AMHERST, Mass. - Looks are important, particularly when it comes to managing the nation's forests, concludes a recently published report by landscape architect Robert L. Ryan of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His review of the social science of fuels management examines how aesthetics influence the public's perception of forests, and suggests managers can better garner support for their projects if they take these perceptions into account.

"Aesthetics matter," Ryan says. "People judge ecological health by what they see-if it looks ugly, they consider it to be bad management."

After the catastrophic forest fires of the 1980s, fire finally got its due as a natural process that must be accommodated in forest planning, says Ryan. Reducing fuels-the natural combustibles that feed a fire such as grass, ground litter, shrubs or trees-became an important component of forest management. But as managers began to implement plans that addressed fuels-which had built up after years of fire suppression-they were often met with opposition from the public and environmentalists. This opposition was due in part to the visual impact of practices like salvage logging and extensive thinning, says Ryan.

"Harvesting trees to create fire breaks, prescribed burns-these practices are often perceived as contrary to the health of the forest because visually, they don't look good, he says.

Ryan doesn't suggest that aesthetics should trump science or safety as guiding principles in forest management. But managers who understand the nuances of public perception surrounding forestry issues and plan projects in a visually sensitive manner will likely face much less opposition, he says. A little attention to scenic beauty can go a long way in softening the public's view of forest management practices.

Public perception, in turn, can affect legislation and approval for practices that improve the quality of the forest. And since forest managers increasingly must address uses other than timber-including hiking, camping and wildlife habitat-practices that maintain a forest's visual beauty become more important, Ryan says.

So which landscapes do people find aesthetically pleasing? There is actually considerable consensus about what the public considers scenic, whether looking at the Southwestern ponderosa pine plantations, deciduous hardwood forests in the Northeast or at forest types in Europe, says Ryan. Large, mature trees and open structure rate high on the scenic beauty scale, for example. Downed wood is not so pleasing; neither are extremely dense tracts of vegetation with poor visibility at eye level. Several studies have shown that mid-sized, scattered clear-cuts are preferable to large concentrated tracts.

However, beauty, to some degree is still in the eye of the beholder, says Ryan. One study found that insect-damaged areas were rated higher, perhaps because viewers liked the orange color that the infestation caused in the trees. Because what looks healthy might not be healthy and vice-versa, informing the public about the processes and management tactics at work is a critical step in winning their support.

There are several steps managers can take to ensure some sensitivity to aesthetics, says Ryan. For starters, the team designing the treatment should be multidisciplinary, not only including geologists and ecologists, but also landscape architects or other design professionals. The landscape can be divided into smaller management zones, plans for which should be considered in terms of management goals and aesthetics.

"What is the context of the managed unit from the viewpoint of a hiker on a trail? Is it in the foreground or background?" asks Ryan.

Sites for firebreaks should be chosen carefully, as should access roads. And when possible, public input should be incorporated. If a favorite swimming hole or fishing spot falls within the managed area, that area should be managed more sensitively, says Ryan.

Communicating the rationale behind management activities is critical, says Ryan. Signs and brochures that explain management practices can help aid public understanding. And using so-called "cues to care," landscape architect Joan Nassauer's term for signposts indicating that an area isn't just messy debris but an actively managed area, can increase public acceptance. These cues include seeding fuel breaks with wildflowers or selectively thinning trees to frame views.

Involving the public at all stages of management is the best chance of improving acceptance and appreciation of management practices, says Ryan. Volunteers can be harnessed to clear brush, for example, or with proper training, to assist with tree thinning or even prescribed burns.

"The public is passionate about the scenic beauty of its national forests and, as such, can be powerful advocates for forest protection and preservation," Ryan says.

Ryan's report is part of a series initiated by the U.S. Forest Service on fuels planning. It can be found online at http://www.ncrs.fs.fed.us