The National Park Service Visual Resource Inventory

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VRI systems are designed to meet specific needs dictated by the needs and mission of the entity that develops them, but also by the particular characteristics of the scenic experience of the landscapes and seascapes in which they are used. Because Park Service areas emphasize both scenic and historic/cultural values, and because Park visitors enjoy scenic experiences largely from known viewpoints and looking at known landscapes, a view-based inventory with enhanced tools for incorporating non-scenic values is appropriate. The BLM and USFS are land management agencies that permit various land uses in particular areas of the lands they manage. These lands are primarily natural-appearing, and the scenic experience is predominantly one of enjoyment of natural-appearing landscapes. In these cases, a land management polygon-based VRI that emphasizes scenic quality may be appropriate.

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