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CRITERIA AND INDICATORSof Sustainable Forest Management in Canada
CRITERIA AND INDICATORSof Sustainable Forest Management in Canada
20052005
Key Trends and conditions
Key Trends and Conditions
MMeeaassuurriinngg PPrrooggrreessss TToowwaarrddSSuussttaaiinnaabbllee FFoorreesstt MMaannaaggeemmeenntt
Canada is a forest nation. Its forests cover 41 percent of itsland mass and represent about 10 percent of the world’sforests and 30 percent of the boreal forest. Forests play animportant role in the economic, social and cultural well-being of Canadians. About 93 percent of Canada’s forestland is publicly owned.
Demand for forest resources is growing, and multiple forest values often conflict. Canadians have a strong
commitment to sustainable forest management andwant assurances that their forests will provide
environmental, social and economic benefitstoday and in the future.
Criteria and indicators provide a science-based tool to measure, assess and report on
the state of Canada’s forests and forest man-agement. In 2003, the Canadian Council of
Forest Ministers (CCFM), working closely withmembers of Canada’s forest community,
released a renewed framework consisting of sixcriteria and 46 indicators. The renewed indicators
are balanced, assessing environmental, economic andsocial values Canadians associate with their forests.
Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management inCanada: National Status 2005 is the Council’s second reporton Canada’s progress toward sustainable forest manage-ment, and it uses the revised framework. It will help toimprove discussions and decision making by using sci-ence-based explanations of trends to show where progresshas been made and where improvement is needed.
At the same time, this summary of National Status 2005highlights key trends and conditions and will be of interest to policy-makers, decision-makers and individuals who want a brief description of Canada’sprogress toward sustainable forest management. Adiagram of the CCFM framework of Criteria andIndicators of Sustainable Forest Management can be found near the end of this booklet. To obtain the fullreport, refer to the information on the last page of this booklet.
%% FFoorreessttaanndd OOtthheerrWWooooddeedd LLaanndd
0–<5
5–<20
20–<40
40–<60
60–<80
80–100
Total
363.1
70.9
74.0
83.0
121.8
266.3
979.1
1.2
8.3
22.3
41.3
86.9
241.7
402.1
TToottaallLLaanndd AArree aa((MMiilllliioonnssooff hhaa))
AArreeaa FFoorreesstt aanndd OOtthheerrWWooooddeedd LLaanndd((MMiilllliioonnss ooff hhaa))
CANADA’S FOREST AND
OTHER WOODED LAND
Biological DiversityMaintaining biological diversity, or biodiversity, allows organisms and ecosystems to respond andadapt to environmental change.
CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreessttss ccoovveerr 440022..11 mmiilllliioonn hheeccttaarreess ((hhaa)),, aabboouutt 1100 ppeerrcceenntt ooff tthhee wwoorrlldd’’ss ffoorreessttss..
Most of Canada’s forests are comprised of coniferousspecies, although deciduous species are also important.The dominant age class is 41–80 years old, althoughforests in some areas, like the temperate rain forests of the West Coast, can be much older. Canada also has 134.6 million ha of wetlands – about 25 percent of theworld’s total.
MMoorree tthhaann 3311 mmiilllliioonn hhaa ooff ffoorreessttss aanndd 99..66 mmiilllliioonn hhaa ooff wweettllaannddss aarree pprrootteecctteedd..
Canada’s National Forest Strategy calls for a nationalnetwork of protected areas. Almost 8 percent ofCanada’s forests are protected. These areas containmany examples of Canada’s forest biodiversity.
330055 ffoorreesstt ssppeecciieess aarree ddeessiiggnnaatteedd ““aatt rriisskk..””
There was a 27 percent increase in the number of forest-associated species at risk between 1999 and 2004. This is consistent with a 31 percent increase in the total number of species assessed, highlightingthat data availability is one of the main factors affecting the number and change in status of designated species at risk.
