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Criterion 1. Conservation of biological
diversity |
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Subcriterion 1.1
Ecosystem diversity |
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1 |
Extent of area by
forest type relative to total forest area |
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·
% of forest area by
forest type
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USDA FS, FIA &
ECOMAP |
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2 |
Extent of area by
forest type and by age class or successional
stage |
Each state of
succession supports different communities of plants and animals;
maintaining adequate area is important for species retention. It is
important to look at forest land relative to the entire community land as
well as forest land only. |
·
Acres of forest area
by forest type (SAF forest types);
·
Size class by forest
type (acres by size class)
·
Age class by forest
type (acres by years). |
USDA FS, FIA &
ECOMAP |
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3 |
Extent of area by
forest type in protected area categories as defined by IUCN or other
classification systems |
The World Conservation
Union (IUCN) has developed an approach for classifying reserves based on
the level of protection; this provides a useful and credible basis for
tracking reserve areas. |
·
Acres of forest in
protected area categories.
·
% of forest in
protected area categories as defined by IUCN or other classification
system. |
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4 |
Extent of areas by
forest type in protected areas defined by age class or succession
stage. |
Protected areas are of
high significance with their biodiversity. Each state of succession or age
class support different mixtures of species. |
·
Acres of forest in
protected areas by age class.
·
% of forest in
protected area by age class. |
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5 |
Fragmentation of
forest types.
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Forest fragmentation may be
assessed from average patch size, road density, or other indices. Less
fragmented forest provides opportunities for species and wildlife movement
and interchange, and thus is more resilient over
time. |
·
Average patch size in
acres.
·
Fragmentation
index
·
Connectivity
index
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Road
density
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GIS (geographic
information system) (remotely-sensed analysis) |
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Subcriterion 1.2
Species diversity |
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6 |
The number of forest
dependent species. |
Forest dependent species are
at a greater risk of extinction with reduced quantity or quality of
forests. Thus their number provides a measure of risk of biodiversity
loss. |
·
Number of forest
dependent species.
·
Forest dependent species as
% of all species. |
Threatened and
endangered species lists from state agencies |
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7 |
The status
(threatened, rare, vulnerable, endangered, or extinct) of forest dependent
species at risk of not maintaining viable breeding populations, as
determined by legislation or scientific assessment.
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Species, which are
classified as rare, threatened or endangered are at some relatively
significant risk of extinction and the status of such species provides a
measure of risk of loss of biodiversity. |
·
% of forest species
that are classified as threatened, rare, vulnerable, endangered or
extinct.
·
Health of sensitive
species (use a scale to evaluate it based on mortality, fecundity, and
population structure).
·
Acres/% of habitat
enhancement. |
State T and E species
lists |
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Subcriterion 1.3
Genetic diversity |
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8 |
Number of forest
dependent species that occupy a small portion of their former
range. |
Species whose range is
shrinking are likely to have less within-species genetic
variation. |
·
% or number of forest
dependent species that occupy a smaller forest area than they used to.
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9 |
Population levels of
representative species from diverse habitats monitored across their
range.
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The number of
representative species needs to be considered in the light of what a
viable population is. |
·
Number of members of
representative species. |
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Criterion 2.
Maintenance of productive capacity of forest
ecosystems |
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10 |
Area of forest land
and net area of forest land available for timber
production. |
This indicator is a
measure of human pressures on forests. |
·
Acres of timberland
area
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USDA FS,
FIA |
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11 |
Total growing stock of
both merchantable and non-merchantable tree species on forest land
available for timber production |
Growing mixed species
makes a forest more resilient to different outside pressures (diseases,
storms, fires, etc.) |
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Percent or acres of
forest area with merchantable and non-merchantable tree species for timber
production.
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12 |
The area and growing
stock of plantations of native and exotic
species. |
Native ecosystems can
be disrupted by exotic species. The disruptive effects may include the
local extirpation of species, which are outcompeted or preyed on by the
exotic species, and a shift in the distribution of remaining species. |
·
Ratio of number of
exotic species to native species
·
Acres/% of area for
growing native vs. exotic species. |
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13 |
Annual removal of wood
products compared to the volume determined to be
sustainable. |
Maintaining a
sustainable ratio of removal to growth ensures the long-term health of a
forest and its ability to provide future generations with all necessary
resources, including timber. |
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Ratio of net growth to
removal for wood products. |
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14 |
Annual removal of
non-timber forest products (e.g. fur bearers, berries, mushrooms, game),
compared to the level determined to be
sustainable. |
Higher rate of removal
than the regeneration for non-timber species would compromise the
long-term health and resource availability. |
·
Ratio of net growth to
removal for non-timber forest products.
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Criterion 3.
Maintenance of forest ecosystem health and
vitality |
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15 |
Area and percent of
forest affected by processes or agents beyond the range of historic
variation, e.g. by insects, disease, competition from exotic species,
fire, storm, land clearance, permanent flooding, salinisation, and
domestic animals. |
This indicator
measures the extent of each main type of natural and human disturbance. In
some cases, such as insect infestation, a further breakdown by severity
class is required to provide a measure of the stress faced by the forest.
