BLM Jordan Resource Area Visual Resource Inventory

Visual Resource Inventory // Environmental Services

Logan Simpson completed a visual resource inventory for the Jordan Resource Area encompassing the range of landscapes within southeast Oregon’s Basin and Range and Columbia Plateau Physiographic Provinces. This inventory area covers approximately 3 million acres of varied landscapes, ranging from small agricultural communities and wide-open grasslands, to expanses of black lava flows and the deeply incised Owyhee River Canyon. The inventoried lands are largely undeveloped, resulting in vast views of few cultural modifications. Research and public outreach for this project resulted in few planning documents regarding the protection of scenery and scenic viewsheds, but revealed articles and tourist information for popular destinations throughout the region, including the Owyhee Backcountry Byway, Jordan Craters, Rome Cliffs, and numerous overlooks. This information was taken into consideration during visual sensitivity ratings and resulted in well-informed and accurate delineations of differing sensitivities within the resource area.