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FOREST MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR MICHIGAN
By the Michigan Society of American Foresters

 

SCENIC AND RECREATION VALUES

Maintaining or improving the scenic quality of the forest is often an important objective for private forest owners, particularly near roads. A variety of scenic management objectives may be accommodated by modifying cutting prescriptions in special areas within the overall ownership. Special recreation management objectives may also be incorporated with scenic management efforts in forest management plans.

Although private forest management programs are rarely intended to provide for the full range of recreational uses that are present in public forest, private forest owners often wish to incorporate hunting and hiking opportunities and, occasionally, camping or picnicking. Landowners who wish to make special efforts to promote scenic or recreational objectives should consider the following suggestions in consultation with a professional forester.

  • The design and layout of access roads should be considered in conjunction with recreation and scenic objectives. Access roads may be designed to provide for permanent recreational driving access, for future use as foot trails or ORV trails, or they may be designed with intent that they will be abandoned and revegetated after any cutting activity is completed.
  • The modification of the normal cutting prescription may include the elimination of clearcuts near roads or modifying the edges of clearcuts to blend well with the landscape. Normal thinning cuts may be modified to emphasize big tree character or clearcuts may be introduced where they would not normally be used in order to create scenic vistas.
  • Avoid or modify cutting activity where unique natural features such as rocky bluffs, sand dunes, or groups of unusual trees are located.

 

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This website is maintained by Bill Cook, Michigan State University Extension Forester in the Upper Pensinsula. 
Comments, questions, and suggestions are gratefully accepted. Editorial issues can be addressed to Eric Thompson.

Last update of this page was 04 April 2001.