Social science to improve fuels management: a synthesis of research on aesthetics and fuels management

A series of syntheses were commissioned by the USDA Forest Service to aid in fuels mitigation project planning. This synthesis focuses on research addressing aesthetic considerations of fuels management. A general finding is that fuels management activities can contribute to the visual quality of a landscape. Topics covered in the synthesis include research findings on visual preferences in forested ecosystems, strategies for maintaining or improving visual quality through fuels management, and the planning, implementation, and monitoring of resource management to improve visual quality.