MMaannyy ffoorreesstt aanniimmaallss hhaavvee ssttaabbllee oorriinnccrreeaassiinngg ppooppuullaattiioonnss,, bbuutt ddeecclliinneess iinn ssoommee ssppeecciieess aarree aa ccoonncceerrnn..
Across Canada, many forest mammal and bird speciesthat are being monitored are assessed as stable orincreasing. However, declining populations of suchspecies as the woodland caribou and the Americanmarten are a concern, because these species are oftenassociated with mature and old forests – locationswhere forestry activities frequently occur. For theseand other species, governments have developed, or are developing, practices to conserve the species andminimize forest-management impacts.
GGoovveerrnnmmeennttss aarree rreessppoonnddiinngg ttoo tthhee tthhrreeaattppoosseedd bbyy nnoonn--nnaattiivvee ssppeecciieess ttoo CCaannaaddaa’’ssffoorreesstt bbiiooddiivveerrssiittyy..
Although Canada has increased detection efforts atports of entry, the number of non-native (alien) inva-sive species has increased. Federal, Provincial andTerritorial Governments are working together toimplement An Invasive Alien Species Strategy forCanada to address this threat.
CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreesstt--mmaannaaggeemmeenntt pprraaccttiicceessaarree ddeessiiggnneedd ttoo rreettaaiinn ggeenneettiicc ddiivveerrssiittyy..
Most harvested areas regenerate naturally, but for the roughly 15 percent that do not, programs and policies are in place to help ensure that planted trees have adequate genetic variation. Across Canada, 58 treespecies require genetic conservation measures. Manyof these species are from the Carolinian forest of south-ern Ontario, where populations have been severelyreduced, largely due to urbanization and agriculture.Several temperate-zone conifers, such as white and redpine, have also suffered sharp population declines, dueto harmful harvesting practices in the early nineteenthcentury and the introduction of diseases and pests.Modern harvesting practices have improved sub-stantially, and specific conservation initiatives havebeen established for several tree species.
Nu
mb
er o
f re
asse
ssed
sp
ecie
s
Plants Mammals Birds Reptilesand
amphibians
Fish Lepidop-terans or
arthropods
Mollusks TOTAL
0
50
100
150
110
3046 5345
11 10
305
200
250
300
350
Habitat loss and destruction
Invasive and alien species
Unsustainable trade and harvesting
Environmental contamination
Decreasing genetic diversity
New
No change
Moved to a lower risk category
Moved to a higher risk category
Estimated number of alien species in Canada (preliminary)
Vascular plants At least 27% of all vascular plantsBirds 24Mammals 26Reptiles 2Amphibians 4Fish 55Terrestrial arthropods >1500
Change in status of forest-associated species-at-risk reassessedbetween 1999 and 2004. Included are extirpated, endangered,threatened and special concern species designated by theCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
NNaattuurraall ddiissttuurrbbaanncceess ppllaayy aann iimmppoorrttaannttrroollee iinn tthhee ffuunnccttiioonniinngg ooff CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreesstt eeccoossyysstteemmss..
Natural disturbances, like wildfire and insect defoliation, affect millions of hectares but are part of the natural functioning of forest ecosystems andhelp maintain biodiversity. Insect outbreaks tend to be cyclical, with peak populations occurring in particularyears and certain regions of the country. For example,British Columbia is currently experiencing an infesta-tion of mountain pine beetles. While managementstrategies are being implemented to curtail the infestation, mild winters and abundant mature lodgepole pine have enabled beetle numbers toreach unprecedented levels.
LLeessss tthhaann 11 ppeerrcceenntt ooff CCaannaaddaa’’ss 2299 bbiilllliioonn ccuubbiicc mmeettrreess ((mm33)) ooff mmeerrcchhaannttaabbllee wwoooodd iiss hhaarrvveesstteedd aannnnuuaallllyy..
