Pacific Southwest

Title: A computerized system for portrayal of landscape alterations

Author: Stevenson, A. E.; Conley, J. A.; Carey, J. B.

Date: 1979

Source: In: Elsner, Gary H., and Richard C. Smardon, technical coordinators. 1979. Proceedings of our national landscape: a conference on applied techniques for analysis and management of the visual resource [Incline Village, Nev., April 23-25, 1979]. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-35. Berkeley, CA. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: p. 151-156

Station ID: GTR-PSW-035

Description: The growing public awareness of and participation in the visual resource decision process has stimulated interest to find improved means of accurately and realistically displaying proposed alterations. The traditional artist renderings often lack the accuracy and objectivity needed for critical decisions. One approach, using computer graphics, led to the MOSAIC system which is a special adaptation of photomontage techniques capable of meeting most of the requirements for realism, accuracy and cost. This paper briefly covers some of the early development and explains some of the more innovative concepts of the system. The development and demonstration phases were conducted using actual landscape alteration problems. Key steps involved in field measurement, photography, computer input and output, artist enhancement, documentation and training materials are described. Finally, capabilities and limitations are discussed in terms of the applications of the system. Specific issues will include costs, data requirements, ranges and scales, terrain characteristics and skill needs.

Keywords: 

View and Print this Publication (1.2 MB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
• You may send email to pubrequest@fs.f ed.us to request a hard copy of this publication. (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Stevenson, A. E.; Conley, J. A.; Carey, J. B.  1979.  A computerized system for portrayal of landscape alterations.   In: Elsner, Gary H., and Richard C. Smardon, technical coordinators. 1979. Proceedings of our national landscape: a conference on applied techniques for analysis and management of the visual resource [Incline Village, Nev., April 23-25, 1979]. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-35. Berkeley, CA. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: p. 151-156.