are becoming privately owned, public lands areset aside for special purposes, and tourismincreases, there is a need to provide road-side facilities for the traveling public.Consequently, one of the purposes of thisstudy was to identify appropriate sites forroad side rest area development. Inidentifying and evaluating potential sites,particular emphasis was placed on thefollowing objectives:

• Take advantage of significant amenities-mostoften distinctive and panoramic views.

• Help the traveler better understand the sur-rounding landscape. One rest area site is lo-cated in each landscape character type - largeareas with similar geologic, geomorphlc, andecologic conditions. Each rest area wouldinclude interpretive information related tothat specific character type.

The map identifies the recommended rest areas,with references to the management units whereadditional information can be found.

Alaskans make heavy use of areas offeringfishing, boating and other recreation opportunities.New facilities must continue to be identifiedand developed to minimize crowding and maintaina high quality recreation experience. ,:,

Scenic Resource Information /Education ProgramsThere is a limited, and at tiroes preconceived,notion of the definition of a "scenic" or"wild and scenic" road. Moreover, few peopleunderstand scenic resource management conceptssuch as greenbelts, right-of-way management,or how to use vegetation and land form to en-hance development. In spite of what somemight think, sensitive land use and develop-ment does not necessarily cost more, it doesnot require professionals, nor does it need to

be a restraint on private land use. Insteadit is an opportunity to incorporate the beautyof the natural surroundings in all land useand development activities for the benefit ofall. Developing a better public awareness ofthese ideas is fundamental to implementingthem. Thus it is recommended that public in-formation programs be developed to respond tothis need. 23

Scenic resource management information pro-grams should be directed towards four groups:(1) Government officials, (2) planners, en-gineers, and professional land managers re-sponsible for management decisions on publicand private lands, (3) highway maintenancecrews, and (4) the public at large.

•Elected and Appointed Government Officials

Many of the recommendations outlined in thisstudy require action by various federal andstate elected and appointed officials. Priorto making decisions, these officials will needa clear understanding of the policy impli-cations; short and long range costs and ben-efits associated with each of these recom-mendations, and the expected public response.A concise but complete summary of these recom-mendations should be prepared for this groupaddressing these primary concerns.

• Engineers, Planners, and Land Managers

This study is directed at this group more than anyof the others because they are faced with thetask of making a broad range of technical andmanagerial decisions which will influence theimplementation of the scenic resource manage-ment recommendations presented here. For ex-ample, a highway engineer must apply the roadupgrading and realignment recommendations;federal and state land planners must implementgreenbelt designations; and Native corporation

24 land managers can take the opportunity to de-

velop recreational facilities which capitalizeon high quality scenic values.

Furthermore, this group will recommendpolicies for declsionmaker action or adoptionand must also take the initiative to developpublic information programs. It is recom-mended that a scenic resource managementseminar designed around the findings of thisreport be conducted for these professionals asa means of initiating the education and theimplementation process. At a minimum partic-ipants should include: BLM, NFS, DOTPF (main-tenance and operations staff, planning staff,and highway design staff), DNR (central anddistrict office representatives), and AHTNAregional corporation representatives.

• DOTPF Field Maintenance Crews

Sensitive highway right-of-way management pro-vides, without a doubt, the greatestopportunity for implementing practices thatwill continue to protect and enhance scenicresources along these four roads. The highwayrights-of-way are generally wide enough toaccomodate several activities at once,including screening undesirable development,opening good views, and providing turnouts.It is DOTPF's field operations crews who willtranslate these report recommendations intoaction. Realistically it must be recognizedthat these crews may not read a report suchas this or, alternatively, they may choose toignore the recommendations because theyrepresent change, take a little more time tocarry out or because of the limitations ofexisting machinery.

In response to these concerns, two things arerecommended. First a workshop on scenic re-source management goals and site specificmanagement practices should be conducted forall field maintenance crews. Conducted as atwo way learning experience, landscape archi-tects and planners would outline the desiredresults in specific locations and the main-tenance crew staff would identify appropriateways of accomplishing them in the field. Inthis manner, field staff are more likely tounderstand and then implement the appropriatemanagement recommendations. Second, each yeara landscape architect should work in the fieldwith the maintenance foreman for each road todevelop a program for the upcoming year'smaintenance activities.

