Advancing the cause? Contributions of criteria and indicators to sustainable forest management in Canada

Policy makers, scientists and civil society are involved in the development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management (SFM), reflecting the growing worldwide demand for addressing sustainable development and environmental governance management goals. Such frameworks have been largely derived from expert-led or community-based approaches. This article details the identification process of criteria and indicators (C & I) based on the international principles of SFM through the analysis of a hybrid approach that uses both a top-down (TD) and a bottom-up (BU) approach. The aim of this article is to discuss how the two approaches have worked to incorporate the different views, opinions and experiences of experts and stakeholders. National-level C & I are then compared with those at the local level, making specific reference to sustainable community forest (CF) management. For the TD approach, a Delphi survey was conducted where 121 experts shared their knowledge, experience and judgements in assessing a set of 72 indicators with regard to the applicability, practicality and importance of national, regional and CF management in Nepal. For the BU approach, C & I for CF management were developed with the direct involvement of various stakeholders. It was shown that such a hybrid approach is feasible from a methodological point of view, but a framework is needed by the government to more fully utilize the opportunities of the C & I development process in the SFM context. The results of this study also help to bridge the gap between the ad hoc planning of decision makers and the requirement for a holistic management system, which includes participatory processes. Based on the conclusions of this study, general recommendations for the methodological design of C & I development in similar studies are given.

Epiphytic lichen diversity and sustainable forest management criteria and indicators: A multivariate and modelling approach in coppice forests of Italy

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) has emerged as a technology capable of generating descriptors of vegetation structure and best available terrain information. Research and operational implementations of ALS data have highlighted their value for characterizing forest structure and generating spatially explicit and objective spatial coverages and mapping products for forest management. Continued emphasis to enhance forest stewardship is promoting novel methods to integrate ALS to detail non-timber ecosystem values like habitat, soil, and water. Standardized criteria and indicator frameworks such as the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers provide a reliable starting point for where ALS has opportunities to characterize ecosystems objectively regardless of location. In this review of primarily Canadian work, we highlight how ALS is becoming an increasingly viable technology for deriving meaningful indicators to meet sustainable forest management criteria. We review and highlight the value of ALS for quantifying indicators of biological diversity, ecosystem condition and productivity, soil and water, and the role of forests in global ecological cycles. We conclude by highlighting the need for increased education, tech transfer, flexible software, and reporting frameworks alongside five key considerations for using ALS to derive meaningful indicators of sustainable forest management.

Sustainable forest management is an international as well as a Canadian domestic concern. Sustainability is characterised by a framework of criteria and associated indicators which identify its principal attributes and the parameters which can be measured to assess the extent to which sustainability is being achieved. Canada is developing a set of criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management for domestic purposes, and is participating in a number of similar international initiatives which will establish international norms for sustainability. Harmonisation of these various initiatives will ensure international acceptance and understanding amongst global regions of similar and dissimilar forest zones. Implementation, a follow-up goal, will ensure that the principal objectives of sustainable forest management, as espoused by the National Forest Strategy for Canada, are achieved.

Growing concern about forest degradation and loss, combined with the political impetus supplied by the Earth Summit in 1992, led to the establishment of eleven intergovernmental, regional, and international forest-related processes focused on the use of criteria and indicators (C&I) for sustainable forest management (SFM). Up to 171 countries have participated in these processes to apply C&I frameworks as a tool for data collection, monitoring, assessment, and reporting on SFM and on achieving various forest-related UN Sustainable Development Goals. Based on an expert survey and literature analysis we identify six interlinked impact domains of C&I efforts: (1) enhanced discourse and understanding of SFM; (2) shaped and focused engagement of science in SFM; (3) improved monitoring and reporting on SFM to facilitate transparency and evidence-based decision-making; (4) strengthened forest management practices; (5) facilitated assessment of progress towards SFM goals; and (6) improved forest-related dialog and communication. We conclude that the 25-year history of C&I work in forestry has had significant positive impacts, though challenges do remain for the implementation of C&I and progress towards SFM. The work should be continued and carried over to other sectors to advance sustainability goals more broadly.

Prescriptions of the Forest Management Planning Manual (FMPM) for Ontario's Crown forests are examined for conformance with the elements of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) Criteria and Indicators (C&I) of sustainable forest management (SFM). The examination identifies gaps and highlights forest management planning aspects that require gap–bridging interventions at the forest management unit (FMU) level. The three levels (parts) of the FMPM—Management Planning, Annual Operations, and Reporting & Monitoring—are examined. Gaps are categorized in three groups—major, intermediate, and minor gaps. Major gaps are recorded for five out of 22 elements of the CCFM C&I framework, and these gaps indicate inadequate prescriptions for the corresponding elements at all the three levels. Minor gaps are also recorded for five elements, and these gaps indicate inadequate prescriptions at the monitoring level. Intermediate gaps are recorded for 11 elements, and depending on the specific element and indicator, inadequacy of prescriptions may only be for operations, reporting and monitoring, or may also include the planning level. The main findings of the gap analysis are that none of the six criteria of SFM has been fully incorporated in the FMPM; Part C (Reporting and Monitoring) has the highest degree and Part A (Plan Contents) has the lowest degree of non–conformity with respect to CCFM C&I framework; at the criterion–level the Global Ecological Cycles has major gaps while three criteria—Soil and Water Conservation, Multiple Benefits, and Society' Responsibility—have intermediate gaps; and the changes in the FMPM have been incremental while the shift in the concept of forest management from Sustained Yield Timber Management to SFM was a drastic change. Key words: biological diversity, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, criteria and indicators, ecological cycles, forest management, multiple benefits, society's responsibility

