CHAPTER: 4
Criteria and indicators
4.1. Criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management:
The concept of C&I for SFM has become widely accepted as a suitable forest policy, management and research tool for conceptualizing, evaluating, and implementing sustainable forestry. Criteria and indicators are tools used to define, assess and monitor periodic progress towards sustainable forest management in a given country or in a specified forest area, over a period of time. The ultimate aim of criteria and indicators is to promote improved forest management practices over time, and to further the development of a healthier and more productive forest estate, taking into consideration the social, economic, environmental, cultural and spiritual needs of the full range of stakeholder groups in countries concerned. Criteria is defined as the essential elements against which sustainability is assessed, with due consideration paid to the productive, protective and social roles of forests and forest ecosystems. Each criterion relates to a key element of sustainability and contains a set of related indicators that are monitored periodically to assess change. Indicators are measurable (quantitative or qualitative) parameters and correspond to a particular criterion. They help measuring and monitoring the status and changes of forests in quantitative, qualitative and descriptive terms.
The C&I concept has been developed based on international, scientific and political consensus and therefore provides the most comprehensive and current definition of sustain- able forestry. It is a suitable tool for the measurement, assessment, and monitoring of the state of forests and the quality of forest management. Through the implementation of the C&I concept, it contributes to the promotion and achievement of SFM (Prabhu et al., 1999; Wijewardana et al., 1998; Woodley et al., 1998). There have been a variety of processes and initiatives for the development, testing, and implementation of C&I for SFM at the international and national level.
Criteria and indicators given by different groups are more or less same. The main activities for the development of the criteria and indicator for sustainable forest management are as follows:
Ø The Montreal Process, which developed SFM principles for application to the temperate and boreal forests of non-European countries (Forestry Working Group, 1995)
Ø The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), which developed SFM policies and manuals for application in developing countries (ITTO, 1998)
Ø The European nation’s Ministerial Council on Protection of Forests in Europe developed SFM criteria and indicators following the 1993 Helsinki (forest) Ministerial Congress (Anon., 2000).
4.2. Criteria for SFM from the Montreal Process, the European Union and the ITTO:
|
Criterion | Montreal Process | European Union | ITTO |
| Criterion number | |||
| Conservation of biological diversity | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Maintenance of the productive capacity of forest ecosystems | 2 | 3 | 2 and 4 |
| Maintenance of forest ecosystem health | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Maintenance of forest contribution to global carbon cycles | 5 | 1 | Absent |
| Maintenance and enhancement of long-term multiple social and economic benefits | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Legal, institutional and economic framework for forest management | 7 | Incorporated in 1-6 | 1 |
Source: Compiled from Forestry Working Group (1995), ITTO (1998) and Anon. (1995, 2000).
The C&I system allows the combined application of international SFM standards, in the form of the generic C&I set, and regional or local conditions and concerns, in the form of regional or local verifiers and norms. The applicability of the system as presented is limited to temperate forests, but includes various types of FMUs in terms of characteristics such as area size, ownership type, forest condition, or management system.
4.3. The components of the C&I system are:
Ø The formulation of goals and objectives for the FMU;
Ø The identification of local forest management standards for defining indicator verifiers and norms;
Ø The application of the generic C&I set;
Ø The assessment of C&I performance in comparison to objectives and norms, as well as the application of adaptive management procedures.
The C&I system is applied for SFM to evaluate the FMU under investigation in order to identify shortcomings and to provide recommendations for improving forest management. Through repeated application of the C&I system within a monitoring cycle with a certain time interval, it provides the information required by management to continuously review and adapt its management by incorporating feedback among planning, implementation, control, and outcomes or impacts related to ecological, economic, and social issues.
4.4. Importance of criteria and indicators:
Ø Criteria and indicators provide bridges between stakeholders.
Ø C&I are useful in informing policy makers and in communicating with the public.
Ø Monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of National Forest Program and other related policy processes is possible.
Ø They serve as a framework for assisting strategic planning, setting goals and monitoring sustainable forest management plans and certification schemes.
