Criteria and indicators for the conservation and sustainable management of forests: Progress to date and future directions

The situation of society and of forests has considerably changed within recent decades and these changes have some major implications for information requirements. The concept of sustainable forest management (SFM) has gained global political attention as the key to balance preservation and utilization of forests - and its content has been considerably extended to better cover ecological and social aspects. Indicators for a more detailed measurement of and reporting on progress towards SFM have taken a prominent role both in forest policy and in SFM certification in the 1990s. The elaboration of indicators as a tool in forest policy and in business contexts faces many similar challenges, such as the need to specify in concrete terms what is meant by the abstract concept SFM. In both areas, people are confronted with methodological weaknesses and a lack of practically useful data in key areas. A comparison of potential application and actual uses of indicators today also reveals that SFM indicators could and possibly will be used in many more areas. Today, SFM indicators are still in rather early stages of development. To become a truly useful tool in practice, considerably more work is needed to overcome existing shortcomings and to make indicator sets useful in a broader range of applications.

The progress of the concept of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) is dynamic and its success or failure during implementation can be evaluated in different ways. In a detailed survey in four Forest Management Units (FMUs) in Sabah, the current implementation of SFM at the FMU level was assessed based on the triple perspective typology of stakeholder theory. This approach encompasses conceptual, corporate and stakeholder centric point of view. The conceptual perspective explores the SFM concept and how it relates to the FMU holder – stakeholder interaction at the FMU level, the corporate perspective examined how the FMU holders put the concept into practise and address their stakeholders, while the stakeholder perspective analyses how the stakeholders attempt to accomplish their claims and interests through the corporate-centric (FMU holders) at the management level. The stakeholder analysis provides the platform for stakeholder identification, categorisation and their general perception and behaviour towards the overall performance of SFM objectives. The Stakeholder Relation Management (SRM) that integrates the FMU holders and stakeholder participation under the SFM concept were also identified. Different FMU holders are engaged with distinct objectives to be achieved, which determine their direct relationship with the stakeholders. The stakeholders were attributed to static and dynamic groups, which are determined by their existence, claims and interests, and involvement in various SFM programs and activities at the FMU level. They provided distinguished preference and agreement toward various issues and characteristics related to SFM objectives, implementation and stakeholder participation at the management level. Most of the respondents of the multi-interest stakeholder group agreed with SFM main contributions towards the elements of environmental objectives, followed by economic objectives and elements of social objectives. The approach for SFM assessment based on the different lenses of conceptual, corporate and stakeholder centric provides complementary evidence on the pragmatic implementation of SFM at the forest management level.

Attention is drawn to scientifically based theoretical and practical approaches to the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management and, accordingly, to ensuring the principles of sustainable forestry aimed at the adequate protection, use, and regeneration of forest resources in Ukraine during Russia's war against Ukraine. The main socio-economic and ecological aspects that influence the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management at the national and regional level in the current conditions of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine are considered. The changes in the forest sector in the conditions of war are reflected, which must be considered from the point of view of understanding the principles of sustainable development, sustainable forestry, and the concept of sustainable forest management. It is proposed to develop and implement a theoretical, methodological, and practical approach to the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management in Ukraine which would take into account the regional differences regarding the organisation and development of forestry in Ukraine.

ABSTRACTSustainable forest management is the process of managing forest to achieve one or more clearly specified objectives without diminishing the forest’s ability to continue providing goods and services in perpetuity. In this paper, we show how the African Timber Organization/International Tropical Timber Organization principles, criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of African forests can help timber companies assess their progress towards this goal in Gabon. Through a partnership between International Tropical Timber Organization project PD 124/01 Rev. 2(M), the World Wildlife Fund, and the ministry responsible for forests in Gabon, audits were conducted between 2012 and 2014 to evaluate the implementation of sustainable forest management in 14 forest concessions in Gabon. In general, results show that Principle 4, linked to the well-being of workers and local populations, proved the most difficult principle to implement, while Principle 3, dealing with maintaining ecological functions, was the least problematic. A number of companies were found to be experiencing significant difficulties in implementing management plans. It is also clear that independent forest certification has become a key element for ensuring the successful implementation of sustainable forest management.

