Advancing Sustainable Forest Management

Transcription

1 Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States Edited by V. Alaric Sample Stephanie L. Kavanaugh Mary M. Snieckus May 2006 EXECUTIVE OFFICE: 1616 P Street NW,Washington, DC Phone: 202/ Fax: 202/ GREY TOWERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE: P.O. Box 949, Milford, PA Phone: 570/ Fax: 570/

2 V. Alaric Sample Since its dedication in 1963, the Pinchot Institute for Conservation has worked to advance thought, policy, and action in support of sustainable forest management. The Pinchot Institute has been working address conservation challenges in American forests through continuous improvement in domestic natural resource policy at national, regional and community levels. It has also sought to provide linkages to international efforts to advance the science, art and practice of sustainable forest management. Thinking globally and acting locally is a principle that is more essential in natural resource and environmental policy than in perhaps any other field of human endeavor. It is in this role as convener and analyst that the Pinchot Institute undertook this project to learn about and assess domestic progress towards sustainable forest management. Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States is the result of a five-year effort by the Pinchot Institute, in cooperation with numerous public, private and nonprofit conservation organizations. Our objective was to summarize the broad array of activities currently under way in the U.S., all aimed at improving the protection and sustainable management of forests on both public and private lands, and provide a basis for future actions. During this time, the U.S. forestry community has learned important lessons about its forests, the people and organizations that are responsible for their management, and the interests of a broad array of individuals and communities who have a stake in their conservation and sustainable use. Many of these lessons have emerged from Americans seeing their own forests in a new light, in context with other developed and developing nations that are each striving in their own way toward the goal of sustainable forest management. Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States is intended to be used in conjunction with the National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003, published by the USDA Forest Service. The National Report on Sustainable Forests provided a snapshot of current conditions and trends in America s forests. Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States reflects the thinking of some of the nation s conservation leaders about strengths and weaknesses of current efforts toward sustainable forest management, key conditions and trends that will require more attention, and suggestions about where focused effort is needed. These suggestions center around better coordination and scalability of existing datasets and maps, full cost accounting to include the ecological, economic and cultural values contributed by forests, and better communication among the various public, private and non-governmental groups at federal, regional state and local levels to assist in making these efforts more effective. The information in Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States provides a starting point for evaluating the status and trends in U.S. forests, and serves as the basis for an ongoing national dialogue about what further actions are needed and what the priorities should be. This is but one step in the journey towards sustainable forest management in the U.S. Yet as a static report, its value is limited. Its future value depends on thoughtful people to draw from it the pieces that will help advance their own cooperative efforts, and thereby advance our collective progress toward the protection and sustainable management of America s forests. We look forward to working together to achieve this important goal. V. Alaric Sample President Pinchot Institute for Conservation PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION i

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4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was prepared by the Pinchot Institute in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service Office of International Programs and the U.S. Department of State. Sections of this report served as the basis for U.S. country reports to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), which are posted on the UNFF website. The following federal and state agencies and nongovernmental organizations provided information for this report including: American Forest Foundation American Forest and Paper Association Bureau of Indian Affairs Bureau of Land Management Congressional Research Service Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service Forest Landowners Association Land Trust Alliance National Association of State Foresters National Park Service National Parks Conservation Association National Science Foundation National Woodland Owners Association NatureServe Society of American Foresters USDA Foreign Agricultural Service USDA Forest Service USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey U.S. State Department The Nature Conservancy World Resources Institute World Wildlife Fund US PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION iii

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6 TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii TABLE OF CONTENTS v ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES Executive Summary Introduction Overview Process Used to Assess Forest Management in the United States Key Workshop Findings Processing Workshop Data UNFF Proposals for Action Summary Categories... 7 Analysis of Stakeholder Responses Policy, Information, and Coordination Challenges Conclusion METHODS Table Descriptions Description of Appendices APPENDIX B INTERAGENCY AND STAKEHOLDER ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP RESULTS B-1 1. National Forestry Programs B-3 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation B-4 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation.... B-5 4. Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas.... B-6 5. Economic Aspects of Forests B-7 6. Forest Health and Productivity B Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs B Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests B Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge B Scientific Forest-Related Knowledge B Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators B-20 APPENDIX C KEY TRENDS IDENTIFIED BY STAKEHOLDERS LINKED TO CONCISE PROPOSAL FOR ACTION SUMMARY STATEMENTS C-1 Key Trends Identified by Stakeholders Linked to Concise Proposal for Action Summary Statements C-2 END NOTES APPENDIX A PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES RELATED TO THE IPF/IFF PROPOSALS FOR ACTION A-1 1. National Forestry Programs A-2 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation A-4 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation.... A Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas.... A Economic Aspects of Forests A Forest Health and Productivity A Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs A Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests A Traditional Forest Related Knowledge A Scientific Forest Related Knowledge A Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management A-93 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION v