A multi-objective optimization model was created for medium-term forest development planning for an integrated forest products company located in the East Kootenay area of British Columbia, Canada. First, a set of sustainable forest management criteria and indicators were developed based on information that could be collected from regional geographic information sytem (GIS) databases and potential outputs from the model. Next, a new forest development planning unit was created (stewardship unit) in which adjacent forest polygons with similar indicator attributes were aggregated. The planning model was designed to determine appropriate harvest levels and management treatments on each stewardship unit to satisfy objectives determined in a participatory process. The mathematical model uses a fuzzy MAXMIN approach, where each indicator represents an objective in the model. Indicators are valued in the model using targets, thresholds, and triggers (called the 3-T approach). A case study is used to demonstrate the use of the model in a sustainable forest development planning context. The results of the case study show that the planning area is highly sensitive to visual quality, old-growth, and community watershed indicators. The paper concludes with a sensitivity analysis that determines the relative opportunity cost of various sustainable forest management indicators on company profits, employment, and tax revenues.

Problem statement: This study investigated the timber certification of sustainable forest management and the criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. Approach: Sustainable forest management is an important role in the forestry sector and takes a major player in Malaysia's sustainable development. It is a management regime that integrates and balances social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs to present and future generations. Results: We analyzed the pillars of sustainable forest management, criteria, indicators, activities and standards of performance for sustainable forest management in Malaysia. Conclusion: The aim of this study was to highlight and clarify the impacts of trade and environment on sustainable forest management in Malaysia.

The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers' (CCFM) framework of Criteria and Indicators (C&I) for Sustainable Forest Management, published in 1995, provide a science-based framework to define and measure Canada's progress in the sustainable management of its forest. In 2001, the CCFM launched a review of its C&I to ensure the continued relevance of the indicators to Canadian values and to improve the ability to report on indicators. This paper describes the threestep review process, which engaged a broad array of representatives of various sectors of society. First, focus groups were used to identify public values, issues and concerns with respect to the sustainable use of Canada's forest. Second, technical experts from across the forest sector revised the indicators. Third, the revised C&I were validated with users of the framework. The revised framework, released in September 2003, consists of six criteria and 46 indicators. The number of indicators has been reduced, compared to the 1995 framework, by focusing on indicators that are most relevant to Canadians' values, are most often measurable with available data, and are understandable to policy makers, forest managers and an informed public. Links between criteria are better defined and, in some cases, indicators address multiple values under different criteria. A number of tools and techniques originally developed for use at the sub-national level were adapted for use at the national level in this review. Canada's experience with reviewing its indicators may serve as an example and model to other countries now considering reviewing their national C&I frameworks. Key words: Canada, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, criteria and indicators, C&I, sustainable forest management, review

Conservation planning using a species approach involves the prioritization and selection of conservation areas based on biological criteria. Therefore, there is a need to adopt appropriate criteria for forest conservation planning. We propose that forest conservation planning refers to globally accepted criteria and indicators (i.e. C&I) for sustainable forest management. Criteria related to 'biodiversity conservation' and 'soil and water conservation' are two functions adopted and applied to forest conservation planning using a geographic information system (GIS)-based multiple-criteria decision-making approach (MCDM). The biodiversity conservation criterion comprises indicators of ecosystem diversity and species diversity, whereas the soil and water conservation criterion consists of indicators related to landslide, flood and drought prevention functions. In addition, a criterion containing indicators for potential timber species distribution, proximity to settlements and roads is used as a measure of potential forest threats. The application of C&I to the GIS-based MCDM approach has enabled forest conservation priorities to be considered in terms of the important forest functions. It also integrated two decision-making processes (i.e. 'biodiversity conservation' and 'soil and water conservation') into a single process.