Canada’s boreal and Pacific maritime forests containover 80 percent of Canada’s merchantable wood. In2003, 177.4 million m3, or 0.6 percent of the total vol-ume, were harvested. However, in any given year, asmuch as 239 million m3 could be harvested on publicand private land. In terms of area, about 900 000 ha of
forest are harvested annually. In most cases, companiesharvesting Crown forests must ensure that the forestgrows back promptly to maintain the productivity ofthe ecosystem. The area considered not adequatelyreforested is gradually shrinking; by 2001, it had fallen to just under 2.1 million ha from 2.4 million ha in 1993.
LLeessss tthhaann 00..0022 ppeerrcceenntt ooff CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreesstt aarreeaa iiss ccoonnvveerrtteedd ttoo ootthheerr llaanndd uusseess eeaacchh yyeeaarr..
Research is underway to improve available information, but it is estimated that every year lessthan 0.02 percent of Canada’s forests (up to 80 000 ha)is permanently converted to other uses, such as cities,agricultural land, roads and range. Some areas are alsoconverted back to forest from other land uses. About6000 ha were converted to forest in 2001, down from 10 000 ha in 1990.
AAcciidd rraaiinn aanndd oozzoonnee ccoonnttiinnuuee ttoo aaffffeeccttffoorreessttss iinn ssoouutthheeaasstteerrnn CCaannaaddaa aannddssoouutthheerrnn BBrriittiisshh CCoolluummbbiiaa,, aalltthhoouugghhppoolllluuttaanntt eemmiissssiioonnss hhaavvee ssttaabbiilliizzeedd..
Ozone and acid rain slowly degrade forests over manyyears. The cumulative and combined effects of ozoneand acid rain on forests are still a concern, especially insoutheastern Canada. Research is ongoing to quantify the effects of these combined pollutants.
Ecosystem Condition and ProductivityCanada’s forest ecosystems must be able to cope with and recover from natural and human disturbances to maintain their ecological functions and processes. Some disturbances, such as wildfires, play a key role in forest renewal.
< 50 50-55 55-60 60-65 65-70 70-75 75-80 80-85 85-90 90-95 + 95
9590
85
80
75
7065
7060
8580
65
55
605550
50
Ozone concentrations (parts per billion), 2000–2002.
< 50 50-55 55-60 60-65 65-70 70-75 75-80 80-85 85-90 90-95 + 95
9590
85
80
75
7065
7060
8580
65
55
605550
501975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Spruce budwormForest tent caterpillarMountain pine beetleFireHarvesting
0
Are
a D
istu
rbed
(mill
ion
ha)
Year
10
20
30
40
50
60
15
20
25
30
10
20
30
10
80
50
90Production of timber products in Canada
Mill
ion
tonn
es wood pulp(million tonnes)new sprint (million tonnes)Sofwood lumber(million m3)
Mill
ion
m3
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
70
60
40
0 0
5
Canada's ForestsTotal Land Area (979.1M ha)
Forest & OWL* (402.1M ha)
*OWL = Other Wooded Land
Forest land (310M ha)
Protected Forest and OWL (31.2M ha)
Annual harvest (0.9M ha)
Area disturbed by fire, harvesting and selected insects inCanada (1975-2004)
Soil and WaterForests act as filters for pollution, and are prime habitat for many aquatic and riparian species. Forest management activities can modify forest soils through disturbance, erosion, and compaction. Modifying management techniques to protect soil and water can minimize these impacts.
AAllll pprroovviinncceess aanndd tteerrrriittoorriieess mmoonniittoorraanndd eennffoorrccee hhaarrvveessttiinngg ssttaannddaarrddss ttoopprrootteecctt ffoorreesstt ssooiillss aanndd wwaatteerr,, aanndd tthheerraattee ooff ccoommpplliiaannccee iiss hhiigghh..