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8 ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 1

9 Executive Summary Periodic snapshots of forest conditions and trends, such as the National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003 and the Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessments, are important but not sufficient to address priority needs for improving the conservation and sustainable management of forests in the U.S. Data from these snapshots can be synthesized and interpreted to help identify forest conditions and trends that are widely acknowledged to be both unacceptable and of high priority. Additional information about available tools and their adequacy is then required to identify specific opportunities to improve the institutional, legal, policy and program framework needed so that timely effective action can be taken to address these forest conditions and trends of concern. facilitate coordination among institutions on current and future policy and information systems. Although stakeholders identified specific technical information needs and budgetary constraints as challenges, neither factor was thought to be the most critical near term barrier to effectively addressing forest trends and issues of concern. To advance sustainable forest management of forests in the U.S., improving the cooperation and coordination among the agencies, organizations and individuals with a stake in our nation s forests is essential. This document summarizes the current tools by which we can make change the policies, programs and activities that comprise the existing institutional framework in place to advance the sustainable management of our nation s forests. These tools are actively being implemented at the national, state and local levels by public, tribal and private agencies and organizations. In stakeholder workshops held between 2000 and 2005, conservation leaders were asked to evaluate the adequacy of these existing efforts and suggest additional steps to promote the conservation and sustainable management of U.S. forests. Workshop participants identified the lack of coordination among existing agencies and institutions as the most significant barrier to effectively advancing the conservation and sustainable management of forests in the U.S. Participants noted the need for an ongoing national-level dialogue on sustainable forest management, and asserted that this dialogue should be organized to enable cooperation among a broader range and diversity of government and citizen stakeholders to develop and implement solutions to these problems. Workshop participants highlighted shortcomings in two broad areas as focal points for increased coordination among agencies and institutions: 1.Policy development and implementation mechanisms. 2.Information development and analysis systems. Taking effective action to address priority forest trends and conditions of concern will require that this more inclusive national dialogue on sustainable forest management Introduction The conservation and sustainable management of the nation s forests is important to Americans. For more than a century, concerned citizens and professionals have worked to improve the management of forests on both public and private lands to provide a wide variety of goods, services, and values. With leadership by federal and state agencies, business, universities, public interest conservation organizations, and millions of individual private forestland 2 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

10 owners, America s forests are more managed today than at any time in the nation s history. The important conditions and trends in America s forests were described in detail in the National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003, published by the USDA Forest Service. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, new challenges confront the owners and managers of America s forests including an increasing number of major wildfires, invasive species and other insects and diseases, environmental degradation from recreation overuse, climate change, and fragmentation of forests by development and changes in forest ownership. Certainly, action is needed to address these challenges, but what actions, and by whom? What actions are most important to take in the near term? What efforts are already under way, and how can they be strengthened? Do we have the capacity to make a difference? Overview Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States provides both information about many of the activities of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector entities engaged in sustainable forest management in the United States, and impressions of the adequacy of these activities. It is designed as a complement to the National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003, which provided a comprehensive picture of conditions and trends in America s forests. 1 It highlights key issues and priority actions identified in a series of agency and stakeholder workshops which were conducted from 2001 through While the National Report identified areas where data were inconclusive or lacking, it did not attempt to prioritize issues and suggested only limited next steps to move toward sustainable forest management. Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States begins to fill this gap. It is intended that, together, these two reports will serve as a reference and starting point for those planning strategic actions to advance sustainable management of forests in the United States. While stakeholders acknowledged that the results of some important actions may not be measurable in the short run, they observed that decisive actions taken in the near term will be key to making progress that can only be measured over the longer term, and will continue to inform actions that yield benefits over time. Process Used to Assess Forest Management in the United States In 2001, the Pinchot Institute for Conservation was invited by Federal land management agencies to facilitate a process to help the agencies and other stakeholders understand more about sustainable forest management efforts in the United States. This work would also be shared with other countries at the United Nation s Forum on Forests engaged in similar work. This work had three objectives: (1) identify current private and governmental institutions and activities that contribute to sustainable forest management in the United States, (2) assess their effectiveness, and (3) establish priorities for future action. First, the Pinchot Institute compiled a representative, but not exhaustive, list of information on the laws, policies and programs contributing to the sustainable management of America s forests. This list of activities and actors was gathered through discussions with the government agencies, tribes, forest industry and conservation organizations that are initiating and carrying out these activities. Next, a series of stakeholder workshops was conducted to review and supplement the initial activities list. The final compilation is found in Appendix A. Participation in these workshops was open to all interested organizations and individuals. The largest proportion of participants represented federal, state, and tribal governments, especially from agencies responsible for environmental protection and natural resource management. PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 3