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Acres/percent of
forest affected by insects and diseases (including
exotics).
·
Rate of mortality (per
acre)
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Acres/percent of
forest burned in fires.
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Acres or % of forest
damaged by storms, animal browsing, drought/flooding.
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USDA FS, FHM, FIA,
National Interagency Fire Management Integrated Database
(NIFMID) |
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16 |
Area and percent of
forest land subjected to levels of specific air pollutants (e.g. sulfates,
nitrate, ozone) or ultraviolet light that may cause negative impacts on
the forest ecosystem. |
This indicator
measures the impacts of human development and air pollution on the health
of forests. |
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Acres or percent of
forest damaged by acid rain. |
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17 |
Area and percent of
forest land with diminished biological components indicative of changes in
fundamental ecological processes (e.g. soil nutrient cycling, seed
dispersion, pollination) and/or ecological continuity (monitoring of
functionally important species such as fungi, arboreal epiphytes,
nematodes, beetles, wasps, etc)
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This indicator
measures forest health as result of human or natural
disturbance. |
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Acres or percent of
forest with diminished beetles populations. |
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Criterion 4.
Conservation and maintenance of soil and water
resources |
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18 |
Area and percent of
forest land with significant soil erosion.
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Soil condition is
directly linked to forest health. |
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Acres or % of forest
area affected by significant soil erosion. |
USDA
FS |
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19 |
Area and percent of
forest land managed primarily for protective functions, e.g. watersheds,
flood protection, avalanche protection, riparian
zones. |
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20 |
Percent of stream
kilometers in forested catchments in which stream flow and timing has
significantly deviated from the historic range of
variation. |
This indicator
attempts to report on the extent to which water flow relations have been
disrupted; flow and timing exercise a strong influence on the habitat
characteristics of streams. |
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Kilometers (or %) of
forested catchments, where stream flow and timing has significantly
changed over time. |
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21 |
Area and percent of
forest land with significantly diminished soil organic matter and/or
changes in other soil chemical properties. |
Soil health is
directly linked to the health of the forest
ecosystem. |
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Acres or % of forest
area with diminished soil organic matter and/or change in other soil
chemical properties.
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Acres or % of forest
with soil pH that has diverted significantly from the normal value.
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USDA FS,
FHM |
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22 |
Area and percent of
forest land with significant compaction or change in soil physical
properties resulting from human activities. |
Compaction, puddling
and loss of organic matter are key causes of soil degradation and
productivity losses.
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Acres or % of forest
area with significant compaction and/or change in other soil physical
properties, resulting from human activities. |
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23 |
Percent of water
bodies in forest areas (e.g. stream kilometers, lake hectares) with
significant variance of biological diversity from the historic range of
variability. |
This indicator
measures disturbances of the water bodies in a forest area over
time. |
·
Index of Watershed
Indicators (IWI) |
U.S. EPA, Office of Water
Resources |
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24 |
Percent of water
bodies in forest areas (e.g. stream kilometers, lake hectares) with
significant variation from the historic range of variability in pH,
dissolved oxygen, levels of chemicals, electrical conductivity,
sedimentation or temperature change. |
Water conductivity is
one of the single best measures of overall water quality. Dissolved
oxygen, pH, temperature are additional indicators. For example, the growth
of organic matter reduces dissolved oxygen and thus – the ability of a
water body to support life. Removal of tree cover over streams and other
water bodies contributes to higher water temperatures, which affects
growth rates and habitat – cool water species are particularly vulnerable
to spikes in water t°. |
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% of water bodies with
low dissolved oxygen
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% of water bodies with
deviation in pH level
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% of water bodies with
higher temperature than normal.
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Average daily
discharge of dioxins and furans from selected pulp and paper
mills.
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Phosphorous levels.
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25 |
Area and percent of
forest land experiencing an accumulation of persistent toxic
substances. |
Persistent toxic
substances usually have both acute and chronic effects. They can
bioaccumulate in fish and then through the food chain can reach humans and
lead to serious diseases such as mental retardation, cancer,
etc.
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Area and % of forest
land that has higher levels of mercury, lead or other persistent,
bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals. |
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Criterion 5.
Maintenance of forest contribution to global carbon
cycles |
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26 |
Total forest ecosystem
biomass and carbon pool, and if appropriate, by forest type, age class,
and successional stages. |
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Tons of ecosystem
biomass
·
Metric tons of carbon
pool |
USDA
FS,
U.S., Global Change
Research Program |
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27 |
Contribution of forest
ecosystems to the total global carbon budget, including absorption and
release of carbon (standing biomass, coarse woody debris, peat and soil
carbon).
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Sequestering of carbon
mitigates carbon emissions into the atmosphere. |
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Metric tons of carbon
flux per year |