Directly assessing the impacts of forestry practices onsoil and on water quality and quantity across Canadais difficult and expensive. An effective substitute is tolook at compliance with local standards, including reg-ulations, policies and guidelines related to forest man-agement. High compliance rates – 80 to 100 percent forsoil standards and 60 to 99 percent for water standards– have been reported by jurisdictions and reflect agood understanding of the importance of maintaininga productive land base. Forest operations found not tobe in compliance may be assessed a penalty and/orrequested to be remediated. However, compliance withstandards is only part of the picture when it comes toconserving forest soils and water. Governments andindustry are investing in scientific research, and newresearch results on the impacts of forest harvesting areintegrated into forest-management regulations, policiesand guidelines through periodic updates. EEssttiimmaatteess ooff tthhee pprrooppoorrttiioonn ooff wwaatteerr--
sshheeddss tthhaatt ccaann bbee hhaarrvveesstteedd wwiitthhoouuttccaauussiinngg uunnaacccceeppttaabbllee ddaammaaggee ttoo aa rraannggeeooff ffoorreesstt vvaalluueess aarree pprrooggrreessssiinngg..
Another important indicator of sustainable forest management is the proportion of watersheds affectedby fire, harvesting and large-scale damage frominsects. Research is underway to produce detailedwatershed databases that can be used to predict the hydrological impacts of forest harvesting and other disturbances.
Role in Global Ecological CyclesForests play a key role in the global ecological cycles. They depend on and contribute to self-regulating processes responsible for recycling carbon, water, nitrogen, and other life-sustaining elements. Forest management can impact the role of forests in the carbon cycle.
EEaarrllyy eessttiimmaatteess iinnddiiccaattee tthhaatt CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreessttss ssttoorree mmoorree tthhaann 8844 bbiilllliioonn ttoonnnneess ooff ccaarrbboonn..
Forests play a key role in the global carbon budget byabsorbing, storing and releasing atmospheric carbondioxide, a key greenhouse gas (GHG) linked to global climate change. Canada has a responsibility to understand how its forests contribute to global car-bon cycles. Based on earlier versions of the Canadian carbon budget model, estimates published in 2000indicated that Canada’s forests contained more than 84 billion tonnes of carbon. Researchers are improvingthe country’s carbon budget model to provide moreaccurate and up-to-date estimates.
IInn tthhee ppaasstt,, CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreessttss hhaavveerreelleeaasseedd aann aavveerraaggee ooff 4444..66 mmiilllliioonnttoonnnneess ooff ccaarrbboonn ppeerr yyeeaarr iinnttoo tthheeaattmmoosspphheerree..
According to estimates published in 2000, Canada’sforests, on average, released more carbon into theatmosphere each year through decay, fire and otherprocesses than they took up through growth. Year-to-year variation is closely linked with natural distur-bances like wildfires. Improved models, available inthe near future, will provide more up-to-date esti-mates. In addition, more than 4 million tonnes of car-bon are stored in forest products each year.
TThhee ffoorreesstt iinndduussttrryy hhaass kkeepptt GGHHGG eemmiissssiioonnss aatt 11998800 lleevveellss ddeessppiittee aa 2233 ppeerrcceenntt iinnccrreeaassee iinn eenneerrggyy uussee aanndd 3300 ppeerrcceenntt iinnccrreeaassee iinn ppuullpp aannddppaappeerr pprroodduuccttiioonn..
The forest industry, Canada’s largest industrial energyuser, has kept emissions at 1980 levels by improvingenergy efficiency and using cleaner fuels, such as natu-ral gas and bioenergy. Bioenergy accounts for morethan 55 percent of the total energy used by the forestindustry, up from 47 percent in 1980.
1100
1300
1200
900
1000
600
700
800
1400
500
24
28
26
20
22
14
16
18
30
12Pe
tajo
ule
s
Year
Mill
ion
to
nn
es
GHG emissions (million tonnes)Total energy use (petajoules)
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
400
500
300
100
200
600
0
Peta
jou
les
Hydro and nuclear powerFossil fuelsBioenergy
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Forest sector GHG emissions and total energy use
Forest sector energy sources
Economic and Social BenefitsSustainable forest management ensures forests provide a broad range of goods and services over the long term, offering significant economic and social benefits.
