25 Years of Criteria and Indicators for SFM

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Stefanie Linser and Bernhard Wolfslehner, with 11 other experts from the IUFRO WP 9.01.05 on research and development of indicators for SFM, have jointly elaborated two publications covering all C&I processes and regions worldwide. 

The highlights comprise:

  • Eleven processes for forest-related C&I were analysed.
  • Up to 171 countries are members of this processes
  • They found varying levels of implementation across countries and regions.
  • Common achievements of the processes are presented.
  • Success factors for C&I implementation are proposed.
  • They analyse impacts of indicators from regional and international C&I processes
  • They identify six major impacts that apply to the 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. 
  • They 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.

Linser, S., Wolfslehner, B., Asmar, F., Bridge, S.R.J., Gritten, D., Guadalupe, V., Jafari, M., Johnson, S., Laclau, P. and Robertson, G. 2018. 25 Years of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management: Why Some Intergovernmental C&I Processes Flourished While Others Faded. Forests 9: 515. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9090515

and

Linser, S., Wolfslehner, B., Bridge, S.R.J., Gritten, D., Johnson, S.,  Payn, T.,  Prins, K., Raši, R. and  Robertson, G. 2018. 25 Years of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management: How Intergovernmental C&I Processes Have Made a Difference. Forests 9: 578. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9090578