forest sustainability in the northeastern area taking measures now to ensure healthy forests for the...
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Forest Sustainability in the Northeastern Area
Taking measures now to ensure healthy forests for the future
CONSTANCE A. CARPENTER
Sustainable Forests Coordinator
USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
Sustainability is an Overarching Goal and an Extraordinary Challenge
Ensures continued existence and use of forests to meet human physical, economic and social needs
Preserves the health of forest ecosystems in perpetuity
An ethical choice to preserve options for future generations while meeting the needs of the present
Criteria and Indictors help us understand the concept of sustainability
Criterion Goal or category that
reflects broad public values and scientific principles
Characterized by indicators
Value free
Indictor Measures an aspect of a
criterion Quantitative or
qualitative variable used to detect change
The contribution of forests to the well-being of people
Forest conditions and related processes that must be maintained The desire for legal, institutional, and economic systems that
work toward…not away…from sustainability
The Santiago Declaration
ArgentinaArgentina Chile Chile Republic of Korea Republic of Korea New Zealand New Zealand AustraliaAustralia China China Russian Federation Russian Federation United StatesUnited StatesCanada Canada Japan Japan Mexico Mexico UruguayUruguay
Countries that signed the Santiago DeclarationCountries that signed the Santiago Declaration
A non-binding agreement that states our willingness to use criteria and indicators for tracking progress in forest sustainability.
Indicators reflect a common understanding among the countries regarding:
The Montreal Process Criteria1. Biological diversity
2. Productive capacity of the forest
3. Forest ecosystem health
4. Soil and water resources
5. Contribution to global carbon cycles
6. Socio-economic benefits from forests
7. Legal, institutional, and economic systems
The United States Criteria and Indicator Efforts
1995 U.S. signed the non-binding Santiago Declaration, an agreement to monitor MP C&I at national scale
1997 U.S. produces 1st approximation report on the MP C&IReport addresses data availability and interpretation
2003 U.S. releases National Report on Sustainable Forests developed through the National Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
The Northeastern Area
The Role of the The Role of the USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area and Northeastern Area and State Forestry AgenciesState Forestry Agencies
Implementation
Criteria & indicators framework
Inventory & monitoring
Align programs
Education & communication
Sustainable Forest Management
Uses of C&I Assessments of forest conditions and policy
effectiveness
Support comprehensive strategic forest resource planning
Issue management
Inventory & monitoring structure
Benefits of C&I Help define sustainability
Convey critical & complex information simply
Encourage holistic problem-solving
Useful at a variety of scales
NA/NAASF Criteria and Indicator
Implementation Measures Forest health and sustainability reportsForest health and sustainability reports Develop regional and State level indicatorsDevelop regional and State level indicators Strategic planning Strategic planning Clearinghouse for sustainability informationClearinghouse for sustainability information
Forest Health and Sustainability Reporting
Gain knowledge about using C&I
Report on forest health on public and private lands
Demonstrate an ecologically–based approach to assess forest conditions
Provide a reference document for resource professionals
Forest Sustainability Assessment Technical Report—Purpose
Forest conditions and management
Comparisons to national conditions
State statistics in appendices
One stop shopping for information across criteria
Forest Sustainability Assessment Technical Report—Contents
United States Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
State and Private Forestry
Northeastern Area
NA-TP-05-03
July 2003
Sustainability Assessment Highlights for the Northern United States
Raise general awareness of conditions in the Northeastern U.S.
