serra of Monchique" (Northwest
Algarve, Portugal) for some of the planned forest development projects in high aesthetic
value areas. The use of geographic information systems based, visualization techniques
historically has been used to help communities understand and manage their resources.
Understanding impacts of planning policy in mountainous areas is often lost in the two-
dimensional presentation. To facilitate this understanding new technologies, similar to that
found in a flight simulator, were developed to help people visualize change. These
simulations were created in Arcview using digital elevation data. Three-dimensional
imaging for characterization of environmental sites was beneficial in perceiving the whole
picture and in making better and quicker decisions because of the higher capacity in
visualization. The development of a 3D geographic information system helped to minimize
visual and other negative impacts of forest development projects on tourist attractions.
Keywords: landscape management, visual impact, sustainable landscape, viewshed,
visualization.

INTRODUCTION

Scenic landscapes are integral component of the forest resource base (Panagopoulos and
Hatzistathis, 1995). Those landscapes are identified and described in any forest development plan.
With the development of more stringer practices codes and environmentally based guidelines, land
owners must provide more detailed and comprehensive visual impact assessments with their
development plans. A visual impact assessment (VIA) is prepared when the forest development and
access management plans are proposing harvesting, soil preparation, reforestation and road
construction in scenic areas. The visual impact assessment should be made available for public review
and demonstrate that the proposed operations will achieve the visual quality objectives (Lucas,
1991).

The use of geographic information systems based, visualization techniques historically has been used

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VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN MONCHIQUE

to help communities understand and manage their resources (Pullar and Tidey, 2001; Sung et al.
2001). The development of mountainous areas must be environmentally friendly. GIS systems
provide a remarkably efficient means of storing and retrieving information on ownership, vegetation,
wildlife habitat, geology, slopes, zoning and a host of other attributes that can provide at least a
gross understanding of the characteristics of large areas (Campbell and Ogden, 1999). The 1980s
saw a great proliferation and adoption of GIS technology in the urban and regional planning
community, assisting in different phases of the visual landscape planning and decision making
processes (Leitão, 1996).

Forest and landscape management measures have impacts on the amenity value of forests.
Understanding impacts of planning policy in mountainous areas is often lost in the two-dimensional
presentation. When it comes to visualizing how something will look before it is actually made, three-
quarters of the general population just cannot see it. Two-dimensional representations, model boards
and artist renderings have proven inadequate (Panagopoulos, 1995). People may have certain
attitudes towards management, in particular near urban areas (Tahvanainen et al., 2001). When
people believe they understand what a project will look like, most of the time their perceptions are
wrong. To facilitate this understanding new technologies, similar to that found in a flight simulator
with an impact analysis extension, were developed to help people visualize change.

Computer graphics are playing an important role in giving lifelike information for the estimation of
landscapes after finishing large-scale construction projects (Nakamae et al., 2001). Three-
dimensional imaging for characterization of environmental sites is beneficial in perceiving the whole
picture and in making better and quicker decisions because of the higher capacity in visualization.
The citizens of many communities are often the visionaries and are ahead of the most government
officials in their interest in developing sustainable landscapes. With this project we will give the
opportunity to the government officials and interested citizens to have a look on the results of the
planned projects before their implementation starts. In this study it will be presented a visual
landscape management of the "Serra of Monchique" (Northwest Algarve, Portugal) and a computer
visual landscape design simulations and an evaluation method of the visual impact assessment in the
context of forest development and access management planning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To create the database of the project was used digital land use and topographic maps,
forest development and regional development plan maps and digital orthophotomaps from
the Forest Service Department of Algarve. After the above it was prepared a visual
landscape inventory where it was identified, classified and recorded the locations and
quality of visual recourses and values of the study area (Serra of Monchique, Northwest
Algarve). Also it was made digital maps of the visual sensitivity, visual absorption
capability, existing visual condition and visual quality objectives from existing maps and
with the assistance of geostatistics in Arcview geographic information system program and
the Spatial Analyst extension. On those maps was transferred the visual landscape unit
boundaries and existing landscape alteration such as cutblocks and roads on to a larger
scale topographic base map. These provided landmarks to facilitate positioning and
sketching of the proposed operations. It was identified the location of key viewpoints on
the topographic maps.

The visual impact assessment was conducted in every key viewpoint using the means of
travel used by the average forest visitor or traveller (car, bicycle or on foot). The location
of key viewpoints selected in the office and identified on the field. At each viewpoint was
taken pairs of photographs offset by few meters so a stereographic pair could provide a
three-dimensional image that could be used for landform analysis. A Global Positioning
System (GPS) was used to more accurately determine the x, y and z UTM coordinates of

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each viewpoint. It was estimated the visible portion of the proposed operations on the
topographic base map. It was competed a photography data form and a form of
submission criteria for digital terrain models that was used in a computer simulation.

Visual quality and visual impact assessment was developed with the use of two
techniques: Technique One: The landscape was studied in detail, and then was
characterized by reducing it down to simple elements based on artistic interpretations of
their form, line, colour, and texture. Technique Two: It was emphasized the perceptual or
emotional aspects of a view (Mystery, Variety, Legibility, Harmony, Order). In each key
viewpoint it was tried to document people's feelings or emotions as they view an area.
Descriptors were applied to characterize a person's opinion. Pleasure, anxiety,
nervousness, anger influence the perceptual attitudes of people viewing places and they
were identified in each key viewpoint.