SSaalleess ooff ttiimmbbeerr pprroodduuccttss hhaavvee ggrroowwnn ttoo$$7777 bbiilllliioonn,, bbuutt tthhee ffoorreesstt iinndduussttrryy’’ssrreellaattiivvee ccoonnttrriibbuuttiioonn ttoo CCaannaaddaa’’ss GGDDPPhhaass ffaalllleenn ttoo aarroouunndd 33 ppeerrcceenntt..
The forest industry’s contribution to Canada’s grossdomestic product (GDP) fell by about half a percentagepoint per decade from 1961 to 1982. The forest industrydid expand during that period – volumes and shipments of timber increased in real terms – just not as quickly as the rest of the economy. Thus, the forest industry’s relative contribution to the GDP, $37.5 billion in 2005, is currently less important than itused to be. The industry’s contribution to the GDP hasbeen more stable recently, due largely to growth in thewood industries sub-sector. However, the contributionof the forestry, logging and pulp and paper sub-sectorscontinues to decline.
Contribution of the forest industry to Canada’s GDP (%) (SIC = Standard Industrial Classification; NAICS = NorthAmerican Industry Classification System)
SSeeccoonnddaarryy mmaannuuffaaccttuurriinngg ooff ttiimmbbeerr pprroodduuccttss hhaass rraappiiddllyy eexxppaannddeedd,, iinnccrreeaassiinngg eeccoonnoommiicc bbeenneeffiittss wwiitthhoouuttiinnccrreeaassiinngg tthhee hhaarrvveesstt..
Secondary manufacturing (e.g., making cabinets from woodpanels) increases the contribution of the forest industry to the GDP, revenue and employment without increasing theharvest. Ontario, where about 40 percent of the Canadianpopulation lives and about half of the housing starts occur,has the most secondary manufacturing industries.
Canadian shipments of secondary manufacturing products pervolume harvested
TThhee vvaalluuee ooff CCaannaaddaa’’ss nnoonn--ttiimmbbeerr ffoorreessttpprroodduuccttss sseeccttoorr iiss ssiiggnniiffiiccaanntt aanndd ggrroowwiinngg..
NNeeww tteennuurree aarrrraannggeemmeennttss aarree mmaakkiinngg mmoorreeffoorreesstt rreessoouurrcceess aavvaaiillaabbllee ttoo ssmmaallll eenntteerr--pprriisseess aanndd ccoommmmuunniittiieess..
Canada has a mix of Crown tenure arrangements thatconfer the right to harvest certain forest resources, usu-
Year
Perc
ent
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
2006200119961991198619811976197119661961
SIC data (1992$) NAICS data (1997$)
1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Spruce budwormForest tent caterpillarMountain pine beetleFireHarvesting
0
Are
a D
istu
rbed
(mill
ion
ha)
Year
10
20
30
40
50
60
15
20
25
30
10
20
30
10
80
50
90Production of timber products in Canada
Mill
ion
tonn
es wood pulp(million tonnes)new sprint (million tonnes)Sofwood lumber(million m3)
Mill
ion
m3
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
70
60
40
0 0
5
Canada's ForestsTotal Land Area (979.1M ha)
Forest & OWL* (402.1M ha)
*OWL = Other Wooded Land
Forest land (310M ha)
Protected Forest and OWL (31.2M ha)
Annual harvest (0.9M ha)
1997
$/pe
r cu
bic
met
re
Year
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
200620011996199119861981
SIC data NAICS data
Estimated current output of forest-based foods (FBF) in the Canadian economyFBF Output in Current Additionalcommodity tonnes or economic economic
litres (000) value potential(million $) (million $)
Honey 37 072 161 1000Tree saps 34 761 164 31Berries 149 373 279 164Mushrooms 1 43 26Understorey plants 2 75 115Wild rice 1013 3 753Total 725 2089
Production of timber products in Canada
Economic and Social BenefitsSustainable forest management ensures forests provide a broad range of goods and services over the long term, offering significant economic and social benefits.
