The BLM has a basic stewardship responsibility to identify and protect visual values on public lands (BLM 1986c). To accomplish this, visual values are systematically identified and evaluated to determine appropriate management objectives. BLM policy guidance for VRM of BLM-administered public lands has not changed or been updated since the early 1980s. The following paragraphs describe the VRM system and visual resource inventory process.
The BLM prepares and maintains visual resource inventories to identify visual values for all public lands (BLM 1986c). The CYFO completed a new visual resource inventory in January 2009. The WFO reviewed and updated its visual resource inventory for all lands south of the Greybull River in winter and early spring 2009. This RMP and EIS incorporates the updated visual resource inventory information.
The visual resource inventory process uses three primary components to determine visual values within the Planning Area: Scenic Quality Evaluation, Sensitivity Level Determination, and Delineation of Distance Zones. Scenic Quality is evaluated based on an areas landform, vegetation, color, adjacent scenery, scarcity, and the level of human modification. The BLM rates the Scenic Quality of an area as an A, B, or C; A areas are the most scenic, and C are the least. Sensitivity Level is determined based on the type of users of a given area, the amount of use, public interest in the area, adjacent land uses, and any special designation (such as WSA) in the area. Based on these factors, the BLM rates an area’s visual resources as having either high, medium, or low sensitivity levels. Landscapes are also divided into Distance Zones based on their visibility from travel routes or Key Observation Points; the only distance zone is the Planning Area is Foreground/Middle Ground. Table 3–35 includes acreages for lands in the Planning Area according to ratings under each of the visual resource inventory components.
Based on scenic quality, sensitivity, and distance zone, BLM-administered lands are placed into one of four visual resource inventory classes. These inventory classes represent the relative value of the visual resources and are informational in nature. Classes I and II are the most valued, Class III represents a somewhat lesser value, and Class IV represents the least value (due to low scenic quality or substantial development). Special Areas, such as WSAs, are automatically rated as visual resource inventory Class I. Table 3–35 shows the acreage for each visual inventory class in the Planning Area along with the scenic quality, sensitivity, and distance zones classifications on which these inventory classes are based. The inventory classes provide the baseline for visual resources in the Planning Area and are the indicator of visual values against which the impacts from VRM under the various RMP alternatives are measured. Maps showing the visual resource inventory Classes, scenic quality evaluations, and sensitivity levels for the Planning Area can be viewed on the Project website.
Table 3.35. Visual Resource Inventory Component and Class Ratings
| Inventory Component and Rating | Acres (BLM-administered surface) |
| Scenic Quality Evaluation 1 | |
| A | 2,066,982 |
| B | 2,000,764 |
| C | 1,398,436 |
| Special Areas2 | 187,123 |
| Sensitivity Level Determination 3 | |
| High | 1,824,967 |
| Medium | 1,350,244 |
| Low | 2,292,970 |
| Special Areas2 | 187,123 |
| Inventory Component and Rating | Acres (BLM-administered surface) |
| Distance Zone 4 | |
| Foreground/Middle Ground1 | 5,466,182 |
| Special Areas2 | 187,123 |
| Visual Resource Inventory Class | |
| Class I | 141,743 |
| Class II | 1,887,098 |
| Class III | 2,505,779 |
| Class IV | 1,073,371 |
| Not Rated5 | 4,361 |
| Source: BLM 2009a; BLM 2009g BLM Bureau of Land Management 1 A-rated lands are the most scenic, C-rated lands are the least. 2 Special Areas include Wilderness Study Areas and other federal agency’s surface land. These areas are either required to be managed as visual resource management Class I and therefore automatically placed into visual resource inventory Class I (e.g., WSAs on BLM-administered surface) or are managed under another agencies visual resource management procedures and therefore not assigned to a visual resource inventory class (e.g., National Recreation Area lands around Yellowtail Reservoir). For both cases, lands classified as Special Areas are not rated for Scenic Quality, Visual Sensitivity, or Distance Zone. 3 High, medium, or low sensitivity levels are based on factors including amount of use, public interest, and adjacent land uses. 4 The only distance zone in the Planning Area is Foreground/Middle Ground. 5 Surface lands managed by another federal agency, such as the National Park Service. These areas are not assigned to a visual resource inventory class. | |
The BLM considers visual values along with other resource values in the RMP process. Based on the visual resource inventory, along with other resource values and opportunities in a given area, the BLM establishes visual objectives. Approved VRM objectives according to each Management Class (see below) provide visual management standards for the design and development of projects on the public lands. The specific objectives for the four VRM classes are as follows:
Class I Objective. The objective for this class is to preserve the existing character of the landscape. This class provides for natural ecological change; however, it does not preclude very limited management activity. The level of change to the characteristic landscape should be very low and must not attract attention.