Photos of trees, natural autochthonous vegetation, and other landscaping objects were
used for digital vegetation modelling. Digital vegetation models were developed with
“RAPIDsite Producer” of “Landscape creator” (Ard, 2000). Those modeling workshops are
allowing users to generate and visualize landscapes with a large number of plant models
at various growth stages. Those programs linked with Arcview GIS can be used in
landscape architecture from professionals who seek to simulate very accurately the
architecture and growth behaviour of plants, in a natural or a designed environment.

The authors introduce rendering techniques for visual impact assessment using computer
graphics and video sequence images. The techniques were: computer generated images
and montages for visualizing landscapes with photo-realistic rendering techniques,
panoramic images and panoramic montages employing image-based rendering techniques
made from video sequence images, and zoomed video sequence images composed with
computer generated images. The 3D extension of Arcview and Photoshop were used for
the implementation of the above.

The development of more than one design option for each proposed operation may make the design
and visual impact assessment process more efficient and cost effective, so it was prepared a visual
simulation for each of the design options: sketch, photographic manipulation, computer model,
therefore, free hand sketching was used in low risk situations to estimate and draw the shape and
position of the proposed operation and photomontages created from juxtaposed and mounted photos
create a panoramic view when placed on backup maps to provide the visual context necessary to
assess the overall visual impact.

RESULTS AND DISCUSION

A Digital Terrain Model (DTM) was generated from digitised contour maps and the altitude of specific
points in those maps (Ormsby and Alvi, 1999). From the DTM was studied the potential intervisibility
of the area and the viewshed of each of the proposed forest development projects. Figure 1 shows
the four forest development projects on the study area and the visible portion of the area from one
observation point that is considered strategic since it is attracting high number of visitors every year.
For this observation point it was used 100o visibility angle and maximum distance 4000 meters.
Maximum distance is the most important factor that has to be taken in consideration in a viewshed
analysis, because the longer the distance the lower the visual impact that an object can bring to the
landscape depending always on the size, form, texture, line and colour of it (Hatzistathis and
Ispikoudis, 1992; Matos, 2001). The above maximum distance was considered sufficient to not
decrease the truthfulness of the results, thought the size of the area of the proposed forest projects
was less than 100ha and it was not bringing considerable changes in the other landscape elements.

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Viewshed analysis of the four proposed forest development projects showing what areas
of the disturbed surface can be seen by observers for any visible position and how many
observers can see the position. The result was a grid theme with visibility attributes
assigned to every cell (figure 2). The proposed and existing cutblocks and roads was also
digitised and inserted in the DTM as it is described from Buckley and Ulbricht, (1998). It
was produced simulations from every key viewpoint.

The digital vegetation models developed with the “Landscape creator” were placed in
landscapes created at each key viewpoint to visualize the area with plant models at
various growth stages. The results were comparable with photorealistic images computed
with the Atelier de Modélisation de l'Architecture des Plantes (AMAP) software as described
from Perrin et al. (2001), but precision, detail and simplicity in execution were better with
Arcview GIS.

Three variables were used to evaluate whether a proposed operation would achieve the
Visual Quality Objectives of the Algarve region. The evaluation was conducted at all key
viewpoints. The three variables were:
1. Visual quality objectives for every visual landscape unit (met or not).
2. Visual design of proposed operations (exist elements of good visual design).
3. Scale of proposed operations (proportion in every view).
Those 3 variables compared with Visual Quality Objectives manually and on the computer
using the spatial modelling application of the Arcview program. The results of the above
comparison were used to create a report for visual impact assessment so governmental
officials that approve forest development and access projects could check this report in
the approval of the future proposed operations. The report content included: maps,
photographs and a copy of the visual landscape simulation (sketch, photographical
manipulation or computer simulation depending on the visual sensitivity and importance of
the affected area).
Finally a video merging of the DTM and the scanned photographs was used to simulate in
a realistic way the appearance of the proposed operations. Digital fly-over video should be
asked when high public concern and expectations require public presentation and
consultation. A snapshot of one fly-over video made from the DTM of the study area can
be seen in figure 3. The report and the evaluation method could help governmental
officials to take the appropriate decision: accept, reject or suggest aesthetical
modifications in any proposed project in the study area. Honjo and Lim (2001) describe
how three-dimensional information of the virtual landscape can be easily placed and
transferred through the Internet by VRML technology (virtual reality modeling language).
This method can be utilized both for the design of and for the public discussion on
landscape planning. Similar visual landscape management plans could be made for the
rest of the territory using the visual management plan for the area of "Serra of
Monchique" as a model. Three-dimensional imaging for characterization of environmental
sites is beneficial in perceiving the whole picture and in making better and quicker
decisions because of the higher capacity in visualization. The development of a 3D
geographic information system will help to minimize visual and other negative impacts of
forest development projects on tourist attractions. At the same time the landscape ecology
concepts of edge habitat, patches, fragmentation, corridors, connectivity and mosaics will
be easily understood and incorporated in the forest management planning.

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VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN MONCHIQUE

FIGURE 1. The four forest development projects on the study area and the visible portion
of it from one observation point.

FIGURE 2. View shed analysis of the four proposed forest development projects. The

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shadowed area is showing what areas can be seen by observers for any visible position of
the disturbed surfaces.

FIGURE 3. A photo captured from the fly-over digital video made to visualize the location
of the four forest development projects on the study area.

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Buckley, D.J. and Ulbricht, C. 1998. The Virtual Forest: Advanced Three-Dimensional Visualization
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