ally timber. In return, tenure holders pay fees to theCrown and must respect rules to protect the resource.New types of tenure have been introduced since 1990,often to make Crown forest resources available tosmall- and medium-sized enterprises, communitiesand Aboriginal peoples. For example, the Yukon, NovaScotia, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territorieshave conferred 11, 12, 16 and 30 percent, respectively,of their forest volumes to Aboriginal peoples.
LLaabboouurr,, bbuussiinneesssseess aanndd ggoovveerrnnmmeennttsssshhaarree bbiilllliioonnss ooff ddoollllaarrss iinn bbeenneeffiittssffrroomm tthhee ttiimmbbeerr pprroodduuccttss iinndduussttrryy..
TThhee vvoolluummee ooff ttiimmbbeerr hhaarrvveesstteedd oonn pprroovviinncciiaall CCrroowwnn llaannddss hhaass iinnccrreeaasseedd 2222 ppeerrcceenntt ssiinnccee 11999900 bbuutt rreemmaaiinnss bbeelloowwtthhee aalllloowwaabbllee aannnnuuaall ccuutt ((AAAACC))..
LLooww rraatteess ooff rreettuurrnn oonn ccaappiittaall eemmppllooyyeedd((RROOCCEE)) iinn CCaannaaddaa’’ss ffoorreesstt iinndduussttrryy mmaakkee iitt ddiiffffiiccuulltt ttoo aattttrraacctt iinnvveessttmmeenntt..
Canadian forest companies have faced challengesattracting the private investment necessary to increase
productivity when their international competitorsoften have a higher ROCE. The forest sector, parti-cularly pulp and paper, is an industry with high capi-tal costs. In the last couple of years, the ongoing lack ofcapital investment, coupled with low pulp and paperprices, has led to poor returns in the pulp and papersub-sector. Lumber and panel producers have faredbetter, benefiting from stronger prices and higher capital investment, with consequent better returns.
TThhee ffoorreesstt iinndduussttrryy pprroovviiddeess hhuunnddrreeddssooff tthhoouussaannddss ooff wweellll--ppaayyiinngg jjoobbss,,aalltthhoouugghh eemmppllooyymmeenntt hhaass ddeecclliinneeddrreecceennttllyy..
The industry has generated over 330 000 direct jobssince 1995, reaching a record of over 370 000 jobs in2003. Wages are generally higher than, or equal to,wages in manufacturing as a whole. Between 2003 and 2005, however, the industry lost over 30 000 jobs.Many of these jobs were in the pulp and paper sub-sector, which has experienced a downturn resulting in several mill closures. Wood-products manufactur-ing, where jobs have been increasing since 1991, also suffered a setback.
AAC SoftwoodHarvest SoftwoodAAC Total Harvest Total
Harvest HardwoodAAC Hardwood
0
50
100
150
200
250
200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990
Mill
ion
s m
3
0
4 000
2 000
6 000
8 000
Labour Businesses Governments
10 000
1999
$, m
illio
ns
0.5
1.5
2.0
2.5
Ind
ex (
Can
ada
= 1.
00)
3.0
3.5
1.0
0.01996 19991997 2000 2001 200320021998
U.S. Finland Sweden
Average annual financial benefits distributed to labour, businesses and governments in the form of wages, profits, taxes and so on (1990–2002)
International comparisons (Canada=1.00) of the return on capital investment performance
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
2005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987
Em
plo
ye
es
Logging & forestry PaperWood Total
Society’s ResponsibilityForest practices should reflect social values since operations often take place on publicly owned lands, and many rural communities depend on the forest for their economic, social and cultural well-being.
