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The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) recognized that to better manage its resources along the Niagara River Corridor, it was imperative to establish standards to understand which viewpoints should continue to be maintained. Existing viewpoints were inventoried in detail to generate the description and imagery to document each for analysis and comparison to create a systematic approach to the ongoing maintenance of walking trails.
B+H reviewed precedent scenic management models and adapted the Visual Resource Inventory developed by National Parks Service in the U.S. Based on physical characteristics including cultural and heritage elements, scenic quality, and other non-visual factors, B+H developed criteria and standards for viewpoint inventory, classification, assessment, and maintenance. Evaluation rating and ranking methods were also proposed. A series of presentation panels was also developed to support the two public meetings held during the system development. The objective basis and flexible approach of the recommendations will help to create better and more sustainable views and provide a sound basis for future NPC scenic management.