Consolidated Progress Report

November 1994 to October 1995

Detailed Visual and Amenity Design Guidelines for Forestry:Optimising Rural Resource Potential
(AIR3 - CT94 - 1229)

Lehrstuhl fuer Landnutzungsplanung und Naturschutz
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Muenchen - Germany

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Ammer
Dipl.-Forstwirtin Petra Schadel
Forstassessor Dipl. Forstwirt Markus Weidenbach

Summary

Organisations involved in Germany:

Project management:

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Ammer
Lehrstuhl fuer Landnutzungsplanung und Naturschutz
Forstwissenschaftliche Fakultaet
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen
Hohenbachernstraße 22
D - 85354 Freising
Germany

Tel.: 08161-71-4780
Fax: 08161-71-4671
E-mail: foram@lnn.forst.uni-muenchen.de

Prof. Dr. Barbara Koch
Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg
Forstwissenschaftliche Fakultaet
Abt. Luftbildmessung und Fernerkundung
Werderring 6
D - 79094 Freiburg i. Br.
Germany

Tel.: 0761-203-3694
Fax: 0761-203-3701
E-mail: ferninfo@ruf.uni-freiburg.de

Project assistants:

Dipl. Forstwirtin Petra Schadel
Forstassessor Dipl. Forstwirt Markus Weidenbach
Lehrstuhl fuer Landnutzungsplanung und Naturschutz
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen
Hohenbachernstraße 22
D - 85354 Freising
Germany

Tel.: 08161-71-4665
Fax: 08161-71-4671
E-mail: foram@abies.lnn.forst.uni-muenchen.de

Scientific objectives

a) Study Area and Site Selection

b) Orientation meeting in Dublin (27th November to 4th December 1994)

c) Pooling of reference material relevant to the project (literature list)

d) Selection, purchase, and set-up of computer equipment

e) Reports

f) Sub-Task coordination responsibilities

h) Planning for the 2nd Project Meeting in Germany (2nd - 9th July 1995)

i) Organisation and guidance of 2nd FORAM-meeting in Germany (2nd-9th July 1995)

j) Development of a glossary (EnglishGerman) of terms concerning the Project (key words: forestry, forest management, silviculture, landscape design, land use, etc. ...)

k) Installation of server for File Transfer Protocol (ftp-server) in order to optimise communication between partners and the coordinator

Discussion of Work and Achievements

Reports and Methodologies:

Diverse Activities

Meetings and Conferences

Equipment purchased

Software:

Conclusions

During the first year reporting period significant progress was made. All Partners could come to an agreement at the first and second Project meeting concerning Scientific Objectives, common language, and suitability of methodologies and techniques being used within the FORAM-project. A worthful introduction of all participants concerning forestry, common situation and specific problems in their respective countries has encouraged the mutual understanding.

Suitable Study Areas and Study Sites have been selected carefully as a basis for identifying forest landscape problems and developing prototypical designs.

General methodologies for landscape assessment (eg. determination of view distance zones, and assessment of perceptional vulnerability) have been developped and their appropriateness has been tested.

Study Area III (Bavarian Alps) was selected as a pilot study area to explore the potential and appropriateness of methodologies and techniques for the aesthetical inventory of this region. As expected the tables and questionaires proposed by the Coordinators are not adequate in most aspects. Country specific outdoor behavior has to be included into the questionaire, and characteristic landscape elements have to be added to the inventory sheet. The definition of key viewpoints, their selection, sensitivity, and their appropriateness for assessing landscape visual units are still to be discussed.

First results regarding computer graphic techniques and GIS could be achieved. A ftp-server with restricted access (only FORAM-project Participants) was established at the chair in Freising in order to avoid future misunderstandings and additional work in terms of formatting and layout of preliminary results, and to improve data exchange between all Partners. Recently a so called Homepage (see annex) on the World Wide Web was created which contains basic information about the FORAM-project and links to other files with more detailed information and first results.