The book contains the peer-reviewed, revised and edited invited keynote, overview and review papers presented at a IUFRO/CIFOR/FAO conference for each of the seven generic sustainability criteria for forest management. The sustainability criteria covered are: (i) social and economic functions and conditions; (ii) legal and institutional frameworks; (iii) productive capacity; (iv) ecosystem health and vitality; (v) soil and water protection; (vi) global carbon cycles; and (vii) biological diversity. Criteria and indicators (C&I) are a relatively new tool that have been developed to help better define sustainable forest management and assist with measuring change in forest condition and output of goods and services from forests. Application of C&I in forests has the following potential benefits: (i) raising awareness of, and political commitment for, Sustainable Forest Management; (ii) providing a tool for reporting, at a range of levels, on the state and trend in condition of forests; (iii) when forming part of an environmental management system, providing a way of assessing progress against management objectives, and thus supporting adaptive forest management; and (iv) providing an important plank for the certification of forests as sustainability management, and the associated green labelling of forest products.

Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal relations and sustainable forest management in Canada: The influence of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

Global trends of increasing threat to forests and the environment, as well as the efforts of humanity to achieve greater material and economic benefits have influenced the acceptance of the concept of sustainable development and forest management. Sustainability in forestry is applied as a principle of regulated management that has long been associated with the concept of sustainability (continuity) of production, yield and income. It represents the basic principle of forest management in the Republic of Srpska in which the priority is the production (economic) function. Sustainable forest development is enabled if forests are managed in such a way as to preserve their biodiversity, productivity, natural regeneration, vitality, and their potential so that forests now and in the future perform significant ecological, economic and social functions locally, nationally and globally. level. Regarding indicators of sustainable forest management, there are differences between organizations, so there is a need to achieve widely recognized harmonization in order to facilitate the analysis and adoption of measures to improve sustainable forest management. Forestry is often viewed in the context of overall sustainable development, because the SDGs goals affirmed the economic and environmental component of sustainable development. Strategic development goals in modern European forestry are of a sectoral, social, political, economic and environmental nature. The United Nations has defined 17 basic goals of sustainable development, and almost all of them are directly and indirectly related to forestry. The global goals and measures in forestry that need to be achieved by 2030 are: stopping the trend of forest loss around the world, increasing economic, environmental and social support provided by forests, increasing the area of protected forests and strengthening cooperation and partnerships in scientific and technical forestry. Due to the mutual interaction and contradictions of goals and measures, certain compromises are needed, and due to the pronounced multifunctionality of forests and the manner of their use, the principles of certification of sustainable forest management have been promoted. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC 1993) and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC 1999) are mainly applied. In the Republic of Srpska, the FSC FM certificate has been held by JPŠ "Šume Republike Srpske" a.d. since 2008. Sokolac, while private forests are not certified. In the Republika Srpska/BiH, FSC standards for sustainable forest management have been developed, which have been used since March 22, 2020. years (FSC 2019) and have a validity period of five years. The evaluation of the functions of our forests is not always in line with modern trends in the evaluation of forest resources, because the indicators related to productivity from the point of view of raw material base, growth and simple reproduction are quantified. Forestry development guidelines must be strategically focused on priority areas: forest cultivation and protection, development of a sustainable environment, development of human resources and education systems, and business use of information and communication technology. Necessary coherence, complementarity and integration of sustainable development goals have influenced the inclusion of forestry as an important economic activity for achieving human health, access to renewable energy, food, drinking water, the fight against climate change and others. Contemporary intentions that are insisted on when it comes to the importance of forest ecosystems, and current topics in the process of education, forestry science and profession relate to ecosystem services and biodiversity, forest protection, biomass production for energy, new technologies, information systems and monitoring.

This chapter explores the different approaches to assess criteria and indicators (C&I) for sustainable forest management (SFM) as a result of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992 and presents a case study of computing indicators at the local scale. It focuses on the international processes and provides an overview of national initiatives for the C&I and forest certification. The chapter focuses on the international processes and provides an overview of national initiatives for the C&I and forest certification. The 10 Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) principles and criteria form the basis for all FSC forest management standards and policies. The criteria at forest management unit level are likely to be identical or very similar to those defined at national level, although they are more flexible. The chapter presents a methodology and a case study for evaluating SFM indicators related with forest structure, timber yield, and biomass, assessed with information from light detection and ranging airborne system.

This paper discusses the potential of birds as indicators of sustainable forest management. Several reviews have been critical of birds as indicators of environmental change, and we discuss the major criticisms in the context of forest management. We address these criticisms by suggesting alternative approaches for an indicator research program including the use of focussed studies to identify cause-and-effect relationships, habitat modelling to act as a surrogate to extensive monitoring of populations, and spatially-explicit population modelling (1) to conduct exploratory sensitivity analysis to identify the most important parameters; (2) to incorporate the spatial configuration of habitat into consideration of the impacts of management; (3) to anticipate future impacts as an alternative to measuring past impacts; (4) and, as a means of evaluating alternative management scenarios including natural disturbance regimes. Birds are unlikely to be able to act as a precise tool for the measurement of some forest condition, but they could be useful indicators of sustainable forest management as part of an iterative research program. Key words: sustainable forest management, biological indicators, forest birds, habitat modelling, population modelling, natural disturbance regimes