Ø Their inclusion in the National forest resources assessments is crucial.
Ø Criteria and indicators help countries to prepare consistent and solid national reports for international organizations.
Ø C&I influence policies and decisions to achieve Sustainable forest management.
4.5. Criteria and Indicator followed by Bangladesh:
Description: The “Regional Initiative for the Development and Implementation of National Level Criteria and Indicators for the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests in Asia” identified 8 national level criteria and 49 indicators for dry forests in Asia. Initiated by FAO/UNEP/ITTO/IIFM Expert Meeting; 30/11-/12/1999; Bhopal, India.
Criterion 1: Extent of forest and tree cover
Indicators:
1.1 Area of natural and man-made forests
1.2 Area of dense, open and, scrub forest
1.3 Area under trees outside forest
1.4 Forest area diverted for non-forestry use
1.5 Extent of encroachment in forest areas
Criterion 2: Maintenance of ecosystem health and vitality
Indicators:
2.1 Extent of natural regeneration
2.2 Extent of secondary forests
2.3 Extent of forest area under: obnoxious weeds, pests and diseases of epidemic proportions
2.4 Extent of forest area affected by: grazing, fire, storms, floods, droughts, wind
Criterion 3: Maintenance and enhancement of bio-diversity
Indicators:
3.1 Extent of protected areas
3.2 Number of, threatened, keystone, flagship and endemic species of plants and animals
3.3 List of flora and fauna
3.4 Degree of non-destructive harvest
3.5 Percentage of cover by forest type and/or species
3.6 Existence of mechanisms for the conservation of genetic resources
Criterion 4: Conservation and enhancement of soil and water resources and other environmental functions
Indicators:
4.1 Extent of watershed areas under management
4.2 Area under shelter and green belts
4.3 Duration of stream-flow and water yield
4.4 Extent/degree of soil erosion
4.5 Change in level of water table
4.6 Change in sediment load
Criterion 5: Maintenance and enhancement of forest productivity
Indicators:
5.1 The extent of forest area under forest management plans
5.2 Changes in growing stock of wood and NWFPs
5.3 Difference between annual allowable and actual cuts
5.4 Annual NWFP removal/extraction
5.5 Area of afforestation and new plantations including agro forestry
5.6 Degree of technological inputs
5.7 Contribution of forest to GDP through total economic value
Criterion 6: Extent of forest resource utilization
Indicators:
6.1 Per capita wood and non-wood forest produce consumption
6.2 Import and export of wood and non-wood forest products
6.3 Recorded and unrecorded removals of wood and NWFPs
Criterion 7: Socio-economic, cultural and spiritual needs
Indicators:
7.1 The Degree of contribution of forest management activities to food security including other livelihood needs
7.2 Level of recreation, cultural, religious and aesthetic needs
7.3 Gender Related Indices in Forestry (GDI in HDR of UNDP)
7.4 Degree of application of traditional knowledge
7.5 Direct and indirect employment in forestry and forest industries
7.6 Contribution of forest to the income of forest dependent people
Criterion 8: Policy, legal and institutional framework
Indicators:
8.1 Existence of national forest policy and legal framework
8.2 Extent of community, NGO and private sector participation in forestry activities
8.3 Investment in forestry research and development
8.4 Human resource capacity building mechanisms
8.5 Existence of forest resource accounting mechanisms
8.6 Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
8.7 Existence of mechanisms for information dissemination
8.8 Existence of transfer of technology
8.9 Fiscal and monetary incentives for investing in forestry activity
8.10 Benefit sharing mechanism for stakeholders engaged in forest management activities
8.11 Existence of conflict management mechanisms
8.12 Changes in number of forest offence
Source: Anon. 1999. Regional Initiative for the Development and Implementation of National Level Criteria and Indicators for the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests in Asia. “Workshop on National-Level Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Management of Dry Forests in Asia/South Asia” organized by FAO/UNEP/ITTO Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, India. 30 November - 3 December 1999.
