Indicators for demonstrating sustainable forest management in British Columbia, Canada: An international review

Many organizations and individuals are developing sustainable forestry criteria and indicator (C&I) research and monitoring initiatives at various scales. In support of Canada's international commitments, the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) recently (2003) revised a set of national C&I, broadly based on the Montreal Process. Meanwhile, the Province of British Columbia, Canada, has implemented new, results-based, legislation, the Forest and Range Practices Act 2003, which sets objectives for 11 public ‘Values’ that require appropriate C&I for effectiveness evaluation. At the local-level, British Columbia's forest industry requires indicators to achieve third-party certification. Each of these parties seeks to assess and report on performance. There is, therefore, a recognized desire to define a collaborative approach to C&I research and monitoring frameworks in British Columbia. This paper discusses the results of a rigorous review of indicators related to sustainable forest management (SFM) in British Columbia. Based on the 6 CCFM indicators, 47 SFM questions were developed to guide the selection of potential indicators for British Columbia. A hierarchical framework of proposed SFM indicators was then proposed to provide trend information on resource condition at both the macro (landscape) and local (management unit) levels of forest management. However, a number of key challenges remain for British Columbia as it continues towards a scientifically sound, useful, and effective indicator framework that will demonstrate progress towards SFM at the provincial level. These include stakeholder consultation, practicality, data interpretation and long-term commitment.