Since the Rio World Summit of 1992, a new paradigm of sustainable forest management has developed and concerns have been mainly focused on how forest sustainability will be objectively achieved, assessed and measured. Attention has focused on developing criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management and getting forests certified. This study aimed to transform Jeju Experimental Forest, located in the warm temperate zone of Halla mountain on Jeju Island in Korea, into an exemplary model forest by implementing sustainable forest management at the ground level and pursuing forest management certification. As a pre‐requisite for forest certification, an extensive, 900‐man‐day field survey was conducted in 2004 over the 2,741 ha of Jeju Experimental Forest to determine the ecological, social, economic and managerial aspects. Based on the survey results, the database systems for flora and fauna and site conditions of Jeju Experimental Forest were established and a 10‐year forest management plan was developed with greater consideration for intangible forest values such as biodiversity, landscapes and water resources using forest function classification mapping. The forest function classification program was found to be a useful tool for supporting the decision‐making process for forest management planning. The preparation for forest certification became a long process to meet the pre‐requisites for implementation of sustainable forest management at the ground level.

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

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.

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

Sustainable Forest Management is a main part of the Global Sustainable Management. The main instruments for the implementation of the concept of Sustainable Forest Management are Forest Certification and Forest Quality Management. In the article authors investigated the essence, content and principles of Sustainable Forest Management as a key element of the formation and implementation of the Sustainable Development of the Society and its adaptation in the case study of post-communist countries like Russia. Also specific of Forest Certification and Forest Quality Management in Russia was investigated. The obtained result laid the foundation for the review and systematization of the interests of key players in the domestic forest industry, the prerequisites and limitations for the implementation of the Sustainable Forest Management Concept. For this purpose, the authors carried out situational analysis, interviewing, content analysis of media texts. In the article are analyzed 7 top-forestry Russian enterprises and also Russian timber industry complex generally. Based on the results of the study, the interests and priorities of the parties participating in the development of the national concept of sustainable forest management have been identified and systematized. This allowed us to identify incentives and prerequisites, problems and limitations, as well as prospects and directions for the development of forest certification in the territory of the Russian Federation. Based on the research results, it is concluded that Quality Management and Forest Certification are considered by all stakeholder groups as a key tool for ensuring Sustainable Forest Management by the case study of Russia.

Climate change is recognized as a global threat that negatively impacts biodiversity and forest resources. The use of existing indicators for sustainable forest management (SFM) related to biodiversity and climate change, as well as the development of new indicators, will help assess how forest management practices impact biodiversity enhancement and climate change mitigation. A Pan-European set of criteria and indicators has been developed as a policy instrument for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the progress in implementing SFM. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Western Balkans in general, the Pan-European set of criteria and indicators is an insufficiently researched topic and there is a lack of scientific research conducted regarding their development and implementation. Through the analysis of the current situation in forestry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), regarding the compliance and importance of the Pan-European criteria for SFM, this paper aims to explain how the international process of development and application of the Pan-European criteria for SFM can contribute to the improvement of the situation in forestry and the creation of a consistent forest policy in FBiH. The survey among forestry professionals (n=360), from the public forest administration and public forest companies in FBiH, included the sets of questions related to socio-demographic characteristics, assessment of compliance and importance of six criteria of SFM. Research results revealed that forestry professionals are mainly males, on average 41 years old, with 13 years of working experience. The majority of forestry professionals in FBiH are not familiar with Pan-European criteria for SFM, and have a low level of their understanding. On average, forestry professionals indicated that the Pan-European criteria for SFM were of high importance, while compliance with current forest management activities were rated lower on average. The large differences between responses regarding the average rating of compliance and importance of the Pan-European criteria for SFM indicate their low level of implementation in FBiH forest management activities. Accordingly, the results indicate that there is a need to organize educational lifelong learning programs in FBiH forestry sector, involving forestry professionals and other interested parties, to generate knowledge related to the Pan-European criteria for SFM and the concept of SFM in general.

The state of Canada's forests: A global comparison of the performance on Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators

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.

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.

Is the concept of sustainable forest management still fit for purpose?

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.