SCIENCE BIODIVERSITY and SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY

1. SCIENCEBIODIVERSITYand SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY A Findings Report of the NATIONAL COMMISSION on SCIENCE for SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY NCSSF January 4, 2005

2. NATIONAL COMMISSION on SCIENCE for SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY A Program Conducted by the National Council on Science for the Environment “NCSE” www.ncssf.org

3. Science Capabilities Ann Bartuska - USFS Joyce Berry - CSU Norm Christensen** - Duke John Gordon* - Yale Al Lucier- NCASI David Perry - OSU/UHI Ron Pulliam - UGA Hal Salwasser*** - OSU Stakeholder Needs Greg Aplet - Wilderness Soc. Jim Brown – ODF/OR GNRO Bruce Cabarle - WWF Nils Christoffersen - WR Sharon Haines - IP Al Sample - Pinchot Inst. Tom Thompson – USFS Scott Wallinger - MWV The Commission F * Chair 2000-2001; ** Chair 2002-2003; *** Chair 2003-2005 Former members: Chip Collins - TFG, Wally Covington - NAU, Phil Janik - USFS, Mark Schaefer - NatureServe, Mark Schaffer - DoW

4. NCSSF MissionProvide Solutions for Sustainable Forestry “To improve the scientific basis for the development,implementationand evaluation of sustainable forestry practices in the United States.”

5. How NCSSF Works

7. Survey of practitioners, managers & policymakers Eastern and Western interactive workshops Identify gaps & prioritize user needs Adapt NCSSF program to address key needs Synthesize and translate science into usable tools and information – handoff to users Linking Science to PracticeUser Needs Survey, Projects and Workshops

8. NCSSF Program Evolution From: Doing Research To: Delivering Results Synthesis Project Results Provide Useful Information and Identify Gaps Research Project Results Develop New Knowledge and Applications Tool Development Projects Pilot Demonstrations Project Results andSynthesize into FindingsNCSSF Deliberationsand Implications for Users

9. Fundamentals State-of-science review (R) User needs, product utility (W) Biodiversity in forest planning (S) Biodiversity indicators (A) Ecosystem function indicators (A) Conservation theories and field validation (B) Relative risk assessment (B) Conservation at multiple scales (A) Forest purposes in context (C) Historical Influences Native American land uses (B) European settlement land uses (B) 20th century forest management (A) Non-native invasive species (A) Non-wood forest products (A) Management and ownership (B) Managing for Resilience and Productivity Public values and attitudes (C) Biodiversity and wood-production forestry (C) Fire, forest “health,” biodiversity (S,C) Hydrology, water, biodiversity (A) Managing non-native invasive species (C) Old growth forest diversity (C) Risk management (B) Ecological restoration (A,C) Fragmentation effects (A) Decision support systems (A,C) Conservation incentives for private, non-industrial forests (C) Monitoring protocols (C) Global wood market effects on forests (C) NCSSF Projects – 2001-2004

10. First Findings Report

11. FIRST FINDINGS REPORT Purpose: Present Commission findings to date and implications for users – 2-3 years of 5-year program Audience: Users including: field practitioners, resource managers scientists, and policy makers Sources: Commissioners’ deliberations, stakeholder input and NCSSF projects

12. NCSSF FindingsSignificance and Value for Users and Producers Credibility of a diverse, independent body of experts & stakeholders: - Honest broker in identifying consensus findings and implications - Unique, interactive process engaging scientists, managers, and decision makers - Syntheses of existing information plus new work commissioned to fill key gaps, build new tools

13. Jerry Rose – NASF Joel Holtrop – USFS Ajit Kirshnaswamy – NNFP Si Balch – New England FF Paul Trianosky – S.E. TNC James Agee – U. Wash. John Helms – U.C. Berkeley Draft Report - Peer Review

14. Sustainable Forestry The suite of forest policies, plans and practices that seek to sustain a specified array of forest benefits in a particular place, i.e., conditions, values, functions, uses, products, & services.