AAbboorriiggiinnaall ccoonnssuullttaattiioonn aanndd iinnvvoollvvee--mmeenntt iinn ffoorreesstt--mmaannaaggeemmeenntt ppllaannnniinngg hhaass iinnccrreeaasseedd,, bbuutt iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aabboouuttttrraaddiittiioonnaall kknnoowwlleeddggee aanndd iittss aapppplliiccaa--ttiioonn ttoo ffoorreesstt mmaannaaggeemmeenntt iiss llaacckkiinngg..
Aboriginal peoples in Canada have strong ties to theforest, and over the past several years, improvementshave been made in the way governments and industryconsult with and involve Aboriginal peoples in forestmanagement. In addition, more forest land is comingunder Aboriginal control through land claims, treatyland entitlements and additions to reserves, whichmay lead to greater economic opportunities. In recentyears, the value of Aboriginal traditional ecologicalknowledge (ATEK) in contemporary forest manage-ment has been recognized. Provinces and territorieshave undertaken efforts to gather information onATEK, but more work is needed to transfer this knowl-edge to non-traditional users.
FFoorreesstt--ddeeppeennddeenntt ccoommmmuunniittiieess aarree ggeenneerraallllyy lleessss wweellll ooffff tthhaann ootthheerr rruurraall ccoommmmuunniittiieess..
About 350 Canadian communities depend on the forestindustry, and about 80 percent of Aboriginal communi-ties are located in forest areas. On average, while for-est-based communities have higher economic diversity– which helps communities weather shocks in theireconomy – they are not as well off as other rural com-munities in terms of education, employment andincome. As a result, they may be less able to respond torapid changes in their social, economic and environ-mental systems. This is something governments andothers are working to address through the NationalForest Strategy and other initiatives.
MMoosstt ppuubblliicc ppaarrttiicciippaannttss ffeeeell tthhaatt tthheeiirr iinnvvoollvveemmeenntt iinn ffoorreesstt--mmaannaaggeemmeennttppllaannnniinngg iiss wwoorrtthhwwhhiillee..
Local citizen advisory committees are a common wayto foster public participation in forest management inCanada. Recent survey results show that 74 percent ofpublic participants are somewhat or completely satis-fied with the committee process. More than two thirdsof participants feel that the process is fair. And slightlymore than half feel that decisions accommodate the fullspectrum of public interests and that participants areable to influence committee decisions.
CCoommpplliiaannccee wwiitthh ffoorreesstt llaawwss aanndd rreegguullaattiioonnss,, aa pprreerreeqquuiissiittee ffoorr ssuussttaaiinnaabbllee ffoorreesstt mmaannaaggeemmeenntt,, iiss ggeenneerraallllyy hhiigghh iinn CCaannaaddaa..
Canada’s sustainable forest-management laws, regula-tions and other standards are continuously updated toreflect the best available scientific knowledge.Information available from six provinces shows highrates of compliance – from 86.0 to 99.5 percent. Whereinspections found non-compliance, operators had tocorrect the results of their actions and change theirpractices to comply or face closure.
PPuubblliicc aacccceessss ttoo ffoorreesstt iinnffoorrmmaattiioonniimmpprroovveess ddiissccuussssiioonn aanndd ddeecciissiioonn mmaakkiinngg..
Forest inventories are using a wide range of technolo-gies to collect information for a broad range of topics.In general, data on Crown lands are accessible, andinformation on private lands is becoming increasinglyavailable to the public.
DDiirreecctt sscciieennccee aanndd tteecchhnnoollooggyy ((SS&&TT)) ffuunnddiinngg aanndd ppuurrcchhaasseess ooff tteecchhnnoollooggyyaanndd sseerrvviicceess aarree iimmpprroovviinngg ffoorreesstt mmaannaaggeemmeenntt..