Summarize important points from technical report for policymakers, managers, and other stakeholders
Available online: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/sustainability
Purpose:
Future Sustainability Reporting
Based on Area-wide base indicators
Organized according to the Montreal Process criteria
Reports produced at least every 5 years
Up to date Web-based information system
Complementary to national C&I reporting
Area and State Level Sustainability Indicators
Benefits of Common Indicators
Promote linkage across multiple scales
Facilitate communication and cooperation
Help reveal cumulative effects
Development of Base Indicators Base set of indicators developed by a C&I work group
Indicator evaluation process, considering:• Scale appropriateness• Reliability• Feasibly
Selected to span the Montreal Process Criteria
Comprehensive evaluation of data available
• Ability to measure over time• Ease of analysis/interpretation • Usefulness to audience
NA/NAASF Base IndicatorsCriterion 1: Conservation of Biological Diversity
1. Area of forest land relative to total land and area of reserved forest land
2. Extent of area by forest type and by size class, age class, and successional stage
3. Degree of forest land conversion, fragmentation, and parcelization
4. Status of forest/woodland communities and species of concern (with focus on forest-associated species)
Criterion 2: Maintenance of Productive Capacity of Forest Ecosystems
5. Area of timberland
6. Annual removal of merchantable wood volume compared to net growth
NA/NAASF Base IndicatorsCriterion 3: Maintenance of Forest Ecosystem Health and Vitality
7. Area and percent of forest land affected by potentially damaging agents
Criterion 4: Conservation and Maintenance of Soil and Water Resources
8. Area and percent of forest land with diminished soil quality
9. Area and percent of forest land adjacent to surface water and area of forested land by watershed
10. Water quality in forested areas
Criterion 5: Maintenance of Forest Contribution to Global Carbon Cycles
11. Forest ecosystem biomass and forest ecosystem and products carbon pools
NA/NAASF Base IndicatorsCriterion 6: Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-term Multiple Socio-economic Benefits to Meet the Needs of Societies
12. Value and volume of wood and wood products production, consumption, and trade
13. Outdoor recreational facilities and activities
14. Public and private investments in forest health, management, research, and wood processing
15. Forest ownership and land use (including acres of specially designated land)
16. Employment and wages in forest-related sectors
Criterion 7: Legal, Institutional, and Economic Framework forForest Conservation and Sustainable Management
17. Existence, type, and monitoring of forest management standards/guidelines
18. Existence, type, and frequency of forest-related planning, assessment, and policy review
Use of Base Indicators Across Scales NA/NAASF promise to collect and report on base set
Advantage of common data across State boundaries
Base set of indicators and supporting data is suitable for regional and State use
Can supplement the base set with additional data and indicators
Supports national level sustainability efforts
United StatesDepartment of Agriculture
Forest Service
State and Private Forestry
Northeastern Area
USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area and Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters
Base Indicators of Forest Sustainability: Metrics and Data Sources for
State and Regional Monitoring Purpose:
•To encourage the use of common data sources where feasible
•document NA/NFRPA research regarding desirable data sources and metrics.
•To encourage the use of the seven criteria and base indicators across the regional and state scales.
Support Area-wide and State Level
Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning
Sustainable forest management has been keystone in NA and NAASF strategic plans since 1995
Sustainability reports provide a context for the NA/NAASF strategic plans and State forest resource plans
Indicators help us monitor our performance
Clearinghouse for Sustainable Forest
Management Information
Sustainability Clearinghouse Purpose
To seek out and share information about: Sustainable forestry The use of C&I On-going NA/NAASF sustainability efforts
NA Sustainability Web-site:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/sustainability
Sustainability Clearinghouse Products
A database of 60 state, regional, and national sustainability efforts linked to forest indicators
Sourcebook on C&I
Sustainability Assessment Highlights for the Northern United States
Publication on role of NA & NAASF in Sustainable Forest Management
Base Indicators of Forest Sustainability: Metrics and Data Sources fro State and Regional Monitoring.
