Comparison of sustainable forest management (SFM) trends at global and country levels: case study in Iran

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) is an integral component of sustainable development. Iran is a Near East country with low forest cover. Iran uses 7 criteria and 65 indicators for regional and national monitoring of forest management. We evaluated the status of SFM in Iran, and a location imaging in its path towards SFM was provided by existing validation data and library references for the Criteria and Indicators (C&I) adopted in the Near East, We identify challenges and opportunities associated with SFM in Iran. Although the information to evaluate the trend of SFM in Iran was incomplete, we compiled some information on the basis of C&I. Comparison of some indicators with the values for the rest of the world revealed that the situation in Iran is very different. Although some indicators revealed a better situation in Iran, Iran lags the rest of the world in the implementation of SFM. Iran, like many countries, is trying hard to find ways to sustainably use its forests. Not all C&I for assessment of SFM in Iran have been determined or defined. However, a consistent and comprehensive framework of criteria and indicators to monitor progress towards SFM is being applied. Defining some C&I is still at an early stage.     

ITTO对原始林、退化原始林、次生林和其他热带森林类别的界定

ITTO在2002提出的《热带退化与次生森林恢复、经营和重建指南》中将热带森林类别划分为原始林、修正天然林和人工林。修正天然林可分为经营原始林和退化与次生森林2个类型, 其中的退化与次生森林包括退化原始林、次生林和退化林地。不同森林类别之间存在动态变化的过程, 在一定条件下可以相互转化。在详细阐述ITTO对原始林、退化原始林、次生林和其他热带森林类别界定的同时, 综述了ITTO热带森林类别分类体系的发展和其他组织与国际进程对不同森林类别的相关定义。     

ITTO热带森林可持续经营标准与指标的新进展

从ITTO进程的发展过程、2005年新修订的《ITTO热带森林可持续经营标准与指标》及其与1998年版的ITTO标准与指标的比较3个方面论述ITTO热带森林可持续经营标准与指标的新进展。     

Local-level criteria and indicators: an Aboriginal perspective on sustainable forest management

As tools for improving the sustainability of forest management,criteria and indicator (C&I) frameworks have grown in popularityover the last decade. Such frameworks have been largely derivedfrom top-down approaches to determining critical measures offorest management success. While useful, they fail to capturemany C&I of critical importance to local populations, whoexperience forest management strategies first hand and who havetheir own definitions of sustainability. Using archival materials,our research begins to identify one First Nation's forest valuesand compares these local-level C&I with three well-knownC&I frameworks for sustainable forestry. We demonstratethat local-level definitions can provide additional C&I,as well as additional levels of detail to C&I that theyshare with the national and international frameworks. Both arecrucial to developing strategies for sustainable managementthat meet local as well as broader needs and desires.     

Multicriteria and Critical Threshold Value Analyses in Assessing Sustainable Forestry

Abstract

This paper presents different models designed to operationalize the principle of forest sustainability. Concepts such as resource or environmental utilization space, carrying capacity, and critical thresholds are defined. The paper also describes an application of the qualitative and quantitative multicriteria models in assessing forest sus-tainability. Sustainability analysis was done in three stages: Stage 1 involves the development of an appropriate set of criteria and indicators (C&I); Stage 2 involves the use of multicriteria analysis (MCA) models for estimating relative importance of each C&I; and Stage 3 involves the qualitative and quantitative assessment of each C&I. The qualitative model is based on a simple flagging method where C&I elements are evaluated and assigned appropriate flag colors depending on the experts' judgments on their criticality. Similarly, the same set of C&I elements were also evaluated quantitatively using a scaled scoring system. These models were applied in a case study involving a community-managed forest in the Philippines. An assessment team consisting of representatives from various disciplines, local institutions, and local stakeholders was organized and served as the expert team that provided the assessment information used in the analysis. Feedback received from the assessors indicate that the models were found to be useful, transparent, and helpful tools not only in generating relevant sets of C&I, but more importantly, in evaluating these C&I with respect to overall forest sustain-ability.     

