A Color Measuring System for Landscape Assessment

Abstract

Management activities on wildlands will be conspicuous or not depending largely upon resulting color-shape contrasts with the surrounding area. Institutional landscape management systems use color to assess landscapes and predict visual impact of activities, but they have no objective or moderately precise means for measuring color. Colors of landscapes in California were determined with a standardized color notation system. Results identified these problems associated with color sampling and application: inconsistency between observers, variations in light, multiple colors in a subject, selection of incorrect hues, and limitations of the notation system used. Recommendations offered can help managers and planners avoid these sampling problems. Ranges of characteristic colors were identified for general landscape surfaces and vegetation types; however, data were insufficient to develop marker sets of colors for individual plant species.