Significant advances were made with regard to preparation of the public preference survey. According to the second Project meeting in Munich (july 1995) and the meeting held in Copenhagen with Prof. Niels Elers Koch a survey questionnaire will be produced on the basis of forest landscape problems identified in each country. It will be carried out in a European context, comparing and contrasting the differences between the seven member states of the EU (Denmark will also be involved).

A glossary being presently produced in English/German shall help to communicate efficiently with all FORAM-partners as well as the Irish coordinators. Additionally it will be available for every user of the Internet in future.

We are planning a practical training (seminar) for students of forest science, biology, and geography on Study Area III during the winter semester with the thema landscape aesthetics. We hope to achieve a draft for an adequate procedure to aesthetically inventarise and assess the landscape by means of standard forms, public survey, and computer techniques.

Chapter 1 - Introduction

1.1 Statement of Objectives

The following objectives were established for the first reporting year:

- Reports:

- Sub-Task coordination responsibilities

- Pooling of reference material relevant to the project (literature list)

- Planning and guidance of the 2nd Project meeting in Germany (2nd - 9th July 1995)

- Development of a glossary (English/German) of terms concerning the project (key words: forestry, forest management, silviculture, landscape design, land use, etc.)

- Installation of ftp-server (File Transfer Protocol) in order to optimise communication between partners and coordinator

1.2 Workplan

1994

November 1994:

December 1994:

1995

January 1995:

February 1995:

March 1995:

April 1995:

May 1995:

June 1995:

July 1995:

August 1995:

September 1995:

October 1995

1.3 Expected achievements

During the first year following achievements were expected:

1.4 Milestones

The milestones associated with the first year reporting period equate to the scientific objectives as outlined at the beginning (Chapter 1).

Chapter 2 - Material and Methods

2.1 Description of Work

The work can be divided into 5 sectors:

Preparation of second FORAM meeting in Munich (2nd to 10th July 1995)

For more details, please, refer to 'Discussion of Work and Achievements' in the Summary.

2.2 Methodologies used

With the selection of three study areas with a broad biodiversity and with a complexity of environmental issues and conflicts, we are trying to provide the best possible database for the empiric analysis of a landscape unit and its inherent functions. In a deductive way standardized planning guidelines will be derivated from the individual situations of the test sites. Prototypical forest landscape units ("Leitbilder") will be designed and described and detailed visual and amenity design guidelines will be developped.

The exploration of instruments and methodologies is an itinerative process of the project. Computer techniques like GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and the public preference survey play an important role in this process. Their capabilities and suitability for landscape planning have to be proved permanently. Consequently, instruments and methodologies themselfves can be seen as one important objective of the project. For example, landscape assessment methodologies do form an integral part of the project:

In addition we were involved in bibliographic reviews, field trips, computer data input and manipulation.

2.3 Coordination Strategies

General Coordination:

Participant 1 (UCD, Ireland) has responsibility for coordinating the activities of all Participants (compiliation of results, organization of task and sub-task coordination, etc. ...).

Task and Sub-Task Coordination:

While having invested a considerable time in preparing the second FORAM meeting scheduled for Munich during 2nd to 10th July 1995 Participant 3 (LMU, Germany) had, in effect, no Sub-Task coordination responsibilities during the first six monthly period.

In-house Coordination:

The in-house coordination activities include project management, desk research and field studies, report production, communication, and accounting.

The co-operation beetween the Chair of Land use Planning and Nature Conservation at the University of Munich and the Chair for Remote Sensing and GIS at the University of Freiburg is close and efficient.

Regular communication is being done weekly by e-mail, fax or telephone in order to grant for a permanent contact with all Participants. The exchange of relevant digital data like images or graphics is done via internet. A ftp-server (File Transfer Protocol) has been established and a directory with restricted access has been installed on a hard disk to store reports, images and tables which are of general interest for all partners.

