High Conservation Value Forests Research Articles

Rare and unique communities in the South of Western Siberia of the Bolshaya Sogra natural complex (Kislukhinsky state natural regional reserve, the Altaisky Krai, Russia)

The paper presents floristic and geo-botanical characteristics of rare forest ecosystems of the south of Western Siberia – spruce forests on the site of the Ob river ancient bed within the modern Bolshaya Sogra within the boundaries of the state natural reserve ‘Kislukhinsky’ (Altai region). Spruce forests here are at the edge of their spread in the West Siberian Plain conditions. There are over 300 species of vascular plants found in these spruce forests. Among them are plants that are typical of the mountain taiga associations of Russian Altai, as well as orchids, which have high species diversity. Spruce forest set of associations is also varied. The uniqueness of the described communities to the south of Western Siberia, the large number of rare and endangered plant species listed in the Red Books of different ranks, as well as the boreal forest species complex rare to the lowland wooded steppe, which has a relict character, all served as the basis for allocating a special protection area in the ‘Kislukhinsky’ reserve and attributing the studied spruce forests to the forests of high conservation value.

Forest Certification in Collectively Owned Forest Areas and Sustainable Forest Management: A Case of Cooperative-Based Forest Certification in China

This paper presents a successful case of forest certification of organized small forestland holders in China and examines problems and challenges encountered. The Forest Stewardship Council certification of forestland of Longquan Nengfu Professional Cooperative for Forestation is analyzed to illustrate the feasibility of forest certification in the form of cooperatives in the collectively owned forest areas in southern China. The main challenges identified include centralized forestland ownership and decentralized forest tenure, identification of plantation or natural forest, monitoring of potential effects of forest management, and identification and conservation of high conservation value forests. It is demonstrated that long-term stable forestland tenure, popularization of knowledge of forest certification, and involvement of local government agencies in forest certification are important for sustainable forest management in the cooperative-based forest certification.

A Framework for Integrating Transboundary Values, Landscape Connectivity, and ′Protected Areas′ Values Within a Forest Management Area in Northern Alberta

Daishowa-Marubeni International (DMI) is an integrated forest products company with operations in northern Alberta, Canada. As part of its sustainable forestry practices, it has embarked on a comprehensive plan to maintain biodiversity and landscape connectivity values within its area of operation. In addition to identification of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) as part of an internal forest planning system and to assist forest certification interests, DMI has developed a plan for a Continuous Reserve Network (CRN). This paper describes the rationale behind DMI's decision to identify a framework for both HCVF and the CRN. The company believes this CRN is a novel approach to ensuring visibility of connected landscape processes. DMI has introduced the concept to government, local sawmill stakeholders, and its public advisory committee, with a goal towards implementing the CRN within the area of its forest tenure as part of its forest management plan. The CRN represents nearly 44% of DMI's tenure area, and thus makes a significant contribution to landscape connectivity and forest biodiversity. The case study represents an example where values and goals of legislated protected areas are also captured by management prescriptions within non-harvestable areas and timber-producing forests associated with an ecosystem-based approach to sustainable forest management.

Charakterystyka geobotaniczna rzeki Pichna Szadkowicka na odcinku od źródła w Zimnej Wodzie do ujścia z terenu uroczyska Wojsławice

The paper presents the river valley physiography and the selected hydraulic, physics and chemical parameters of the upper section of small lowland river - Pichna Szadkowicka (the Warta river catchment, Central Poland). The strong relationship between the river and river valley habitat's characteristics and the plant species and vegetation diver­sity was noted. Around one hundred (93) of vascular plant species was noted in total, including Listera ovata strictly protected in Poland, and partially protected: Hedera helix, Viburnum opulus, Frangula alnus and Hepatica nobilis. The high natural (botanical) and landscape values of the researched section of the Pichna Szadkowicka river with adjacent parts of Wojsławice forest complex justify additionally their protection in the network of forests reference plots and of the High Conservation Value Forests (HCFV).