11 In these workshops, participants were asked to consider all aspects of forest management: environmental, economic, and social, organized by the following categories: 2 1. National Forestry Programs* 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation 4. Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas 5. Economic Aspects of Forests 6. Forest Health and Productivity 7. Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs 8. Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests 9. Traditional Forest-related Knowledge 10. Scientific Forest-related Knowledge 11. Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators After reviewing and supplementing the initial activity list, workshop participants evaluated the adequacy of the laws, programs and policies. They also suggested additional steps that could promote the conservation and sustainable management of U.S. forests. These results are summarized in Appendix B. As the final step in this consultative process, the Pinchot Institute convened a workshop in which participants were asked to review the preliminary evaluations (ratings) of the adequacy of actions on all aspects of forest management in the United States. This conference had a greater diversity of participants, with representatives of conservation NGOs, private forest landowners, and forest industry, in addition to federal, state, and tribal agencies. Participants offered additional views on the adequacy of U.S. efforts, identified critical issues and trends, and suggested further actions to better conserve and manage U.S. forests. These two appendices make information available to U.S. forest managers, practitioners and citizens on the variety of programs, activities, and actors working on different aspects of sustainable forest management in the United States. * Originally entitled National Forest Programs, this category title refers to a comprehensive forestland stewardship strategy that is applied within a country s national borders. The current title National Forestry Programs was chosen to avoid confusion with the officially designated National Forest Programs that exist in many countries. The United States itself does not have a formally designated National Forest Program, but workshop participants considered that a national forestry program in the United States would include policies and programs of federal natural resource agencies (including research and landowner assistance, as well as management of federal lands), as well as of state and local governments. They also suggest significant opportunities for action from an institutional point of view that build on the work of others, particularly on issues judged by stakeholders to need further effort. Key Workshop Findings Forest stakeholders participating in the workshops highlighted serious concerns about eight current forest trends and conditions in the United States (Box 1). Most of these problems have long been recognized. The public BOX 1: Key Resource Trends and Conditions of Concern 1. Loss of forest cover and shifts in forestland use. Fragmentation of forests by development and other non-forestland uses, with diminishment of a wide variety of forest values and ecological services. Forest industry divestitures of large, contiguous areas of forestland to other categories of ownership, often with negative consequences for forestland conservation and longer-term commitments to sustainable forest management. Parcelization of private forests into smaller and more numerous tracts, often making these tracts more difficult and less economical to manage. 2. Conservation of biological diversity, including representation of the full range of ecotypes and native plant/animal communities, as well as habitat protection for rare, local, threatened, or endangered species on public and private lands. 3. Alien invasive species displacing native plant and animal species through aggressive competition or introduction of new pathogens. 4. Large-scale insect and disease outbreaks, including outbreaks of native species, especially those left uncontrolled at their origin subsequently spreading to adjacent forestlands. 5. Catastrophic wildfire that threatens local communities as well as forest resources. 6. Role of plantations vs. natural forests in supplying both products for human needs and wildlife habitat, including replacement of natural forests with intensively managed forest plantations. 7. Climate change effects on forest ecosystems and how humans and the ecosystems adapt. 8. Forest health on public and private lands. 4 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

