rosmapping-usforestservice.docVIP

NATIONAL ROS INVENTORY MAPPING PROTOCOL ****** 7/01/2003 ****** TABLE OF CONTENTS: ROS – DEFINITION…………………………………………………………3 NEED AND BENEFITS OF USING ROS………………………………3 GENERAL GUIDELINES………………………………………...…………5 ROS INVENTORY MAPPING STEPS…………………………..………..10 APPENDICES………………………………………………………………..19 A: ROS SETTING CHARACTERISTICS …..20 B: “PRIMITIVE ROAD” DETERMINATION ROS LINK WITH ROADS (OMLs and INFRA DATA BASE) …..24 C: MAPPING EXAMPLE 26 RECREATION OPPORTUNITY SPECTRUM (ROS) MAPPING PROTOCOL 7/01/2003 ROS - What is it?………………………………………………. Since the early 1980’s, the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) has been used as a framework for identifying, classifying, planning, and managing a range of recreation settings. Six distinct settings: urban, rural, roaded natural, semi-primitive motorized, semi-primitive non-motorized, and primitive are defined using specific physical, managerial, and social criteria. For detailed information on ROS categories and criteria refer to the ROS User Guide, 1982 USDA Handbook, and the ROS Primer and Field Guide, 1990 USDA, R6-REC-021-90. For additional information on applications, refer to FSM 2311 and FSM 2330. NEED AND BENIFITS……………………………………. National Forests across the country are in various stages of Plan revision. While some have completed their revisions, others are in the process, and the remaining Forests will be starting within the next five years. It is timely to develop National guidance for ROS inventory and mapping. Although the basic framework and definitions have been in place for over 20 years, the system has not been integrated with recent technological advances in mapping and analysis procedures. Forests and Regions have developed processes independently, leading to inconsistencies within and across Regional boundaries. Specifically: The number and type of ROS categories vary among Forests and Regions. ROS polygons within