Understanding fire patterns and fire drivers for setting a sustainable management policy of the New-Caledonian biodiversity hotspot

New Caledonia (NC) is a biodiversity hotspot sheltering terrestrial ecosystems of high ecological and conservation value including tropical dry forests, rainforests, and maquis. However, uncontrolled bushfires threaten this exceptional biodiversity. A science-based fire management policy could reduce the impact of unwanted fires and help facing climate change. However, to date, data on the location, extent, causal factors and spatial patterns of fires had not been collected. We compiled a 13-year-long (1999–2011) spatially-explicit fire database for NC using MODIS and Landsat data. Using boosted regression trees we disentangled the role of anthropogenic factors, physiography, weather and vegetation on fire activity. We also characterized the location of fires and the vegetation composition at the fire edges, in order to determine which ecosystems were especially vulnerable. Fire size distribution was typically asymmetric with many small fires (<10ha) and very few large fires (>500ha). Ignitions were preferentially located close to villages, cities or roads, at low elevation and linked to high values of fire weather index. Fires were larger at the end of the dry season and during El Niño events. Most fires were bushfires burning in savannas, thickets and maquis, while rainforests were rather ‘avoided’ by fire. However, bushfires generally propagated towards forests of high-conservation value, thus increasing the potential for forest edge erosion. As savanna-forest and maquis-forest mosaics are dominant in the landscape, we discuss the extent to which NC could become a ‘fire trap’ where fire cannot be easily extirpated. Based on our spatially-explicit information on fire activity, we make recommendations for a sustainable forest and fire management policy which would balance the traditional use of fire and the conservation of the most valuable ecosystems. In particular, it may help by reducing the damages of large and destructive bushfires ignited during drought peaks.

First mapping of the main high conservation value forests (HCVFs) at national scale: The case of Italy

Forest certification is one of the many tools that have been developed to achieve sustainable forest management. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was the first organization to develop an independent forest certification scheme in early 1990s. FSC standards introduced the concept of high conservation value forests (HCVFs) that identifies forest areas with high conservation values (HCVs) according to six different categories including environmental services, social and cultural values, rare, threatened or endangered species, and ecosystems and habitats. HCVFs are becoming more relevant even beyond forest certification purposes, and the concept is increasingly being adopted and used as a tool for improving forest management operations. This paper represents a preliminary study for the identification and mapping of the main HCVFs in Italy. It is based on existing information and available datasets and identifies some out of six existing HCVs categories. The extent of forest areas identified as HCVFs in Italy varies according to the HCV category taken into consideration. Altogether, the HCVs investigated correspond to about 66% of the Italian forest. This preliminary study on HCVFs in Italy and GIS tools had proved to be a useful support for the identification and analysis of investigated areas for the purposes of both facilitating certification processes and improved management of national forests.

Methods of identifying high conservation value forests of the regional level in Angara south taiga area (Using the example of Bratsk area, Irkutsk oblast)

Methods of identifying high conservation value forests (HCVFs) have been proposed in correspondence with the Russian national certification standard accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council (FCS). A landscape-typological approach has been assumed as a basis for HCVF identification. In fact, the HCVF concept is a modified interpretation of protective forest organization scheme. The methods can be applied in other Siberian regions.

Using forest history and spatial patterns to identify potential high conservation value forests in Romania

Naturally dynamic forests have a high proportion of biotopes with old large trees, diverse vertical and horizontal structure at multiple scales, and much dead wood. As such, they provide habitat to species and ecosystem processes that forests managed for wood production cannot provide to the same degree. Whether termed old-growth, ancient, virgin, intact, primeval or continuity forests, a major challenge and need is to map such potential high conservation value forest for subsequent inclusion in functional habitat networks for biodiversity conservation in forest landscapes. Given that the delivery time of natural forest properties is much longer than of industry wood, we explore the usefulness of using historical maps to identify forests that have been continuously present for 220 years (potential old-growth) versus 140 years (potential aging forest) in a case study in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains (see Online Resource 1). While the total forest cover increased by 35 % over the past two centuries, the area of potential aging and potential old-growth forest declined by 56 and 34 %, respectively. Spatial modelling of edge effects and patch size for virtual species with different requirements indicated an even greater decrease in the area of functional habitat networks of old-growth and ageing forest. Our analyses show that compared to simple mapping of potential high conservation forests, the area of functional habitat patches is severely overestimated, and caution is needed when estimating the area of potential high conservation value forests that form functional habitat networks, i.e. a green infrastructure. In addition, the landscape and regional scale connectivity of patches needs to be considered. We argue that the use of historical maps combined with assessment of spatial patterns is an effective tool for identifying and analyzing potential high conservation value forests in a landscape context.