Class II Objective. The objective of this class is to retain the existing character of the landscape. The level of change to the characteristic landscape should be low. Management activities may be seen, but should not attract the attention of the casual observer. Any changes must repeat the basic elements of form, line, color, and texture found in the predominant natural features of the characteristic landscape.
Class III Objective. The objective of this class is to partially retain the existing character of the landscape. The level of change to the characteristic landscape should be moderate. Management activities may attract attention but should not dominate the view of the casual observer. Changes should repeat the basic elements found in the predominant natural features of the characteristic landscape.
Class IV Objective. The objective of this class is to provide for management activities that require major modification of the existing character of the landscape. The level of change to the characteristic landscape can be high. These management activities may dominate the view and be the major focus of viewer attention. However, every attempt should be made to minimize the impact of these activities through careful location, minimal disturbance, and repeating the basic landscape character elements. (Note that Class IV areas are not necessarily of low scenic quality.)
The VRM system is designed to separate the existing landscape and proposed projects into features (landforms and water, vegetation, and structures), and landscape character elements (form, line, color, and texture) to compare each part to the other to identify parts that are not in harmony. The BLM uses the visual contrast rating (BLM 1986d) to analyze proposed projects during the environmental review process. Visual contrast ratings determine whether proposed projects meet established VRM objectives. They also are a valuable tool to identify visual impacts and to identify effective means to mitigate them. Basic landscape design principles, which include repeating landscape character elements, minimizing surface disturbance, and proper siting and location, are invaluable to design (or re-design) projects to minimize adverse visual impacts.
There are many highly scenic areas in the Planning Area. The landscape exhibits a high degree of variability in the visual environment. The Planning Area contains open rolling hills, low mesas, badland areas, small mountain ranges, scenic river valleys, narrow, deep canyons, and dramatic colorful ridges. Specific scenic areas in the Planning Area include the slopes of the Big Horn and Absaroka mountains; badland areas such as McCullough Peaks, Fifteenmile area, and Bobcat Draw; dramatic landforms like Sheep Mountain; portions of the Bighorn River corridor; Heart Mountain; and the numerous canyons along the west slope of the Big Horns. Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains, along with the Shoshone River canyon, frame the major travel corridor between Cody and Yellowstone National Park. The Wind River Canyon into Thermopolis, and Highways 16, 14, and 14a offer high scenic qualities to the casual observer as they enter the basin. Table 3–35 provides a quantitative summary of the relative value of visual resources in the Planning Area, as characterized during the visual resource inventory.
lists acreages by VRM class for all lands in the Planning Area. Lands in VRM Class I are WSAs and the Five Springs Falls ACEC. Lands not rated include the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Buffalo Bill State Park. Map 38 shows existing VRM classes in the Planning Area.
Table 3-36 lists acreages by VRM class for all lands in the Planning Area. Lands in VRM Class I are WSAs and the Five Springs Falls ACEC. Lands not rated include the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Buffalo Bill State Park. Map 38 shows existing VRM classes in the Planning Area.
Table 3.36. Visual Resource Management (VRM) Classes
| VRM Class | Acres (BLM-Administered Surface) |
| Class I | 141,110 |
| Class II | 339,205 |
| Class III | 890,353 |
| Class IV | 1,841,373 |
| Not Rated | 4,361 |
| Source: BLM 2009a BLM Bureau of Land Management | |
The Planning Area contains high-quality scenic resources. While a large proportion of BLM-administered lands in the Planning Area are classified as VRM classes III and IV, most of the Bighorn Basin retains a fundamentally natural appearance and has notable scenic quality. Few areas are visually degraded by industrial activity and those that have undergone development (for example, the Elk Basin oil field northeast of Cody) have a very high potential to be restored to natural-appearing scenic landscapes. The Planning Area also contains fairly rugged landscapes with considerable visual variety. Landscapes such as these have the capacity to absorb visual intrusions and limit adverse impacts of development on the scenic quality of the landscape.
Visual intrusions on BLM-administered lands in the Planning Area include oil and gas fields, bentonite mining, the network of roads and highways, powerlines and various facilities needed to support mineral development, recreation, range improvements, and other facilities and infrastructure. Overall, development in the Planning Area has left a small footprint and has not substantially changed the visual character of the area.
Management challenges for VRM in the Planning Area remain essentially unchanged over the last 20 years. Management challenges for visual resources typically result from development associated with minerals and ROWs. An emerging management challenge for VRM in the Planning Area could result from renewable energy development. There could be wind energy development projects in the Planning Area during the planning cycle because of wind potential and current policy direction for renewable energy development on public lands. Due to the height and size of wind turbines and the locations of areas with high wind potential (usually along ridgelines, hills, or other highly visible areas) impacts to visual resources can be especially intrusive and difficult to mitigate. If development of wind energy occurs in the Planning Area, the BLM will face management challenges in meeting visual resource objectives in these areas.