Why Should the U.S. Move Towards Sustainable Forest Management?
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Transcript of Why Should the U.S. Move Towards Sustainable Forest Management?
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Forests cover about 750 million acres -- more than a quarter of the entire United States -- and sustainable management is key to their future health.
Why Should the U.S. Move Towards
Sustainable Forest Management?
Other26%
Forest land28%
Cropland 20%
Rangeland26%
% of U.S. Land Cover
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Threats to Forest SustainabilityFragmentation = habitat loss
Exotic & invasive species = native species loss
Degradation of forest soils, air & water
Demand & consumption
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
1. Conservation of biological diversity
2. Maintenance of productive capacity of forest ecosystems
3. Maintenance of forest ecosystem health and vitality
4. Conservation and maintenance of soil & water resources
5. Maintenance of forest contribution to global carbon cycles
6. Maintenance and enhancement of long-term multiple socio-economic benefits to meet the needs of societies
7. Legal, institutional, and economic framework for forest conservation and sustainable management.
Montreal Process: Seven Criteria
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
C&I Provide a Framework For: Inventory and monitoring
National progress reporting
Common language and
understanding
Research and development
planning
Management planning
Best management practices
Adaptive management
accountability
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Why A Roundtable?
U.S. Forest Ownership: 2000 RPA Assessment
Non-industrial
PrivateLandowners
49%
State and local9%
Forest Industry9%
Federal 33%
Forest lands in the U.S. are owned and/or managed by myriad public and private entities. A successful strategy requires partnerships.
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Consists of an inclusive partnership of public and private organizations and individuals;
Promotes the national goal of sustainable forests by helping engage forest stakeholders;
Helps the U.S. implement the Montreal Process criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management;
Leads to increased understanding and better decision-making about our forests.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Forests:
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Roundtable Criteria & Indicators:
Technical Workshops The Roundtable’s Technical Work Group sponsored workshops in Spring 2000.
Leading scientists evaluated options for C&I measurement and reporting.
Options for measuring C&I data for the National Report posted at www.sustainableforests.net
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Current Outreach March 22, 2002, Washington, DC, private forest owners focus group.
April 30-May 2, 2002, Portland, OR, National Report Review Workshop. May 29-31, 2002, Washington, DC, National Report Review Workshop.
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
C&I Challenges
Multiple ownerships (government and private)
Difficult to obtain and manage data from many sources
Lack of widespread understanding of C&I applications
Lack of some data or monitoring methodologies
clouds ability to assess progress
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
C&I Relevance to Stakeholders Expansion of forest research
Combining of social and technical
sciences
Links between communities &
forests
New forestry education
approaches
Tools which are accepted and
accessible
Multi-level, coordinated data
reporting
Facilitation of international
dialogue
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests
Scales of C&I ApplicationInternational
National
Regional and Ecoregional
Local & Community
Toward SustainabilityNational Sustainable
Development Indicators
International Sustainability Indicators Network (ISIN)
Sustainability Institute
Sustainable Development Indicators Team (SDIT)
New York Meeting: March 10-13: Who Came?
Companies
Government
NGOs (national/state)
Academics
Defining the Need
Integrate across resources.
Make sustainability visible.
Create common language.
Track progress.
Familiar Challenges
Who owns the process?
Who decides?
What data sources fit?
How will we fund this?
Where We Stand Now
Commitment to advance a design.
Commitment to seek funding.
Outreach and engagement.
Institutionalize the idea.