Managing sun bears in a changing tropical landscape

AbstractAimAcross the tropics, large‐bodied mammal species are threatened by rapid and widespread forest habitat conversion by either commercial logging or agricultural expansion. How such species use these habitats is an important area of research for guiding their future management. The tropical forest‐dwelling sun bear, Helarctos malayanus, is the least known of the eight bear species. Consequently, the IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group ranks research on this species as a top priority. This study aims to investigate landscape variables that influence sun bear habitat use in forests under varying levels of degradation and protection.LocationA 20,998 km2 Sumatra forest landscape covering Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP), Batang Hari Protection Forest (BHPF) and neighbouring logging and agricultural concessions.MethodsAn occupancy‐based sampling technique using detection/non‐detection data with 10 landscape covariates was applied in six study areas that operated a total of 125 camera traps. The potential differences between habitat use (ψ) of sun bears were first modelled with broad‐scale covariates of study area, land‐use types and forest type. Sun bear habitat use was then investigated with the finer‐scale landscape features associated within these areas.ResultsFrom 10,935 trap nights, sun bears were recorded at altitudes ranging from 365 to 1791 m. At a broad‐scale, habitat use increased with protection status, being highest in KSNP (0.688 ± 0.092, ± SE) and BHPF (0.621 ± 0.110) compared to production (0.418 ± 0.121) and convertible (0.286 ± 0.122) forests. Within these areas, sun bears showed a preference for forest that was further from public roads and villages and at a lower elevation.Main conclusionsThe habitat suitability model identified several high‐quality habitat patches outside of the priority conservation areas for immediate protection. Consequently, conservation management strategies should emphasize the importance of high conservation value forests and prohibit further conversion of threatened lowland forests.

Cucujus tulliae sp. n. – an endemic Mediterranean saproxylic beetle from genus Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera, Cucujidae), and keys for identification of adults and larvae native to Europe

Cucujus tulliae sp. n. is described as a new member of genus Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera, Cucujidae), which enumerates at present eleven species distributed in Eurasia and northern America. This saproxylic beetle is the first Cucujus species known only from Mediterranean and it is probably endemic to Calabria (Italy). The species was found especially in old–growth mountain forests of high conservation value (i.e. national parks) dominated by Calabrian pine (Pinus laricio calabrica). We hypothesize that Cucujus tulliae sp. n. probably evolved from isolated populations of Cucujus haematodes Erichson, 1845. The species is thus relictual and of high conservation value, corresponding at least to endangered (EN) category with respect to recent IUCN criterion. Cucujus tulliae sp. n. is here compared with two species native to Europe – Cucujus haematodes and Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli, 1763) and with the Caucasian Cucujus haematodes caucasicus Motschulsky, 1845, which is confirmed as a valid subspecies. The male genitalia of this Caucasian form have been examined and illustrated for the first time. A comprehensive key to adults and larvae of European species is provided.

Landowners and conservation markets: Social benefits from two Australian government programs

Market-based approaches to conservation provide two novel policy outcomes. First, they secure public environmental benefits through incentive payments to private landowners to deliver those conservation outcomes that are unlikely to be achieved through regulation. Second, they provide opportunities to influence perceptions, motivations and values, and shift behaviors among landowners towards biodiversity conservation.Here we report on our experiences in engaging private landowners through two large market-based conservation programs funded by the Australian government. The Forest Conservation Fund was run in Tasmania from 2006 to 2009 and protected over 28,000ha of high conservation value forests through contracts with over 125 landowners. The Environmental Stewardship Program was run in temperate south eastern Australia from 2008, targets nationally endangered ecological communities and has so far secured over 45,000ha through contracts with over 260 landowners to improve habitat condition. In total these two programs have, at various stages in their implementation, engaged with over 1400 landowners.Participating landowners benefited from their engagement in three major ways. Firstly, landowner appreciation that their land had both production and commercial conservation values grew, as did their interest in better understanding these values and their measurement. Secondly, was the flow of information to build capacity through improved awareness, knowledge transfers and skills development. Effective landholder engagement was strengthened by targeted communications and information support. Landowners received detailed information on the ecology of their properties, and workshops and on-site field surveys provided practical exposure that filled a conservation information and extension void. Some landowners who had been unsuccessful in bidding for funding said they would change aspects of their land management because of what they learned. Thirdly was a group of benefits associated with property planning and management. The competitive and commercial nature of these two programs prompted many landholders to think more about the mix of revenue and cost drivers for their enterprise, and in particular those associated with new conservation market opportunities. Participation encouraged many landholders to redesign their properties into production and conservation zones that supported improved management for both productive and conservation outcomes.These observations suggest that participation in market-based conservation programs encourage social learning and build social capital in ways that can facilitate additional positive biodiversity outcomes on private land. The effectiveness of biodiversity conservation policies and programs would be strengthened by the inclusion of specific social outcomes.