热带次生林经营引入物种选择

在国际热带木材组织（ITTO）的资助下,广东省林业科学研究院在广东新会和海南通什开展了“旨在提高生态和经济效益的热带地区次生林经营研究与示范”活动。其目的是通过在干扰破坏较严重的次生林中引入具有较好生态和经济效益的优良物种,使林分物种增加,林区居民能从经营中取得非木质产品的经济收益,达到保护和促进次生林的生长发育的目的,实现森林可持续经营的目标。在广东新会热带次生林经营研究与示范区活动中,选择101个引入物种进行试验研究,其中区域缺失和退化的乡土树种68种,占67．3％;外来树种13种,占12．9％;非木质产品物种20种,占19．8％。总结了低质低效次生林经营中物种选择的原则、方法和经营效果。     

Local level criteria and indicator frameworks: A tool used to assess aboriginal forest ecosystem values

Although the importance of aboriginal knowledge, values and perspectives in sustainable development has been recognised for many decades, worldwide examples exist showing that aboriginal involvement is less then effective. How and where to include aboriginal needs and goals has however been problematic. Ultimately, aboriginal forest values need to be considered with scientific strategies and their role and compatibility with forest conditions needs to be explored. Criteria and indicator (C&I) frameworks can be used as a platform to include community needs and goals in management decisions. This review compares aboriginal forest ecological perspectives defined by Canadian local level C&I frameworks with non-aboriginal local level C&I frameworks to identify their differences at the indicator level. Three major themes mark the differences between aboriginal and non-aboriginal indicators: (1) aboriginal frameworks introduce ecological indicators of cultural importance; (2) there is an aesthetic concern for forest operations especially if they affect cultural owners; and (3) indicators regarding the access to resources are more complex and include the sustainability of the productivity, proximity, integrity and quality of resources used in traditional activities. Results show that First Nation forest sustainability issues are in effect a combination of forest conditions and values. Inclusion of forest values in C&I frameworks is necessary because: (1) aboriginal communities do not dissociate culture from the environment and thus forest values from forest condition, (2) they have an impact on resulting forest management strategies and decisions, and (3) they offer a holistic approach to sustainability issues and a better picture of local environmental contexts.     

Assessing the sustainability in community based forestry: A case from Nepal

Community based forestry is seen as a promising instrument for sustainable forest management (SFM) through the purposeful involvement of local communities. Globally, forest area managed by local communities is on the rise. However, transferring management responsibilities to forest users alone cannot guarantee the sustainability of forest management. A monitoring tool, that allows the local communities to track the progress of forest management towards the goal of sustainability, is essential. A case study, including six forest user groups (FUGs), two from each three community based forestry models—community forestry (CF), buffer zone community forestry (BZCF), and collaborative forest management (CFM) representing three different physiographic regions, was conducted in Nepal. The study explores which community based forest management model (CF, BZCF or CFM) is doing well in terms of sustainable forest management. The study assesses the overall performance of the three models towards SFM using locally developed criteria (four), indicators (26) and verifiers (60). This paper attempts to quantify the sustainability of the models using sustainability index for individual criteria (SIIC), and overall sustainability index (OSI). In addition, rating to the criteria and scoring of the verifiers by the FUGs were done. Among the four criteria, the FUGs ascribed the highest weightage to institutional framework and governance criterion; followed by economic and social benefits, forest management practices, and extent of forest resources. Similarly, the SIIC was found to be the highest for the institutional framework and governance criterion. The average values of OSI for CFM, CF, and BZCF were 0.48, 0.51 and 0.60 respectively; suggesting that buffer zone community forestry is the more sustainable model among the three. The study also suggested that the SIIC and OSI help local communities to quantify the overall progress of their forestry practices towards sustainability. The indices provided a clear picture of forest management practices to indicate the direction where they are heading in terms of sustainability; and informed the users on issues to pay attention to enhance sustainability of their forests.     

