Arrow IFPA Series: Note 2 of 8: Developing criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management in the Arrow Forest District

Abstract

This extension note is the second in a series of eight that describes a set of tools and processes developed to support sustainable forest management (SFM) planning and its pilot application in the Arrow Timber Supply Area (TSA). It outlines the development of criteria and indicators (C&I), which focus on explicitly defined goals and an objective means of determining success in meeting these goals. Criteria and indicators are used to evaluate the long-term sustainability of forest management through decision support in planning processes and through monitoring and adaptive management activities. The C&I for the Arrow TSA were based on the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers framework and were refined to address specific local issues through an iterative process that included input and review by professionals, academics, and forestry practitioners, and evaluation by stakeholders. The development process was guided by two directives: that performance-based indicators be emphasized and that these indicators should be credible, measurable, cost-effective, and connected to forestry. The resulting C&I are preliminary—their evolution is shaped by testing and application in forest management planning, and by continuing public review.