12 and private sectors have made significant investments of time and resources to resolve them. In spite of these efforts, however, stakeholders regarded the following trends and conditions as continuing to be problematic and in need of focused attention and action by the forest sector. Part of this response would be accomplished through significantly enhanced efficiency and cooperation among existing institutions. Policy and implementation mechanisms form the institutional, legal, and policy framework for timely government, industry, NGO, and landowner recognition and actions to address concerns summarized in Box 1. Participants identified 11 policies and mechanisms that need development or stronger reinforcement to more effectively address the challenges they are designed to overcome (Box 2). BOX 2: Policies and Implementation Mechanisms Needing Development or Stronger Reinforcement Voluntary market-based approaches (rather than government regulation) for promoting conservation and sustainable forest management. Monetization of ecosystem services to facilitate increased financial support for private forest landowners providing multiple public benefits to retain their lands in forest cover and in larger ownerships, including public/private partnerships that bring these markets to scale. Full-cost accounting to make clear the domestic and international environmental, economic, and social impacts of U.S. domestic policy decisions and U.S. demand for wood fiber and products. Adopt a strong policy against illegal logging. Forest certification to enhance public confidence in forest management and to provide consumers with more environmentally acceptable wood products. Protection of high-conservation value forests on both public and private lands, with improved targeting and attention to underrepresented ecosystems and regions. Community-based stewardship for ecological restoration, recreation management, and long-term maintenance of a wide variety of conservation values. Public and private conservation easements in which public conservation values can be demonstrated, protected and monitored over time. Public and private investments in both broad and targeted forest research, working to build in applications and technology transfer considerations from the start. New markets to facilitate ecological restoration, including renewable energy development through biomass energy to offset fossil fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Incorporation of more cross-sectoral and exogenous factors in long-term assessments and forecasts, such as the Resources Planning Act Assessments (RPA). Integration of Criteria and Indicators 3 into monitoring, assessment, and reporting by agencies to improve collaborative multi-scale monitoring and reporting. PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 5

13 The group also observed that shortcomings in information development and analysis continue to pose a significant barrier to effective, coordinated action to address forest conditions and trends in the U.S. While there are limitations on the technology and budgets for collecting information on all the important aspects of forests, opportunities exist to make better use of the information already being collected. Better information management can improve the capacity of scientists and the American public to understand ongoing changes in forest ecosystems, and of policymakers to make decisions that are timely, scientifically sound, economically feasible and socially responsible. Stakeholders identified nine informationrelated areas that need improvement (Box 3). BOX 3: Information Management Systems Needing Development or Stronger Reinforcement Development of consistent baseline mapping that includes attributes to assess forest condition at the stand level. Agreed-upon protocols for collecting, organizing, and sharing information on public and private forests. Development and use of key environmental indicators, similar to the basic economic indicators. Evaluation of the effects of regional, national, and international factors outside the forest sector on forests, including the impacts of U.S. wood fiber and product demand and U.S. forest policy on forests around the world. Objective-based monitoring, with clear links to understanding the impacts of natural and humaninduced environmental change. Assessment of the condition and effectiveness of protected areas. Improved reporting, compilation, synthesis, and presentation of information so that it is useful to policymakers and decision-makers at a variety of scales and governmental levels. Stronger involvement of nontraditional communities, including underserved and/or immigrant communities, in these processes to acquire knowledge and enhanced involvement. Fine-tuned information needs relevant to priority issues as a basis for developing information systems and investment planning. Processing Workshop Data Stakeholder workshops and data were organized around evaluating the U.S. experience with sustainable forest management by using the Proposals for Action, a set of statements negotiated under international processes throughout the 1990s. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, also known as the Rio Earth Summit, produced a set of Forest Principles as a basis for action. Over the next eight years, an Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and later the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) produced a set of more than 270 Proposals for Action, aimed at improving all aspects of forestry ecological, economic, and social. The Proposals for Action, which are neither restrictive nor legally binding, provide a guide for countries to assess their progress towards sustainable forest management and to prioritize and design actions to improve their management. In 2000, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was established as a permanent international body to facilitate and support the implementation of these Proposals for Action by nations around the world. In the United States, the Proposals were used as the organizing framework for the process described in this report, to categorize ongoing activities relevant to advancing sustainable forest management, and to help identify gaps and opportunities to address issues important in this country. 6 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