Other efforts
www.fs.fed.us/institute/monitoring
Local Unit Criteria and Indicator Development
(LUCID)
O ttaw a N F
A lleg h en yN F
B lu e M n tP ro v in ce
To n g assN F
M o d o cN F
M t. H oo dN F
N ew loca lin d ica tors
L oca llyre levan t
in d ica torsL U C ID
set o f C & I
R ev isedL U C ID
set o f C & I
In itia lL U C ID
set o f C & I
In itia lL U C ID
set o f C & I
C riter ionC riter ion
R eferen ce Va lu eR eferen ce Va lu e
D ata E lem en tD ata E lem en t
M easu reM easu re
In d ica torIn d ica tor
LUCID
CORE SET16 criteria
58 indicators
LUCID
E co lo g ica l
E co n o m ic
S u sta in a b ility
S o c ia l
A d a p tiv eM an a gem en t
Im p lem en ta tio nP la n n in g
H yp o th eses
S yn th esis
Develop and interpret indicators in an explicit systems framework
Monitor and adapt management as needed
F u n ctio nF u n ctio nS tru ctu re & C o m p o sitio nS tru ctu re & C o m p o sitio n
O rg an ism stru ctu re a n dcom p o sitionO rg an ism stru ctu re a n dcom p o sition
P o p u la tio n stru ctu re a n dcom p o sitionP o p u la tio n stru ctu re a n dcom p o sition
E co sy stem /co m m u n itystru ctu re an d com p o sitionE co sy stem /co m m u n itystru ctu re an d com p o sition
L a n d sca p e stru ctu re a n dcom p o sitionL a n d sca p e stru ctu re a n dcom p o sition
O rg an ism fu n ctio nO rg an ism fu n ctio n
P o p u la tio n fu n ctio nP o p u la tio n fu n ctio n
E co sy stem /co m m u n ityfu n ctio nE co sy stem /co m m u n ityfu n ctio n
L a n d sca p e fu n ctionL a n d sca p e fu n ction
I. Hydrologic function
M1. Watershed condition index
M2. Drought/flood severity index (Palmer)
LUCID
Example Ecological context
Incorporating Sustainability into the Forestry Program for Oregon
Kevin Birch Oregon Department of Forestry presentation to NFRPA
Sustainable Forestry has many parts
Blend of Economic, Social, and Environmental Shared Responsibility includes:
– Forest Management
– Manufacturing Utilization
– Consumer Consumption
– Recycling Different ownerships playing different roles
Background - How Did Oregon Begin Using the C & I’s?
SB 1125 - Legislature Unsure How to Regulate Forest Practices (1991)
Cumulate Effects BOF Adopts Sustainability Goal
– C & I’s (Montreal Process) as a Framework to Plan for Sustainability
Oregon Three Tiers of Indicators
Oregon Benchmarks For Forestry
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Board of Forestry Core Indicators
Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators67 Indicators
15-20
Indicators
2-3 Indicators
General Direction
Environmental Social Economic
Analysis of Problems Setting Goals and Objectives
Analysis of Problems Setting Goals and Objectives
Issues/Obstacles to Achieving
Goals Programs
•Maintain the size of the forest land base Land Use Planning Program
•Resource loss from fire Fire Protection Program
•Resource loss from insects and disease Forest Health Mgmt Program
•Prompt reforestation FPA Reforestation Rules
Goals (Criteria) of Sustainability
Maintain Biodiversity
Maintain Productive Capacity
Maintain Ecosystem Health
Conservation of Soil and Water
Maintain Global Carbon Cycles
Maintain Socio-economic benefits
Legal / Institutional Framework
Incorporating Sustainability Into the FPFO
Policies (ways the programs can address the issues)
The Board promotes and supports use of the Statewide Land Use Planning Program as a critical tool to conserve Oregon’s forest land base.
Programs
Land Use Planning Program
Definition of Courses of Action
Action Items (Actions programs shall take to implement the policies)•The Department will actively participate in the development of land use plans and regulations at the state and local level.• Where an informed decision has been made to remove forestland from the base to accommodate growth, the Department will promote planning for those lands to assure the least possible impact to the productive capacity of the rest of the land base.
Issue - Maintain the size of the forest land base
Goal - Maintain Productive Capacity
Performance Measures • The number of zone changes taking land out of forest uses• Acres of forestland converted to other uses