Scenic resource management is an ongoing proc-ess and it is important that theseconsiderations be integrated into the standardroad and right-of-way maintenance programs forroads with high scenic values and recreationaluse. Thus DOTPF should make a commitment tothese goals by allocating funds for: appro-priate equipment, seminars, annual maintenanceprograms developed with the assistance ofstaff or consulting landscape architects, andmore labor-intensive maintenance actions.

'General Public

Without the support and understanding of thegeneral public and land owners adjacent to theroad, legislators will not officially de-signate a wild and scenic highway, agencieswill not allocate funds to strengthen roadmaintenance programs, and a myriad of in-

dividual actions may erode scenic resourcevalues. Ultimately, it is the attitudes ofthe general population which will signi-ficantly influence political decisions, andthus it is important that they come to con-sider the worth of the scenic resources aroundthem as they do fish, or oil and gas. Theyshould come to expect visually sensitiveright-of-way management and other soundmanagement practices.

To develop this level of awareness, threetypes of public information programs are re-commended. First, public workshops can beheld in communities all along the study areacorridor to explain basic scenic resourcemanagement concepts as well as present recom-mendations specific to their area. Best ap-proached as a dialogue, residents should iden-tify the important scenic qualities of theirarea - a grove of trees next to the road, amountain view, etc. , - and then define howthey would like those specific resources main-tained and enhanced. This grass roots supportfor the recommendations is essential.

Second, a small brochure outlining differentways that roadside land use and developmentcan respond to scenic resource values could beprepared for private land owners. This mightbe distributed through the University ofAlaska Cooperative Extension Service or stateand federal agencies.

Third, a television special focusing onAlaska's scenic resources that addressed prob-lems, issues, and past and future managementresponses could be produced and broadcast.Television is one of the best ways of com-municating general information to a large 25

26

audience and it could effectivelyintroduce these ideas to a large segment ofAlaska's population. Already the StateDepartment of Fish and Game is using thismedium to convey information to the public andto develop a better awareness and support oftheir management activities. Such a programcould be prepared in conjunction with the bro-chure for private land development along theseroads.

ImplementationResponsibilities and ActionsThe general and specific scenic resourcemanagement action recommendations requirechanges in policies and standard operatingprocedures as well as specific actions on thepart of key public agencies. These are sum-marized here for emphasis and clarity.

DOTPF (Division of Operations and Maintenance,Division of Transportation Planning, and Divi-sion of Highway Design and Construction)_____

• Develop right-of-way management guidelinesspecific to each road that address clearing,grading, view management, and materials sitelocation.

• Adopt the practice of having the crew super-visor and the DOTPF staff landscape architectdevelop field right-of-vay maintenance planson an annual basis.

• Adopt siting and design guidelines for allroad maintenance stations that are in keepingwith scenic resource management guidelines,both to minimize visual impacts and set an ex-ample for adjacent private development. Ifexisting facilities are poorly sited or pre-sent other visual problems, impact mitigationpractices should be instituted.

• Adopt guidelines for road improvements and re-alignments which are sensitive to the desiredcharacter and use of individual roads.

• Add a landscape architect to the design teamfor road improvements and realignments throughareas with high recreational use and/or highscenic resource values.

• Take the lead for scenic resource managementplanning along road corridors and coordinateall decisions with other government agenciesso they are consistent with the overall goalsand objectives for the road. Work withadjacent land owners and managers to promoteappropriate land use and development actionsbeyond the right-of-way. (DOTPF should employa landscape architect or planner trained inscenic resource management Co play the leadrole In this effort.)

• Officially adopt the recommended highway/roadthemes and associated goals for ecenic re-source management. Use this nomenclature onall maps, reports, etc., dealing with theseroads. Alert travelers to these names throughappropriate signage.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

• First, implement recommended greenbelts forroadside lands under BLM jurisdiction

• Adopt land development and use policies thatcomplement the highway or road theme and as-sociated scenic resource management goals andobjectives

• Give high priority to scenic resource manage-aent considerations in areas where these re-source values are high and recreational use isalso high

• Demonstrate visually sensitive managementpractices for other landowners and managers tofollow, particularly private landowners

Alaska, Department of Natural Resources^

• loplerocnt greenbelts as recommended for road-side lands under state ownership