14 The 270 Proposals for Action were aggregated into 11 large categories as suggested by the UNFF and initiatives by other countries to construct a simpler but still comprehensive framework for analysis. Within the 11 summary categories, relevant Proposals for Action were further organized under summary statements describing the content of the Proposals, shown below. 4 Table 6 lists the summary statements contained in the 11 Proposal for Action summary categories. UNFF Proposals for Action Summary Categories 1. National Forestry Programs (2 Proposals for Action, 1 summary statement) 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation (14 Proposals for Action, 4 summary statements) 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation (13 Proposals for Action, 5 summary statements) 4. Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas (9 Proposals for Action, 6 summary statements) 5. Economic Aspects of Forests (41 Proposals for Action, 11 summary statements) 6. Forest Health and Productivity (4 Proposals for Action, 2 summary statements) 7. Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs (4 Proposals for Action, 2 summary statements) 8. Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests (26 Proposals for Action, 6 summary statements) 9. Traditional Forest-related Knowledge (15 Proposals for Action, 2 summary statements) 10. Scientific Forest-related Knowledge (6 Proposals for Action, 3 summary statements) 11. Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators (15 Proposals for Action, 1 summary statement) Using this framework, workshop participants assessed the ongoing efforts by public and private institutions. This information has been compiled and is presented in Appendix A (summary of activities). Based on this compilation, participants discussed and rated the capacity and effectiveness of these efforts to address the issues covered by each summary statement. Participants noted the absence of existing institutions with a 0 rating, and used the ratings 1 (Programs/institutions highly unsatisfactory) through 5 (Programs/institutions highly satisfactory) to indicate whether they thought current efforts met the needs contained in the summary statement. Appendix B (adequacy ratings) contains the results of this consultation. Although the adequacy ratings reveal how participants viewed the effectiveness of existing programs and institutions, a low adequacy rating does not necessarily imply that addressing a particular government or private program or activity is a high-priority need. Some U.S. programs, grouped by the Proposals for Action, address aspects not as pertinent to U.S. circumstances (for instance, desertification); or that stakeholders feel is less urgent than other listed focal points for efforts to improve domestic forest management. As an example, actions related to desertification may have been ranked low, but here in the United States, other issues are seen as needing more immediate attention. In addition to the review of existing programs and institutions and the assessment of progress in addressing sustainable forest management, participants in the final workshop indicated high-priority issues and approaches for near-term action. The following section combines stakeholder responses from this final, bridging workshop with the program and adequacy data and input from earlier workshops to identify institutional and programmatic aspects that were poorly rated and for which additional efforts could have an impact on addressing issues critical to forest management. PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 7

15 Analysis of Stakeholder Responses As noted above, workshop participants used the compilation of laws, programs, and activities (found in Appendix A) to discuss and rate the efficacy of efforts to address the issues covered by each summary statement reflecting the Proposals for Action. Roughly aggregating the ratings of the summary statements related to each of the 11 categories provides an indication of how participants evaluated progress in the areas reviewed (Table 1). 5 A 0 rating denotes the absence of existing institutions, with a range from 1 (Programs/institutions highly unsatisfactory) through 5 (Programs/institutions highly satisfactory) indicating whether current efforts met the needs contained in each summary statement (ratings found in Appendix B). Beyond the assessments of existing activities, participants identified eight key trends and conditions in the nation s forests as particularly worrisome (reported in Box 1). Combining the evaluation of summary categories (Table 1 above) with these conditions begins to show where there is a need for urgent solutions. For instance, satisfactory performance in implementing protected areas and in protecting forests in environmentally critical areas provides support for the conservation of biological diversity. Likewise, plantations are contributing to the strong performance of the United States in addressing economic aspects of forests. On the other hand, the loss and fragmentation of forest cover and aspects of forest health are conditions for which stakeholders see the United States as not having sufficiently strong programs. Table 2 links the summary categories with the key trends and conditions summarized in Box 1. The adequacy ratings show how participants viewed the effectiveness of efforts in addressing areas of forest management (captured here under the Summary Categories) thought to be important to the sustainable management of the country s forests. Whether additional or further action, particularly in the near to medium term, should be a high priority for decision-makers and practitioners is, however, a separate question. Although some capacity for action is seen as inadequate, it nonetheless may not be seen as critical enough to warrant significant new application of resources because of the need to focus limited resources on other issues. Other aspects, even where performance is already seen as acceptable, are considered of such importance that additional efforts to advance progress, even incrementally, are seen as urgent. Therefore, of particular urgency are program areas that participants see both as high priority and having inadequate performance. As shown in Table 2, assigning high priority issues (identified by participants in the last workshop) to one or more applicable Summary Categories gives a first glimpse at where stakeholders might focus resources. The following Summary Categories that received Table 1: Summary Categories Grouped By Adequacy Rating Unsatisfactory Neutral Satisfactory 1. National Forestry Programs 6. Forest Health and Productivity 8. Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests 9. Traditional Forest-related Knowledge 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation 4. Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas 5. Economic Aspects of Forests 7. Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs 10. Scientific Forest-related Knowledge 11. Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators 8 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