Chapter 3 - Results

3.1 Achievements during the Current Period

The following achievements have been made during the first year of project:

Reviews:

3.2 FTP-Server Files

As already mentioned above a ftp-server (file transfer protocol) with restricted access was installed in order to store files which are of certain interest for the project and to avoid additional work. All Participants were provided with the user login and password. The server is 24 hours online, there are six country directories, and every Participant is able to put relevant digital data on his respective directory or to get files from other countries' directories by means of ftp software (TCP/JP).

A special folder ("annex") was established containing tables (tab1.doc to tab5.doc) and images (illu1.tif to illu5b.tif) which are seen in the annex of this report as examples reflecting at least partly the work carried out during the last weeks:

1. Tables:

2. Images:

Name Format

Resolution

 Size
illu1.tif tiff-file

1024 x 768

2.3 Megabyte
illu2.tif tiff-file

1024 x 768

2.3 Megabyte
illu3.tif tiff-file

600 x 400

1.5 Megabyte
illu4.tif macintosh tiff-file

?

 0.9 Megabyte
illu5a.tif macintosh tiff-file

?

 1.1 Megabyte
illu5b.tif macintosh tiff-file

?

 0.2 Megabyte

3.3 On-going Activities

Chapter 4 - Discussion

4.1 The Scientific Significance of the Work

In Germany there is an on-going controverse discussion on the effects of specific landuse systems on the environment. Public demands on landscape, e.g. for recreation or sports activities, result in an evident conflict with nature conservation and/or forestry. A standardized scientific methodology, including computer techniques and public surveys will be adequate instruments to analyse enviromental conditions and will finally lead to an adapted landuse planning for optimising rural resource potential. The results - methodologies as well as the used instruments - will be compiled to adequate Visual and Amenity Design Guidelines which are to diminish or prevent environmental conflicts.

Taking congested countrysides in Germany with their inherent environmental issues as an example for future developments and tendencies in foreign less populated countries, the work might be prototypically for other countries and consequently of international significance.

4.2 Achievement of Objectives and Expected Benefits

In the very beginning of the research work it seems that the theoretical design of prototypical forested landscape units and the correspondent Design Guidelines will be fully achieved. Scientific benefits are discussed above; any practical benefits will depend on how suitable and ´user-friendly´ the Guidelines are and on the political willingness to realize proposed prototypes.

4.3 External Influences

The project may be affected by decreasing public concerns to environmental issues in Germany. On one hand developments in forestry and landuse policies tend to natural management systems, on the other hand commercial benefits of tourism and forestry are still an important income resource, especially for people on the countryside. Relevant results of existing expertise, guidelines and laws which are dealing with this issue will, of course, be involved in the research.

The issue of increasing afforestations in Bavaria is being analysed by a dissertation at our chair. Results referring to the effects of landscape changes will be critically reviewed for the project.

Chapter 5 - Dissemination

Relevant statutory bodies and particular interest groups have been made aware of the Project and are kept informed of developments.

Several meetings have taken place together with national authorities, i.e. Forest authorities (Forstamt Todtmoos, Staedtisches Forstamt Freiburg, Forstamt Schliersee) and Nature park administration (Naturparkverwaltung Obere Donau, Beuron). We are in constant contact with the University of Freiburg, Department of Forestry and in-house meetings together with Prof. Ammer are frequent.

A practical training (seminar) for students of forest science, biology, and geography is planned on Study Area III for the winter semester 1995/96 with the thema Landscape Aesthetics. We hope to achieve a draft for an adequate procedure to aesthetically inventarise and assess the landscape by means of standard forms, public survey, and computer techniques.

In July 1995 a so called FORAM-Home Page was created and established on the World Wide Web which is accessible by mosaic, netscape and all other web browsers. It provides basic information about the Project and links to first results of the German team. If other Participants create their own homepages it will be possible to link to these information pools in future.

A copy of the FORAM-Homepage is included in the annex of this report. All words which are highlightened in blue link to other files which can be displayed by a simple mouse-click.

The address of the English version is:

http://www.lnn.forst.uni-muenchen.de/daten/foram/index.htm

Annex

1. Tables:

2. Images: