II. IMPACTS ON THE PHSYICAL ENVIRONMENT 



11. 



AESTHETICS 

 (continued) 



[Y] 



EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 



The public generally views the project area 

 while sightseeing. The views of vegetation 

 and topography next to roads or trails are 

 known as foreground views . The views of 

 hillsides or drainages from roads and trails 

 are known as middleground views. The views 

 of horizons, mountain ranges, or valleys are 

 known as background views. Since the project 

 area is primarily flat, most views are 

 foreground views of open and dense forest 

 stands and openings caused by past 

 harvesting. Some old harvest units offer 

 middleground views, usually consisting of 

 hillsides or drainages. 



DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS 

 JVo-%/lction JlltemaHve 



In the short term, shrubs and trees would 

 continue to grow along the roads and limit 

 views . 



,lcUon Mtemalive 



Harvest treatments would aesthetically affect 

 the harvest area by: 



- causing some damage to vegetation; 



- creating logging slash; 



- disturbing soil along skid trails, 

 landings, and while constructing new roads; 

 and 



- creating landing piles along roads in the 

 project area. 



For the most part, foreground views would 

 have slightly fewer trees and down logs. 

 Middleground views would not become noticably 

 different . 



CXJMULATIVE IMPACTS 



JVo-t^ctiem andJlction Mtemative» 



In addition to the direct and indirect 

 effects of this project, the following 

 effects of other projects may occur: 



• Natural processes on the landscape, such as 

 wildfires, blown-down trees, insect 

 infestations, and disease infections, would 

 continue to alter the view over time. 



• In the short term, present activities, such 

 as firewood gathering and timber harvesting 

 on adjacent Plum Creek Timber Company and 

 State trust lands, would affect the view. 



Page CEA-10 



Checklist Environmental Assessment 