16 Table 2: Summary Categories and Their Adequacy Ratings Linked to Key Trends and Conditions of Concern Identified by Stakeholders Summary Categories Adequacy Rating Of U.S. Action on Proposals in Summary Category Related Priority Trends and Conditions National Forestry Programs Unsatisfactory Loss of Forest Cover Conservation of Biological Diversity Climate Change Effects Forest Health on Public Lands Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation Neutral Loss of Forest Cover Catastrophic Wildfire Forest Health on Public Lands Protected Areas and Forest Conservation Neutral Conservation of Biological Diversity Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas Satisfactory Conservation of Biological Diversity Economic Aspects of Forests Satisfactory Role of Plantations Forest Health & Productivity Unsatisfactory Invasive Species Insect and Disease Outbreaks Catastrophic Wildfire Forest Health on Public Lands Loss of Forest Cover Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present & Future Needs Satisfactory Role of Plantations Climate Change Effects Social and Cultural Aspects of Forest Unsatisfactory Climate Change Effects Traditional Forest-related Knowledge Unsatisfactory Conservation of Biological Diversity Scientific Forest-related Knowledge Unsatisfactory Conservation of Biological Diversity Invasive Species Insect and Disease Outbreaks Catastrophic Wildfire Role of Plantations Climate Change Effects Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators Unsatisfactory Climate Change Effects an unsatisfactory adequacy rating, and were inclusive of the great number of high priority issues: national forestry programs forest health and productivity scientific forest-related knowledge. It is interesting to note that the Priority Trends and Conditions identified by stakeholders occur under more than one Summary Category rated as unsatisfactory. Although the Proposals for Action do not align directly with domestic resource issues, policies and institutions, using them to guide the deliberative review process of these workshops resulted in participant insights. These in turn can help shape future policy development and implementation mechanisms (Box 2), as well as improve information development and analysis (Box 3). Indeed, many of these policy and information needs are broadly suggested by the Proposals for Action. Further analysis enabled application of the concepts included in the summary statements to key issues (Table 3). PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 9

17 Table 3: Key Resource Trends and Conditions Associated with Areas of Poor Performance Key Resource Trends and Conditions Identified by Stakeholders Relevant (Concise) Summary Statement Rated 2 or Lower* 1. Loss of forest cover 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fragmentation 7A. Meeting Demand through Sustainable Means 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 2. Conservation of biological diversity 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 3. Invasive species 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Non-natives 4. Large-scale insect and 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Natives disease outbreaks 5. Catastrophic wildfire 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fire regimes 6. Role of plantations 5D. Life Cycle Analysis of Forest Products [1/2] 7A. Meeting Demand through Sustainable Means 7. Climate change 6A. Forest Health and Air Pollution 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Climate Change 8. Forest health on public lands 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program * Statements received a 2 rating unless otherwise indicated in [brackets]. Policy, Information, and Coordination Challenges In addition to identifying forest trends and conditions of concern, describing Federal, State and private forest policies, laws, and programs, and evaluating the adequacy of those efforts to advance sustainable forest management, workshop participants identified specific policy and information mechanisms and needs to be strengthened or implemented to address shortcomings. A crosswalk was constructed to link stakeholders policy and information management priorities with summary statements rated as moderately unsatisfactory [2] to unsatisfactory [1]. This provides decision-makers and practitioners with specific activities on which to focus their efforts to advance sustainable forest management. Tables 4 and 5 display these linkages. Many of the identified policy and information needs point to economic and social mechanisms to support and make economically viable the sustainable management of our forests. Economic mechanisms would include monetizing ecosystem services, full-cost accounting for international and domestic forest products, and renewable energy development. Other policy and information development and analysis needs include increased focus on improved targeting and monitoring of conservation investments; more support for and utilization of community-based stewardship; better reporting and synthesis of forest information, including traditional forest resource knowledge; and better coordinated planning for application and dissemination of research results from the beginning of a project. 10 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

