Modeling aesthetics to support an ecosystem services approach for natural resource management decision making

ABSTRACT This paper reviews literature on aesthetics and describes the development of vista and landscape aesthetics models. Spatially explicit variables were chosen to represent physical characteristics of natural landscapes that are important to aesthetic preferences. A vista aesthetics model evaluates the aesthetics of natural landscapes viewed from distances of more than 1000 m, and a landscape aesthetics model evaluates the aesthetic value of wetlands and forests within 1000 m from the viewer. Each of the model variables is quantified using spatially explicit metrics on a pixel‐specific basis within EcoAIM™, a geographic information system (GIS)–based ecosystem services (ES) decision analysis support tool. Pixel values are “binned” into ranked categories, and weights are assigned to select variables to represent stakeholder preferences. The final aesthetic score is the weighted sum of all variables and is assigned ranked values from 1 to 10. Ranked aesthetic values are displayed on maps by patch type and integrated within EcoAIM. The response of the aesthetic scoring in the models was tested by comparing current conditions in a discrete area of the facility with a Development scenario in the same area. The Development scenario consisted of two 6‐story buildings and a trail replacing natural areas. The results of the vista aesthetic model indicate that the viewshed area variable had the greatest effect on the aesthetics overall score. Results from the landscape aesthetics model indicate a 10% increase in overall aesthetics value, attributed to the increase in landscape diversity. The models are sensitive to the weights assigned to certain variables by the user, and these weights should be set to reflect regional landscape characteristics as well as stakeholder preferences. This demonstration project shows that natural landscape aesthetics can be evaluated as part of a nonmonetary assessment of ES, and a scenario‐building exercise provides end users with a tradeoff analysis in support of natural resource management decisions. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:926–938. © 2017 SETAC. Key Points This paper presents a novel approach to assessing tradeoffs in aesthetic landscape services. The flexibility of the models, such as preference weightings and the ability to create various scenarios, is especially important for settings in which there are numerous ecosystem service beneficiaries, various end users of the tool, and multiple natural resource managem