Hot Spot: Forest policy in Europe: achievements of the MCPFE and challenges ahead

The Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) has shaped the pan-European dialogue on forests for 10 years now. At three Ministerial Conferences, approximately 40 European ministers responsible for forests agreed on 12 resolutions for the protection and sustainable management of forests in Europe. Building on the achievements of these last 10 years, the MCPFE is moving towards new challenges. This paper presents these achievements of the MCPFE and provides a look into the future, including the relation of the MCPFE to the global forest debate.     

国外高保护价值森林判定的进展与启示

高保护价值森林的概念是由国际组织——森林管理委员会(FSC)提出的.FSC在其制定的森林可持续经营认证标准中首先定义了6种高保护价值.高保护价值森林是指具有一种或多种高保护价值的森林区域.高保护价值森林判定的核心在于高保护价值的识别.文中综述了近年来一些国家在高保护价值森林判定领域的进展, 评价和论述了部分国家在开展高保护价值森林判定方面的有益经验和存在的主要问题, 提出了我国开展高保护价值森林判定工作的一些启示.     

Assessing sustainability for global forests: a proposed pathway to fill critical data gaps

The UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other regional and national policy commitments have motivated an upsurge of interest in concepts and practical methods for monitoring forest conditions and trends at very wide geographic scales. Two approaches to sustainability assessment at a global level are reviewed here. One consists of monitoring change in forest conditions over time—the so-called Criteria and Indicators (C&I) approach. Another approach compares nations at a given point in time. An example is the Yale Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Both approaches yield insights. It is widely recognized, though, that severe data weaknesses afflict forest information over much of the world. These weaknesses include weak or absent information on wood consumption in many regions, poor area estimates, and weak or absent information on key ecological conditions in forests. The purpose of this essay is to introduce these efforts at global assessment, and to argue that an entirely new discipline is needed to supply the information needed. The focus of this new discipline would be to design an ecologically based set of definitions for forest and related ecosystems, and then to build and implement the optimum combination of satellite measurements, air photo interpretation, and field plot measurements needed to measure world forest resource conditions and trends. Examples of this new approach are already appearing. This argument is addressed to members of the global forest policy community concerned with assessment, and to scientists, technologists, and managers in the many technical fields already engaged on one or another aspect of measuring and monitoring forest conditions at a national and regional scale.     

The forest planning system in relation to the forest resource and forestry policies

The current forest planning system of Japan has been in place since the formulation of the Forest Law back in 1897. During this time, although addressing specified forests as demonstrated in the system for protection forests, in a more general sense, the execution of the forest planning system has placed forestry management at the core. In other words, it has instead been forest administration delivered in a manner relevant to forestry management. This trend is exhibited in, for instance, policies for the reorganization of common forest, the forest management planning system, forest owners associations, the proceeds-sharing reforestation system, cooperative silviculture management, and valley forestry revitalization; which have all been implemented.In this paper I review the results of these practices and explore the contemporary forest owners pattern of behavior. I also discuss the passive attitudes among forest owners, especially in comparison with the attitudes prevalent during the postwar reforestation era, continuing up to the 1960s, and the current tendency towards neglect in the afforested areas, as well as the increasing number of forest owners giving up forestry practice.In the postwar era (up to the 1960s), forestry had been following an upward trend of development that motivated forest owners to afforest, as this was the optimal choice for increasing the familys stocks for future generations (in the manner of holding an asset), and thus a rapid expansion of plantation forests resulted. By the 1970s, when domestic wood supply became less than a half of all domestic wood demand (it is still declining now), forest owners gradually began to lose interest in reforestation and care of the forest as a method of increasing assets. The current share of domestic wood supply in total consumption has dropped to 20%, and the annual cut volume is only 23% of the annual volume increment.Forests are as much a public property as they are private and, moreover, represent a globally significant resource. Active stewardship, such as materializing internationally agreed notions of sustainable forest management, promoting forest certification systems, and complying with the Kyoto Protocol, are now important issues, both domestically and internationally.The paradoxical gap between current forestry trends and public aspirations for forests is widening with each year, thus creating a grave social problem. I have been focusing on forestry revitalization as the primary step towards the resolution of this issue. As the logical basis for executing this policy, I review the relations between forest resource policies and forestry policies.At the same time, by reviewing the forest planning system and its developmental process, I sought to investigate what new policies would fulfill the need to realize the public functions of forests while revitalizing forestry, form the point of view of forestry policies and their influence on the forest planning system. I have concluded that there is a case for separating forest management from forest ownership in units of forest compartments; namely to establish an incorporative management system by which forest owners can invest in their stands.     