18 Table 4: Suggested Policy Mechanisms to Improve Areas of Poor Performance Policy Mechanisms Identified by Stakeholders Voluntary marketbased approaches Monetization of ecosystem services Full-cost accounting Forest certification Protection of highconservation value forests Community-based stewardship Conservation easements Investments in both broad and targeted forest research New markets to facilitate ecological restoration, including renewable energy development Incorporation of more cross-sectoral and exogenous factors in longterm forecasts Integration of Criteria and Indicators into monitoring, assessment, and reporting by agencies, and implementation of better monitoring programs Related (concise) Summary Statements Rated Unsatisfactory [1] and Moderately Unsatisfactory [2]* 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fragmentation 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 7A. Meeting Demand Through Sustainable Means 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fragmentation 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fragmentation 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 3B. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 5D. Life Cycle Analysis of Forest Products [1/2] 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Non-natives Natives Fire regimes 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 6A. Forest Health and Air Pollution 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Climate Change 7A. Meeting Demand Through Sustainable Means 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Fire regimes Climate Change 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 6B. Other Forest Health Issues Non-natives Natives Fire regimes Climate Change * Statements received a 2 rating unless otherwise indicated in [brackets]. PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 11

19 Table 5: Information Management Suggestions to Improve Areas of Poor Performance Information Needs/ Programs Identified by Stakeholders Development of consistent baseline map Agreed-upon protocols for collecting, organizing, and sharing information on forests Adoption and implementation of key environmental indicators, similar to the basic economic indicators Evaluation of the effects of regional, national and inter-national factors outside the forest sector on forests, including the impacts of U.S. wood fiber and product demand and U.S. forest policy on forests around the world Objective-based monitoring, with translations to practical bases for change analysis Assessment of the condition and effectiveness of protected areas Related (concise) Summary Statements Rated Unsatisfactory [1] and Moderately Unsatisfactory [2]* 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 6B. Other Forest Health Issues - Fragmentation - Non-natives - Natives 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests] 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 6B. Other Forest Health Issues- Fragmentation - Non-natives - Natives - Fire regimes - Climate Change 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 2C. Understanding of Deforestation and Forest Degradation [1] 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 5D. Life-Cycle Analysis of Forest Products [1/2] 6A. Forest Health and Air Pollution 6B. Other Forest Health Issues - Non-natives - Natives - Climate Change 7A. Meeting Demand Through Sustainable Means 1A. Holistic National Forest Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 6A. Forest Health and Air Pollution 6B. Other Forest Health Issues - Fragmentation - Non-natives - Natives - Fire regimes - Climate Change 7A. Meeting Demand Through Sustainable Means 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests * Statements received a 2 rating unless otherwise indicated in [brackets]. 12 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION Continued on page 13

20 Table 5: Continued from page 12 Information Needs/Programs Identified by Stakeholders Improved compilation, synthesis and aggregation of information to make it understandable and useable to policymakers and decision makers at a variety of scales and governmental levels Stronger involvement of underserved and immigrant communities, including through techniques such as conducting pilot studies on public land to demonstrate traditional forest resource knowledge Better evaluation of information relevant to priority issues as a basis for fine-tuning information systems considering budgets and resources Related (concise) Summary Statements Rated Unsatisfactory [1] / Moderately Unsatisfactory [2]* 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests 9A. Advance Use of Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge for Sustainable Forest Management 1A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2B. National Policies and Economic Strategies for Addressing Deforestation and Forest Degradation 3C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas 4B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests 5C. Full-Cost Internalization 5E. Legislation and Economic Instruments for Sustainable Forest Management 7A. Meeting Demand Through Sustainable Means * Statements received a 2 rating unless otherwise indicated in [brackets]. Participants also offered their views regarding the relative priorities among these issues and potential further actions, recognizing that financial and institutional resources do no exist to pursue all of the desired actions simultaneously. Tables 4 and 5 provide suggestions on how specific policy mechanisms and improvements in information management might be leveraged to stimulate stronger progress in key areas that, according to the workshop participants assessments, are underperforming. The policy and information approaches suggested by participants in the final workshop have been preliminarily matched with areas in which U.S. actions were gauged to be inadequate. Tables 4 and 5 show how well suited these policy and information mechanisms could be to across-the-board improvements in sustainable forest management. Conclusion Advancing Sustainable Forest Management in the United States provides information about many of the activities of government, nongovernmental organizations, and tribal and private sector entities engaged in sustainable forest management in the United States. A number of key issues and priority actions emerged from the multi-year program of work facilitated by the Pinchot Institute and engaging a wide range of partners. Stakeholders highlighted the need for the forest community to work more collaboratively to adopt new strategies, making more effective use of human, natural, and financial resources. The process of systematically working through the Proposals for Action though not a perfect fit for U.S. economic, environmental, and social conditions enabled PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 13