Impacts of cardamom cultivation on montane forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka

The cultivation of cash crops in the understorey of tropical forests is an ancient practice, but the effects of cultivation on forest ecosystem processes are poorly understood. We assessed the effects of planting the high-value spice crop cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) on forest structure, tree species composition, and soil properties in the montane forests of the Knuckles Forest Reserve in central Sri Lanka, where cardamom cultivation has been banned since 1985 because of the high conservation value of this site. Vegetation and soil were sampled in forest under-planted with cardamom and adjacent natural forests without planted cardamom. The densities of woody plants (⩾5cmdbh), saplings (<5cmdbh and ⩾1.5m tall), and seedlings (<1.5m tall) were lower in cardamom plantations than natural forests, while stand basal area was marginally higher in cardamom plantations. Canopy openness at 1.3m height was higher in the cardamom plantations (mean±SEM: 35±8%) than in the natural forests (19±3%). Pioneer tree species such as Macaranga sp. increased in abundance in cardamom plantations, and this contributed to the emergence of a difference in species composition between cardamom plantations and adjacent natural forests. Species richness of trees ⩾5cmdbh per plot was higher in natural forests than cardamom plantations, while species diversity was higher in cardamom plantations. The concentration of total N in top-soil was higher in natural forests, while concentrations of total P and exchangeable K were higher in the cardamom plantations. We conclude that cardamom cultivation results in a net loss of tree stems through weeding and opening of the canopy to promote cardamom production. The higher concentrations of total P and exchangeable K in the soil of cardamom plantations may be associated with the application of fertilizer, while total N concentration may have been higher in the natural forests because residual uncultivated forest occurs at a slightly higher elevation than the majority of cardamom plantations and/or because of elevated denitrification rates in the cardamom plantation. Since cardamom cultivation has affected forest structure and soil properties, management interventions may be required to mitigate these effects in high conservation value forests where cardamom cultivation has been banned.

FOREST RELATED LEGISLATION IN SOME WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES REFERRING TO NATURE PROTECTION REGULATIONS

UDK 630*93:502(497)&#x0D; Within last few years, all Western Balkan countries have adopted new forest legislation aiming to introduce internationally accepted concepts of forest management. Due to specific social, political and economical realities that these countries have passed through, a number of nature protection regulations have been integrated into forest legislation. This paper compares nature protection regulations in Laws on Forests in Croatia (2005), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002) and Serbia (2010). It examines differences and commonalities in above mentioned Laws. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the level of consistencies between Laws on Forests and Laws on Nature Protection in Croatia (2005), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2003) and Serbia (2009) in terms of “openness” and “greening” of forest related legislation. The results show that protection regulations within forest legislation, particularly those referring to forests with special management regime, can be strengthened by introducing the concept of high conservation value forests (HCVF). This concept includes also strategic changing of forestry sector position - from an inferior towards more proactive role in nature protection dialogue. The results of this paper can contribute to further improvements of current countries’ forest related legislation in domain of analyzed issues as well as creation of consistent forest and nature protection policies aimed at fostering cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation.

