Download SCIENCE BIODIVERSITY and SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY

SCIENCE
BIODIVERSITY and
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
A Findings Report of the
NATIONAL COMMISSION on SCIENCE for
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
NCSSF
January 4, 2005
NATIONAL COMMISSION on SCIENCE
for SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
A Program Conducted by the
National Council on Science for the Environment “NCSE”
www.ncssf.org
The Commission
Science Capabilities
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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
F
Stakeholder Needs
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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
* 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
NCSSF Mission
Provide Solutions for Sustainable
Forestry
“To improve the scientific basis for the
development, implementation and
evaluation of sustainable forestry
practices in the United States.”
How NCSSF Works
Linking Science to Practice
User Needs Survey, Projects and Workshops
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Survey of practitioners,
managers & policymakers
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Eastern and Western interactive
workshops
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Identify gaps & prioritize user
needs
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Adapt NCSSF program to
address key needs
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Synthesize and translate science
into usable tools and information
– handoff to users
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 and
NCSSF Deliberations
Synthesize into Findings
and Implications for Users
NCSSF Projects – 2001-2004
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Fundamentals
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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
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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)
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Managing for Resilience
and Productivity
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Public values and attitudes (C)
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Biodiversity and wood-production forestry (C)
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Fire, forest “health,” biodiversity (S,C)
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Hydrology, water, biodiversity (A)
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Managing non-native invasive species (C)
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Old growth forest diversity (C)
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Risk management (B)
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Ecological restoration (A,C)
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Fragmentation effects (A)
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Decision support systems (A,C)
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Conservation incentives for private, nonindustrial forests (C)
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Monitoring protocols (C)
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Global wood market effects on forests (C)
First Findings Report
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
NCSSF Findings
Significance and Value for Users and Producers
Credibility of a diverse, independent body of
experts & stakeholders:
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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
Draft Report - Peer Review
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Jerry Rose – NASF
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Joel Holtrop – USFS
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Ajit Kirshnaswamy – NNFP
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Si Balch – New England FF
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Paul Trianosky – S.E. TNC
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James Agee – U. Wash.
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John Helms – U.C. Berkeley
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.
Sustainable Forestry
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A dynamic process and goal; not a single, fixed
end point
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Changes with knowledge and societal needs and
values
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Benefits vary by forest purpose/ownership
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Place varies from small sites to landscapes
and regions
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Time horizon is decades to centuries
Biodiversity
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
Why Biodiversity in Sustainable
Forestry?
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Biological foundation for productivity, resilience in all
ecosystems
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Forests are typically rich in biodiversity – much is not
readily observable; we usually only see the large
plants and animals
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Biodiversity effects forest sustainability and forest
management effects biodiversity
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SFM systems recognize importance of biodiversity: MP
C&I, FSC, SFI, others
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Ethical issues regarding role of humans vis a vis nonhuman life on Earth
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
Scale
Biodiversity and Scale
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Conservation knowledge and policies
must span multiple scales in space and time
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Ecosystem “legacies” influence diversity
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Forest fragments support reduced
biodiversity but rarely act like “islands”
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Strategies must be place and time specific – no
universal generalities
Disturbance
Disturbance Dynamics Key
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HRV useful but limited utility for SFM; need
practical FRV concept
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Fire is major shaper of forest biodiversity at
multiple scales
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Invasive species can cause radical ecosystem
changes; require interdisciplinary strategies
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Disturbance variation is connected to climate
change, human land uses, management
Future Range of Variation (FRV)
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Legacy effects are lasting
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Climate change is continual
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More people with changing resource
demands, values, risk tolerance
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Invasive species create new challenges
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New technologies, “toys,” knowledge
Indicators
Match Indicators to Values, Goals
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Biodiversity is too complex to address without
use of indicators
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No universal set of core indicators
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Clear objectives essential for indicator selection;
they represent different diversity values
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Structured, participatory process developed for
indicator selection and use
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Indicators serve different purposes
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SFM needs to rethink how it has used indicators
Adaptive Management
Adaptive Management
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Sustainability is NOT possible without continual
adaptation
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Biodiversity conservation requires traditional
forestry plus more
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NTFP impacts poorly understood
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Ready, open access to information, decision
support systems key to successful adaptation
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Conservation theories need adaptive management
for field validation
Adaptive Management –
Its More Different than You Think!
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Uncertainties, complex interactions, value
conflicts are not solvable through technical
plans, theories, models, more and better
science alone
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Works best when managers, scientists,
stakeholders in constant conversation:
testing ideas, sharing goals, taking risks,
adjusting to new information -- TOGETHER
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Requires redirection of resources from excessive
planning to bold action, effective monitoring
Linking Values to Sustainability
Forest Values to be Sustained
Problems to be Solved
Evaluation
“Audit”
Indicators
ADAPTATION
Plan:
Assessment, Strategies
Monitoring & Research
Actions
Work in Progress
NCSSF Ongoing Work
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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
NCSSF 2005 New Work
Emphasis on Delivering Results:
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Design “hand off” process for 2006
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Applications workshops for users
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Illustrated implementation guide
book
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Applications of ecosystem
functions scorecard
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SFM certification “outcomes
assessment” protocol (FSC/SFI)
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HRV update to FRV approach
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Adaptive mgmt. implementation
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Economics of SFM practices
NCSSF Measures of Success
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Increased awareness &
understanding of SFM and
biodiversity by policy makers,
managers, practitioners and
researchers
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High quality research results
published widely in peer reviewed
journals
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Communication of usable
information to foresters and
stakeholders
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Application of NCSSF knowledge
& tools to SFM policies,
management and practices
Questions or Comments?