15. Sustainable Forestry • A dynamic process and goal; not a single, fixed end point • Changes with knowledge and societal needs and values • Benefits vary by forest purpose/ownership • Place varies from small sites to landscapes and regions • Time horizon is decades to centuries

16. Biodiversity

17. Biodiversity The variety and abundance of all life forms in a place … and the processes, functions and structures that sustain variety and allow it to adapt to change

18. Why Biodiversity in Sustainable Forestry? • Biological foundation for productivity, resilience in all ecosystems • Forests are typically rich in biodiversity – much is not readily observable; we usually only see the large plants and animals • Biodiversity effects forest sustainability and forest management effects biodiversity • SFM systems recognize importance of biodiversity: MP C&I, FSC, SFI, others • Ethical issues regarding role of humans vis a vis non- human life on Earth

20. NCSSF Findings Multi-scale context for biodiversity Stands to landscapes, ecosystem legacies, mgmt. variations, fragments Disturbance dynamics shape diversity Fire, invasive species, land uses, weather/geologic events, climate change: future range of variation (FRV) needed Indicators are essential Biodiversity is intractable w/o indicators to represent values/goals; selection criteria, stakeholder process being tested Adaptive management is key to success Constant change, adaptive problem solving tools, management as experiments to test theories

21. Scale

22. Biodiversity and Scale • Conservation knowledge and policies must span multiple scales in space and time • Ecosystem “legacies” influence diversity • Forest fragments support reduced biodiversity but rarely act like “islands” • Strategies must be place and time specific – no universal generalities

23. Disturbance

24. Disturbance Dynamics Key • HRV useful but limited utility for SFM; need practical FRV concept • Fire is major shaper of forest biodiversity at multiple scales • Invasive species can cause radical ecosystem changes; require interdisciplinary strategies • Disturbance variation is connected to climate change, human land uses, management

25. Future Range of Variation (FRV) • Legacy effects are lasting • Climate change is continual • More people with changing resource demands, values, risk tolerance • Invasive species create new challenges • New technologies, “toys,” knowledge

26. Indicators

27. Match Indicators to Values, Goals • Biodiversity is too complex to address without use of indicators • No universal set of core indicators • Clear objectives essential for indicator selection; they represent different diversity values • Structured, participatory process developed for indicator selection and use • Indicators serve different purposes • SFM needs to rethink how it has used indicators

28. Adaptive Management

29. Adaptive Management • Sustainability is NOT possible without continual adaptation • Biodiversity conservation requires traditional forestry plus more • NTFP impacts poorly understood • Ready, open access to information, decision support systems key to successful adaptation • Conservation theories need adaptive management for field validation

30. Adaptive Management – Its More Different than You Think! • Uncertainties, complex interactions, value conflicts are not solvable through technical plans, theories, models, more and better science alone • Works best when managers, scientists, stakeholders in constant conversation: testing ideas, sharing goals, taking risks, adjusting to new information -- TOGETHER • Requires redirection of resources from excessive planning to bold action, effective monitoring

31. Linking Values to Sustainability Forest Values to be Sustained Problems to be Solved Indicators Evaluation “Audit” ADAPTATION Plan: Assessment, Strategies Monitoring & Research Actions

32. Work in Progress

33. NCSSF Ongoing Work • Public biodiversity awareness, attitudes and values • Post-fire management and biodiversity – 3 regions • Science basis for biodiversity standards & practices • Guidelines for participatory monitoring • Curriculum for non-timber forest products training • Incentives for private forest owners – non-industrial • Old growth strategies – PNW, NE & SE • Impacts of global wood markets on forest biodiversity • Planted forests and biodiversity • Non-native invasive species management strategies • Conservation planning and biodiversity • Field trials of indicator selection protocol

34. Emphasis on Delivering Results: Design “hand off” process for 2006 Applications workshops for users Illustrated implementation guide book Applications of ecosystem functions scorecard SFM certification “outcomes assessment” protocol (FSC/SFI) HRV update to FRV approach Adaptive mgmt. implementation Economics of SFM practices NCSSF 2005 New Work

35. Increased awareness & understanding of SFM and biodiversity by policy makers, managers, practitioners and researchers High quality research results published widely in peer reviewed journals Communication of usable information to foresters and stakeholders Application of NCSSF knowledge & tools to SFM policies, management and practices NCSSF Measures of Success

36. Questions or Comments?