Rethinking the ‘back to wilderness’ concept for Sundaland’s forests

Traditional biodiversity conservation approaches emphasize the protection of pristine forests. However, it has become increasingly difficult to secure large tracts of undisturbed forests, particularly in the developing tropics. This has led some conservation scientists and organizations to explore the conservation potential of human-modified habitats, such as selectively logged forests. On the other hand, other scientists have highlighted the perils of overselling the conservation value of degraded habitats and advocate for re-focusing of efforts and resources on protecting primary forests. While there are merits to both contentions, we argue that the “back to wilderness” paradigm has limited relevance in the Sundaland region. This is because: (1) primary forest only makes up a small minority of the remaining forest in the region and most of it is already protected by law; (2) vast areas of selectively logged forest are still susceptible to plantation conversion; and (3) selectively logged forest are important habitats for some of the world’s most endangered species. To meet both conservation and development goals, we suggest that tracts of selectively logged forest be assessed for their ecological value and forests of high conservation value be prioritized for better protection through their inclusion into existing protected area networks and/or improved sustainable forestry management.

Spatial planning for biodiversity conservation: Assessment of forest landscapes’ conservation value using umbrella species requirements in Poland

Maintenance of biodiversity requires spatial planning for the conservation of species habitats. In this study, the distribution of the White-backed Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos leucotos) in Poland was used to assess the usefulness of a demographic model compared to an area-based model for predicting the occurrence of breeding pairs in local landscapes. The models were applied to the European Forest Map and to CORINE land cover data, two spatial databases derived from remote sensing. We tested the performance of the models by comparing predicted occurrence of the species with actual occurrence in 10 km × 10 km of the Polish Ornithological Atlas Database (POAD). Both models proved useful for identifying areas with high potential for hosting breeding woodpeckers. However, the demographic model performed consistently better at predicting the presence of at least one breeding pair in local landscapes. In north-eastern and south-eastern Poland, expected occurrences coincided with the actual occurrence of the species according to POAD. In north-western Poland, however, occurrence was predicted but not confirmed by the atlas data. The eastern regions are situated at the border to Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Slovakia. These countries hold large areas of high conservation value forests and large populations of White-backed Woodpecker. This pattern evokes the need for cross-border governance, and planning with an eco-regional perspective that considers both EU and non-EU countries. Moreover, the results stress the need to incorporate population requirements when assessing the distribution of forests with high conservation value.

Prima analisi a livello nazionale per l’identificazione delle High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs)

Abstract: In Italy, forests cover about one third of the national territory. In recent years, sustainability has been applied to forest management through the introduction of the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) concept. Since the Rio Conference, several initiatives at international and governmental level aimed to realize the SFM concept by the establishment of a set of principles with general validity. One of the most successful initiatives is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which has developed a system of voluntary certification specific for the forestry sector, as well as 10 principles and 56 criteria for good forest management. The concept of High Conservation Value Forest concept (HCVFs) was defined in 1999 by FSC under Principle 9, and its application requires the identification of six categories of High Conservation Values (HCV). The aim of this study was to define the parameters for the HCVFs Italian forests, A first national mapping for the first level of High Conservation Value was developed focusing on protected areas, threatened and endangered species and the ecosystemic temporal use. Protected areas may constitute the basis of the SFM. This work is the result of data processing and distribution analysis through the intersection of vectorial data of national forests areas in ArcMap, on the basis of available information. Protected forest areas represent 34% of the national forest area. The different categories of protected areas contribute differently to protection, in particular the larger amount of preserved forests (22.96%) falls within Sites of Community Importance (SCI). The analysis of highly protected forest types revealed major differences likely linked to site ecological conditions, which are extremely variable over the country. The HCVF concept is applied in the forest certification field and can be used in sustainable forest management, planning and land use, and policy commitments.

Rural housing is related to plant invasions in forests of southern Wisconsin, USA

Forests throughout the US are invaded by non-native invasive plants. Rural housing may contribute to non-native plant invasions by introducing plants via landscaping, and by creating habitat conditions favorable for invaders. The objective of this paper was to test the hypothesis that rural housing is a significant factor explaining the distribution of invasive non-native plants in temperate forests of the Midwestern US. In the Baraboo Hills, Wisconsin, we sampled 105 plots in forest interiors. We recorded richness and abundance of the most common invasive non-native plants and measured rural housing, human-caused landscape fragmentation (e.g. roads and forest edges), forest structure and topography. We used regression analysis to identify the variables more related to the distribution of non-native invasive plants (best subset and hierarchical partitioning analyses for richness and abundance and logistic regression for presence/absence of individual species). Housing variables had the strongest association with richness of non-native invasive plants along with distance to forest edge and elevation, while the number of houses in a 1 km buffer around each plot was the variable most strongly associated with abundance of non-native invasive plants. Rhamnus cathartica and Lonicera spp. were most strongly associated with rural housing and fragmentation. Berberis thumbergii and Rosa multiflora were associated with gentle slopes and low elevation, while Alliaria petiolata was associated with higher cover of native vegetation and stands with no recent logging history. Housing development inside or adjacent to forests of high conservation value and the use of non-native invasive plants for landscaping should be discouraged.

