Woman overlooks scenic Soth Fork of the Snake River in Idaho river with its braids running through a and green treed landscape

Visual Resource Management

From wide-open deserts to lush forests and rugged coastlines, the BLM manages some of the most scenic places in the country. These lands are more than just beautiful—they support health and well-being, tourism economies, cultural identity, and community connection through shared experiences. People value these lands as places to relax, explore, and create lasting memories. 

To balance different land uses, BLM’s Visual Resource Management (VRM) program helps protect the natural beauty of public lands for both today and the future. This responsibility is guided by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. 

The VRM program does this by: 

  • Identifying and inventorying scenic values
  • Planning how these scenic values will be managed in the future
  • Reducing visual impacts from new projects through careful planning and design

Field Tools and Resources