CULTURAL RESOURCES the present state of knowledge. Undoubtedly other sites will be added to the list as they are recognized as having significant historical interest. Furthermore, a number of historic sites not included in this listing would not be affected by the proposed action. These are predominantly in currently occupied urban areas (Medford and Ashland, for example) with buildings or residences of historical interest. A number of these buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic sites are protected by the same stipulations as archeological sites, and a thorough survey to identify them so they can be protected must be accomplished before ground disturbance or ownership changes can occur. 2.10.3 Paleontology Fossils are an important and nonrenewable resource. Vertebrate and certain invertebrate fossils are protected within the scope of the Antiquities Act. While the SYUS have not been thoroughly surveyed, vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant fossils are known to occur. Fossils found within the SYUS include leaves (including palms and sequoia), fossils of mastodon, elephant, bison, and horse (Wells 1956). None of the known fossils within this area are of remarkable scientific interest. However, all reports of fossil-bearing deposits are required to be checked by qualified personnel to avoid destruction of such resources. 2.11 VISUAL RESOURCES The BLM has a system for identifying scenery quality and setting minimum standards for management of visual resources (Manual 6310). The visual resource management (VRM) inventory and evaluation comprise an integral part of multidisciplinary planning and are included in the procedure for planning resource use and development. Three key factors are considered in evaluating the amount of modification the natural landscape can sustain: (1) the inherent quality of the scenery being viewed, (2) the degree of user interest in scenic quality and concern for changes in the landscape features, and (3) the visual distance (whether an area can be seen as foreground-middleground, background, or seldom seen from a travel route or sensitivity area). After scenic quality, sensitivity levels, and distance zones are determined, they are compared to determine the VRM classes (See Glossary). Figure 2-11 shows VRM classes for the JKSYUS. Each VRM class has specific management objectives and allows for differing degrees of modification in the basic elements (form, line, color, texture) of the landscape. The following photographs show examples of VRM Class II, III, and IV in the SYUS. The four classes are defined as follows: |