Floristic composition at biodiversity protection area in Lubuk Kakap, District of Ketapang, West Kalimantan

Budiharta S (2010) Floristic composition at biodiversity protection area in Lubuk Kakap, District of Ketapang, West Kalimantan. Biodiversitas 11: 151-156. A study on floristic composition has been conducted at biodiversity protection area (Kawasan Perlindungan Plasma Nutfah, KPPN) of PT. Suka Jaya Makmur in Lubuk Kakap, District of Ketapang, West Kalimantan. Two sampling methods were used: Point-Quarter sampling (Quadrant method) of 50 m was applied to class of tree, and 2x2 m2 plot sampling to class of sapling. Of 20 sampling units, 48 species of tree (belong to 27 genera and 13 families) and 94 species of sapling (belong to 54 genera and 28 families) were recorded. Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’) were 3.54 and 3.49 for tree and sapling respectively, while Pielou evenness index (J’) were 0.91 and 0.77 for tree and sapling respectively. Forest ecosystem in this area can be classified as lowland ever wet tropical rain forest which dominated by dipterocarps species. Species of sapling with the highest importance value index were Shorea laevis, Hopea dryobalanoides and Shorea sandakanensis, while that of tree included Dipterocarpus caudiferus, Shorea laevis and Dryobalanops sp. The floristic composition at family level showed comparatively similar pattern with that at other sites inKalimantan although composition at species level was different.Key words: biodiversity protection area, dipterocarpaceae, floristic composition, High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF), production landscape

Exotic earthworms of great lakes forests: A search for indicator plant species in maple forests

The invasion of exotic earthworms in previously earthworm-free northern deciduous forests has been linked to the disappearance of forest floor litter, declines in plant species richness, and the development of monotypic stands of Carex pensylvanica. However, the impact of exotic earthworms on the regeneration of trees and understory plants is largely unknown. We examined the relationships between earthworm density, plant species richness, leaf litter accumulation, number of tree ( Acer) seedlings, and cover of C. pensylvanica at 14 sites in mesic hardwood forests of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in northern Wisconsin. Earthworm biomass, especially of the genera Lumbricus, Aporrectodea, and Octolasion was negatively associated with leaf litter mass and number of Acer seedlings. Nine plant species, including two spring ephemerals ( Dicentra cucullaria and Osmorhiza claytonii), a sedge ( Carex deweyana), and an invasive mint ( Galeopsis tetrahit) were negatively correlated with exotic earthworm densities. Dryopteris intermedia and Allium tricoccum, on the other hand, were associated with high earthworm densities. The activities of exotic earthworms appear to have significant impacts on Acer regeneration and the persistence of many herbaceous plants. Our findings suggest that the effects of exotic earthworms on litter mass are strongly related to the observed effects on species composition. Sensitive species can be used as indicators of high and low earthworm densities and might be useful for identifying forests of high conservation value where future invasions of exotic earthworms should be prevented.

Conservation gains through HCVF assessments in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania

This paper analyses the conservation gains through High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) assessments in two South-East European countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania). These are based on the review of the Draft Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) National Standards and HCVF Manuals and the results of the certification process of seven forest management units in the two countries. The review indicates that the application of Principle 9 (High Conservation Value Forests) and Criterion 6.4 of the FSC in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania was influenced by the size and nature of tenure (i.e., public or non-public land), rather than geographic location per se. The study also revealed that the assessment of HCVF has, for the first time, raised the question of conservation of cultural, historical and religious values as well as the sustainable management of those forests relevant for the basic needs of communities. These are values not currently covered at the present by the national conservation legislation in either of these two countries. Findings of this study in both countries demonstrates that there are certain conservation gains as a result of the HCVF assessment, especially related to ecosystem services, prevention of soil erosion and conservation of threatened, endangered and endemic species.