Landscape Intactness Index for the Western United States

Landscape intactness has been defined as a quantifiable estimate of naturalness measured on a gradient of anthropogenic influence and based on available spatial data. We developed a multiscale index of landscape intactness for use as a broad-scale indicator of resource condition for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Landscape Approach, which requires multiple scales of information to quantify the cumulative effects of land use. The multiscale index of landscape intactness represents a gradient of anthropogenic influence as represented by development levels at two analysis scales. To calculate landscape intactness we combined the terrestrial development index (TDI) summarized at two scales (using a 2.5- and a 20-km radius circular [...]