21 participants to broaden their thinking about existing forest conditions and current institutions, actions, methods, and resources needed to move the country towards more sustainable forest management. Stakeholders felt that technology and bigger budgets alone will not further the sustainable forest management of America s forests. First in order is more effective cooperation within the forest sector at all levels local, state, regional, and national. Stakeholders observed that major challenges to sustainable forest management in the United States included shortcomings in policy and mechanisms for policy implementation, as well as inadequate forest information management. They suggested some specific areas of focus to address the most urgent of these shortcomings. They also endorsed the value of an ongoing national dialogue and collaboration on these matters, including expanded stakeholder participation, and improved interagency coordination. Targeting these areas can provide a platform to more effectively address the problematic conditions and trends in America s forests. This report complements the National Report on Sustainable Forests 2003, which provided a comprehensive picture of the nation s forest conditions and trends. It is hoped that together these reports will provide valuable information and serve as a useful reference for those who are looking for strategic ways to advance the conservation and sustainable management of the nation s forests. 14 PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION

22 Table 6: Proposals for Action Summary Categories and Summary Statements Summary Category (Concise) Summary Statement 1. National Forestry Programs A. Holistic National Forestry Program 2. Combating Deforestation and Forest Degradation 3. Protected Areas and Forest Conservation 4. Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas A. Historical and Underlying Causes of Deforestation and Forest Degradation B. National Policies & Economic Strategies C. Awareness/Understanding D. Role of Plantation A. Protection of Full Range of Forest Values B. Partnerships for PA Planning & Management C. Effectiveness of Protected Areas D. Protection and Management of Unique Transboundary Forests E. Donor Activity for Cross-Sectoral Policies A. Analysis of Trends in Dryland Forests B. Actions to Address Dryland Forests C. Partnerships to Reduce Pressure on Dryland Forests D. Coordination of Activities for Environmentally Critical Forests E. Rehabilitation of Forests in Environmentally Critical Areas F. Awareness of Multiple Contributions of Natural and Planted Forests 5. Economic Aspects of Forests A. Forest Sector Financial Flows/ Price Data B. Inventories, Supply & Demand for Forest Products (Wood & Non-Wood) C. Full Cost Internalization D. Life Cycle Analysis of Forest Products E. Legislation and Economic Instruments F. Private Sector Codes of Conduct G. Financial & Technical Support for Local Communities, Indigenous People H. Innovative Financial Mechanisms I. Role of Private Sector J. Reinvestment of Forest Revenues in Sustainable Forest Management K. Promotion of Sustainable Use of Lesser Used Tree Species 6. Forest Health and Productivity A. Forest Health and Air Pollution B. Other Forest Health Issues 7. Maintaining Forest Cover to Meet Present and Future Needs 8. Social and Cultural Aspects of Forests 9. Traditional Forest-Related Knowledge (TFRK) 10.Scientific Forest-Related Knowledge 11.Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting Using Criteria and Indicators A. Meeting Demand through Sustainable Means B. Wood Energy Technologies & Fuelwood Use A. Role of Women in Sustainable Forest Management B. Role of Local and Indigenous People C. Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting on Social Data D. Land Tenure and Local/Indigenous Access E. Partnerships and Local/Stakeholder Involvement F. Stakeholder Consultation and Availability of Forest-Related Information A. Advance Use of TRFK B. Intellectual Property Rights for TFRK and Equitable Benefit-Sharing A. Functional Interaction between Science and Policy (national and local/regional) B. Setting Research Priorities and Addressing Knowledge Gaps C. Means of Implementation A. Implementation of the IPF/IFF Proposals for Action PINCHOT INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION 15