AREA- ORIENTED 

 MULTIPLE USE ANALYSIS 



Fundamentals 



The purpose of areal multiple use anal- 

 ysis is to provide an analytical framework 

 for evaluating the pertinent physical, biolo- 

 gical, economic, and social factors relating to 

 resource development in a particular place 

 as a basis for making sound land manage- 

 ment decisions. As indicated earlier, the 

 basic frame of reference in which the many 

 factors may be analyzed is a specified area 

 of land. 



Delineating the area of study. — For this dis- 

 cussion, an area is a portion of the landscape 

 where man and his activities provide a mean- 

 ingful unit for analysis. The area is outlined 

 on the basis of land use considerations rather 

 than by political or ownership lines, except 

 where the latter are fairly well aligned with 

 patterns of land use. 



The area is a sort of functional unit 

 with a high degree of internal cohesion and 

 interdependence with respect to land use and 

 resource considerations. Such an area may 

 be regarded as a human ecological commun- 

 ity. Like any biotic community it is at the 

 same time related in important functions 

 to the outside world. 



These questions naturally arise: Isn't 

 each area unique, thus requiring separate an- 

 alysis? How is it possible to extend findings 

 beyond the area analyzed? Of course each 

 area is unique. Usually, however, there are 

 some broad characteristics that permit some 

 generalizing. 



In order to identify some of these broad 

 patterns one might begin at a statewide 

 level to get a picture of the distribution and 

 flow of resources and resource uses. The 

 State can then be divided into provinces with 

 respect to characteristics of land use. In 

 Utah, for example, five land use provinces 

 may be identified (fig. 3). Each has its dis- 

 tinguishing and unifying characteristics. 



Within a province an area may then be 

 selected for detailed analysis. If carefully 

 chosen and delineated, the area may satis- 

 factorily represent the land use problems 

 and opportunities of the province as a whole. 

 Analysis made within the area will then pro- 

 vide broad guidelines for the province, as well 

 as more specific guides for the area itself. 



In our multiple use study, the Paunsaug- 

 unt Plateau Area was selected and outlined 

 to represent south-central Utah (fig. 3). The 

 area consists of about 1,000 square miles, 

 with the Paunsaugunt Plateau and the clust- 

 ers of communities about its base function- 

 ing as a node. The area consists of part of 



Figure 3. — Land use provinces of Utah, a 

 tentative delineation. 



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