分类经营是热带林业可持续发展的重要途径

本文提出了“分类经营是热带林业可持续发展的重要途径”这一论断,并通过中国林业发展的“分类经营”理论,及在这一理论指导下实施的ＩＴＴＯ中国海南热带林业发展示范项目的中期实验结果,给予了实证分析。文章指出,热带森林的保护与利用,是一个包括技术、经济、社会,甚至政治、文化、伦理的因素在内的综合性问题,必须用“系统论”的观点从更大的背景下考虑解决。而以往的教训是局限于林业、局限于技术。     

Effects of legal regulations on land use change: 2/B applications in Turkish forest law

For the countries struggling with climate change, sustainable forestry is one of the greatest challenges and is difficult to define, implement, and to measure. According to the scientific community’s consensus on climate change, forests are one of the major sinks and sustainable forest management (SFM) is needed to prevent deforestation and its negative effects on natural ecosystems. Despite being a party to many international treaties/agreements related to land use policies (LUP) that are promoting SFM to protect and develop forest resources, the 2/B application in Turkish forest legislation has been causing deforestation in Turkey since the 1970s.

In this study, 2/B applications–political and legal process–causing deforestation by land use change (LUC) are investigated by carrying out a legal analysis. About 500.000 ha of forests have been lost due to the 2/B application and as a LUP directly affects SFM, carbon sequestration capacities (CSC), and therefore, climate change. To exemplify this pre and post-LUC change and effect, the amount of carbon that was prevented from being absorbed as 176,7 tonnes/ha on average in a given forest area for the year 2016. There is a vital need to address the negative effects of ill-defined forest legislation to achieve SFM.     

Analysis of rural people’s attitude towards the management of tribal forests in South Africa

The management of forests for multiple purposes coupled with a varying socioeconomic profile of forest users can result in attitudinal differences towards forest management. This study examines the attitudes of rural people in South Africa towards the management of tribal forests. Attitude towards forest management was analysed with respect to five forest management objectives: 1, forest management for rural livelihood resilience to climate change; 2, forest management for reduction and management of forest fire risk; 3, forest management for sustainable forest-based livelihood; 4, forest management for household socioeconomic wellbeing; and 5, forest management for community-based climate change adaptation initiative. A household questionnaire survey was used to elicit information from 155 rural households using the proportionate random sampling procedure. Chi-square test was used to analyse data from the household survey. Factorial analysis was used to analyse variance in attitude towards forest management. The results showed that rural people generally have positive attitudes toward the management of tribal forests. Factor analysis isolated 2 major factors that explained 61% variance in attitude. Based on the findings we conclude that centralising forest management around the four management objectives (1, 3, 4 & 5) are likely to promote inclusive forest-based development in the study communities.     

热带森林与次生林经营研究

文章综述了世界热带地区的森林资源分布、基本类型、主要特征,以及世界次生林的经营现状和主要经营方式。这些经营方式包括建立自然保护区、生态公益林经营、"采掘主义"、限制采伐和伐后更新、"砍三留七"法、"扶持"式育林法、"抑制"式育林法、整体培育法、专门培育法、带状皆伐法、开发欠知名树种、自然更新和封山育林。同时提出了森林分类经营,即按照经营的主要目的将其划分为商品林、公益林和多功能林等基本类型的方法。此外,分析了热带次生林存在的问题,并提出解决这些问题的措施。     

Forest Management Approaches for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: a Comparison Between Germany and Japan

