Scenery refers to the aesthetic qualities of landscape. It is a challenge to describe landscapes in value-neutral terms as a way of summarizing and appreciating the many natural and cultural elements that they comprise. Scenic assessment is necessarily individual and subjective, but researchers have used statistical techniques in an attempt to identify variables in an objective way.

Only two studies to date have used objective methods to rate scenic qualities in Nova Scotia. These studies defined the scenic resource as a composite of two main elements: the "form of the ground" (topography) and the mantle provided by vegetation and human land uses (land cover). In Nova Scotia, the presence of water in the landscape is also important.

This Document Includes:

Topographic Component
Land-Cover Component
Water Component
The Composite Scenic Rating
Index of Landscape Value

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Additional Keywords:
relief, wildlands, lakes, beauty spots, Cabot Trail, highlands, farming

Associated Topics

T2 Geology
T3 Landscape Development
T7.3 Coastal Landforms
T8.2 Freshwater Environments
T9.2 Soil Classification
T12.2 Cultural Landscapes