Managing recreation settings is a foundational element to providing diverse opportunities for recreation experiences on national forests. Since the early 1980s, the Forest Service has used the recreation opportunity spectrum as a framework for identifying, classifying, planning, and managing a range of recreation settings. Each setting provides opportunities to engage in activities (motorized, non-motorized, developed, or dispersed on land or in water) that result in different experiences and outcomes. The settings are described in six classes with specific physical, managerial, and social criteria (USDA 1986).

These classes are as follows:

Primitive

Semi-primitive non-motorized

Semi-primitive non-motorized (Winter Motorized Allowed)

Semi-primitive motorized

Roaded natural

Rural

Recreation settings range from highly modified, developed places (multi-site campgrounds with paved roads and electricity) to remote, natural areas with no roads or trails. Attributes typically considered in describing settings are: type and degree of access; remoteness; level of recreation development; social encounters; and the amount of on-site management.

Recreation opportunity spectrum classes are the objectives that guide recreation management. The classes depict, in broad terms, the level of recreation development and the amount and kind of recreation use that is appropriate for any given area. They guide project level decisions regarding recreation management. Travel management decisions are project level decisions that determine the specific areas and routes open for motorized recreation. Travel management decisions should be consistent with the desired recreation opportunity spectrum class attributes for access. For example, if an area is in a semi-primitive motorized recreation opportunity spectrum class, motorized recreation access may be allowed through a project-level travel management decision and recreation visitors using that area would expect to see motorized vehicles, hear motorized noises, and potentially see recreation infrastructure that supports motorized uses. A decisionmaker may decide that a portion of the same area needs to be closed to motorized use to protect certain resources. This closure would be part of a project-level travel management decision but the broader recreation opportunity spectrum class would not change.

The ROS feature class is initially derived from other entities in the GIS Data Dictionary (travel routes, developed recreation sites, etc.). Field knowledge and current management decisions such as Motorized Vehicle Use Maps, are utilized to confirm or adjust GIS-derived boundaries to reflect existing ROS settings. The complete process for determining desired ROS is part of the interdisciplinary process, resource integration, LMP FEIS (or other NEPA decision) and LMP. Associated National Applications: Forest Plan revision, water shed assessments, landscape level planning, project level planning, and monitoring.

This dataset was used for geospatial analysis and/or cartographic production during the revision process of the USDA Forest Service, Chugach National Forest’s Land Management Plan. The data were compiled from multiple sources and the USFS makes no guarantees about the accuracy or completeness of the data.

This dataset was updated due to the Trinity Point Administrative Change signed 10/27/2020

The Chugach National Forest acquired a total of 252 acres around the area of Portage Pass on 3/15/2022. Updates were made to the dataset on 01/25/2023 as a result of an Administrative Change for the land acquired.