General thoughts on Criteria and Indicators

1. General thoughts onCriteria and Indicators presented by W. Brad Smith Associate National Program Manager, FIA

2. Why are we doing this?

3. Criteria and Indicators are not new, but the old paradigm was simpler Monitor timber supplies for sustainability TIMBER 1928 McSweeney-McNary Act

4. In the 1960’s and 70’s many significant changes in U.S. policy began “ The days have ended when the forest may be viewed only as trees and trees only as timber” Hon. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey During debate on NFMA, 1976

5. Clearly, the new monitoring puzzle was going to be more complex Monitor forest ecosystems and social- economic impacts Reserved for future issues!

6. We would need a broader view of the forest • Biodiversity • Habitat • Forage • Wood products • Non-wood products • Soil/water protection • Recreation/tourism • Cultural/spiritual • Humans • Management • Pollution • Animals • Insects/disease • Fire • Weather/Climate • Geologic events • Flora • Fauna • Soils • Water • Air Desired outcomes Agents of change Composition Elements of Criterion 2 highlighted in blue

7. And, repeated assessments have enlightened the discussion if not the answers Report Type • US National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003 US • Montreal Process First Forest Overview Rep. 2003 Intnl • EPA State of the Environment Report US • HEINZ Report on the State of the Nation’s Ecosystems US • UNEP Global Environmental Outlook Intnl • Forest Resources of the United States, 2003 US • Temperate-Boreal Forest Resource Assessment 2000 Intnl • Global Forest Resource Assessment 2000 Intnl • Forest Resources of the United States, 1997 US • Montreal Process First Approximation Report 1997 Intnl

8. FIA, the keystone of Criterion 2, has reported Main information flow Feedback loop on U.S. forests from local to global Local Sub-State region State Regional/ National Global International multi-process National multi-sector National sector C&I

9. 2003 National Report on Sustainable Forests- What the data showed… Indicators 2, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 31

10. Other findings… • Area of mid to late successional forests is increasing • Area of early successional or pioneer forests is declining • Harvesting has leveled off but we are importing more wood than ever. More pressure on private forests. • We have many regional and local issues that are masked by national level data

11. What does it mean, who cares? • National interest— State Dept., Trade Rep, White House • Foundation for multi-faceted US national and international policy • State interest— National Association of State Foresters • Another way to leverage/influence better forest monitoring • World is being globalized, need to keep up • Industry interest— AF&PA, NCASI, others • Protect commercial interests • Protect market share, National C&I and certification • Environmental Groups— Def.of Wildlife, WWF, TNC, others • Better data to support their point of view • Complement certification

12. Making sense of it Putting continuous systems into consistent and meaningful discrete boxes is hard work. Making sense of the relationships between the stuff in those boxes is even harder!

13. Moving forward on forest sustainability in the U.S. The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and Sustainability Roundtable are committed to building on what we have learned by : • Assessing data gaps • Continuing to involve stakeholders • Improving coordination • Refining the assessment framework • Improving links to other resource sectors

14. Moving forward across resource sectors in the U.S. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is taking on the task of integrating what we have learned and developing a framework to move forward in an organized way across resource sectors. FORESTS, RANGELANDS, CROPLANDS, URBAN, FRESHWATER, COASTAL MARINE

15. Are all these efforts necessary? In the private sector, competition is seen as assuring the best product for the customer. In the public sector, competition is seen as redundant and a waste of taxpayer dollars. Hmmmmmm…….

16. A better outcome Some competition is critical to assuring all the key stakeholders have a viable space to voice their concerns, but it must be effectively managed. REMEMBER: Sustainable forest management is a journey not just a destination.

17. The Biggest Gap? The political courage and leadership to support and maintain progress toward the goals of sustainable forest management without knowing the outcome in advance. Assuring the collection of consistent, reliable data is the first critical step.

18. And, a key consistency and reliablity iscore data and common definitions International Core Data National Core Data Regional Core Data

19. If I were King…. Indicators affected 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 26, 29, 31 • Fully implement FIA Annualized Inventory • Complete the work on NVCS with NatureServe • Complete development of Protected Areas Database with Conservation Biology Institute (CBI) • Drop indicators 1 and 3 (data already in 2 and 4) • Make data scalable to regions and lower for more reporting flexibility • Change “growing stock and merchantable” in indicator 10 to “standing stock and merchantable” AND 2, 4, 9 2, 4, 9 1, 3 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 26, 29, 31 10

20. YES…. Continue the Roundtables and do another sustainability assessment… thinking multi-sector, not just forests next time

21. Questions?