ABSTRACT

Forest management affects carbon sequestration (mitigation) and resilience of forest ecosystems (adaptation) under climate change. Therefore, the efforts to integrate these two approaches have been made by the political arrangements to seek the synergy effects and deal with trade-offs. To study the state of the art linkages and forest policies to realize both adaptation and mitigation, we systematically review the literature highlighting the topic (136 publications) and outline two different approaches from Germany and Japan as countries with substantial forest resources and high influences on international forest policies and wood trade. We identify three linkages: (1) an ecosystem (based) approach assuming that a resilient ecosystem (adaptation), has high potential as a carbon sink (mitigation), (2) a sustainable forest management (SFM) aiming for enhancing forests’ resilience and carbon sink potential simultaneously, and (3) a cross-sectoral approach generating synergies among multiple sectors of agriculture, forestry, urban design, and nature conservation. We find that a significant objective is still SFM for sustaining the forest area andwood production, where SFM examples in Germany and Japan exemplify contributions to carbon sinks and ongoing disaster risk management, respectively. Overall, the current differentiated objectives of SFM do not underpin the twofold approach and their synergy effects.     

Implementing principles,criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in Gabon

Sustainable forest management is the process of managing forest to achieve one or more clearly specified objectives without diminishing the forest’s ability to continue providing goods and services in perpetuity. In this paper, we show how the African Timber Organization/International Tropical Timber Organization principles, criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of African forests can help timber companies assess their progress towards this goal in Gabon. Through a partnership between International Tropical Timber Organization project PD 124/01 Rev. 2(M), the World Wildlife Fund, and the ministry responsible for forests in Gabon, audits were conducted between 2012 and 2014 to evaluate the implementation of sustainable forest management in 14 forest concessions in Gabon. In general, results show that Principle 4, linked to the well-being of workers and local populations, proved the most difficult principle to implement, while Principle 3, dealing with maintaining ecological functions, was the least problematic. A number of companies were found to be experiencing significant difficulties in implementing management plans. It is also clear that independent forest certification has become a key element for ensuring the successful implementation of sustainable forest management.     

A criteria and indicator prognosis for sustainable forest management assessments: Concepts and optional policy baskets for the high forest zone in Ghana

ABSTRACT

This article establishes principles conveyed by criteria and indicators as a useful tool for measuring progress made toward sustainable forest management (SFM). Pedagogically, the conceptual construction raises questions on the following topics: (a) the various management practices and policies that exist in the high forest zone, (b) how criteria and indicators for assessments are selected, and (c) how progress made toward SFM is measured. Performance scores are established for indicators identified within the three sectors (forest ecosystems, forest communities, and the economy) for sustainability assessment. Measuring progress toward SFM operations are quantitatively performed with estimated maximum and minimum thresholds levels at which resource-use would be sustained using the Measure of Forest Resource-Use Sustainability Scale (MoFRUSS). The outcome of the measurement operations, as depicted by MoFRUSS, reveals the actual extent to which stakeholder’s initiatives toward sustainable forest management has progressed and in which direction it is moving. It also offers optional policy baskets for resource management interventions from which the socio-eco economic bundle is recommended if the forestry sector of Ghana’s Vision 2020 (sustainable development) is to be achieved with improved societal well-being, improved environmental health and vitality, and improved economic growth and development.     

中国热带次生林区森林资源及社会经济状况——广东古兜山林区调查报告

为更好地开展热带次生林经营,在国际热带木材组织“旨在提高经济和生态效益的热带地区次生林经营研究与示范”项目（ITTO PD294／04）的资助下,对较为典型的中国热带次生林——广东古兜山林区开展了森林资源与社会经济状况的相关调查,其结果认为：中国热带林区的热带森林除自然保护区外,几乎都以低产低质的次生林状况存在,这类林分质量普遍较差,很少开展经营活动,因此缺乏经济和生态效益。林区居民主要依靠政府的生态公益林补偿、砍伐林木、出租林地供商品林经营以及农耕等获得收入,生活仍然处于比较贫困的状态,人均年收入仅3780元（约合556美元）。林农普遍的愿望是将次生林地改种以桉树为代表的速生丰产商品林经营,以获得较高的经营效益,次生林的保护仍然面临巨大的压力：