Government& Industry
S&T Funding$415 M
OutputInnovative Products
and Services(unquantified)
$4.8 B Services
$2.8 B Technology
Wood
SFM Paper
Forest SectorFlow of Innovation 1999
R&D(unquantified)
R&D(unquantified)
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Canada’s forests are among the largest in the worldand are at the heart of Canada’s growth and prosperity.They provide economic and social benefits for allCanadians and support a diversity of species over vastlandscapes with dynamic, ever-changing ecosystems.Modern forest management in Canada is a model ofhow progress toward sustainability can be achieved.Increased consultation has led to forest managementthat incorporates a broad array of values and recog-nizes the dynamism of ecological and social systems,as well as the benefits of adaptive management andcollaboration.
To remain a leader in sustainable forestry, Canadamust, among other things, reduce or prevent theimpacts of pollution and alien invasive species onforests, continue to increase Aboriginal participation in forest management and improve the resilience andwell-being of forest communities.
Also, the forest industry must become more competi-tive in the international marketplace by continuing toapply leading-edge innovation to forest managementand manufacturing. It must develop value-addedproducts and new markets for products. Efforts mustalso be made by governments, industry and others toimprove information on forest-based services and sus-tainable harvest levels of non-timber forest products.
Forest policy-makers and managers in Canada willcontinue to face difficult choices because of divergentopinions about priorities for managing forestresources. Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management in Canada helps governments do the following:
• evaluate the effectiveness of existing regulations; • orient future policies; • identify and prioritize information and research; • guide forest practices; and • clarify expectations of sustainable forest
management in Canada.
The information provided through Criteria andIndicators also helps Canadians better understand the options available for managing the forest and participate more effectively in decision making.
The Criteria and Indicators report is the result of extensive collaboration and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial governments. Byworking together, governments have increased theircapacity to report. To improve future reporting, theCanadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) is considering a new National Forest Inventory that willimprove the trend estimates for many of the CCFMindicators. The CCFM is also expanding its NationalForestry Database to collect and store new informationon forests and forest management. And it is developing a National Forest Information Systemto improve access to information via the Internet.These initiatives will add to the solid forestry dataalready in place and enhance the nation’s capacity to assess and report on the state of its forests.
EcosystemDiversity
EconomicBenefits
Distributionof Benefits
Sustainabilityof Benefits
6.15.1Carbon Cycle
4.1
5.2
1.1
1.2Species
Diversity
GeneticDiversity
1.3
Aboriginal and Treaty Rights
Aboriginal Traditional Land
Use andForest-based
EcologicalKnowledge
6.1.1
6.2
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.1.3
6.2.1
2.1
Total growing stock of both merchantable and
nonmerchantable tree species on forest land1.1.1
Area of forest, by type and age class, and wetlands in
each ecozone
1.1.2
Area of forest by type and age class, wetlands, soil
types, and geomorphological feature types in protected
areas in each ecozone
1.2.1
Status of forest-associated species
at risk
1.2.2
Population levels of selected forest-associated
species
1.2.3
Distribution of selectedforest-associated species
1.2.4
Number of invasive, alien forest-associated species
1.3.1
Genetic diversity of reforestation seed lots
1.3.2
Status of in situ and ex situ conservation efforts for
native tree species in each ecozone
2.2
Additions and deletions of forest area by cause
2.3
Area of forest disturbed by fire, insects, disease, and
timber harvest
2.4
Area of forest with impaired function due to ozone and
acid rain
2.5
Proportion of timber harvest area successfully
regenerated
Extent of consultation with Aboriginals in forest
management planning and in the development of policies and legislation
related to forest management
6.3Forest
CommunityWell-being and
Resilience
5.3
Area of crown forest land with traditional land use
studies
Economic diversity index of forest-based communities
6.3.2
Education attainment levels in forest-based communities
6.3.3
Employment rate in forest-based communities
Incidence of low income in forest-based communities
6.4.1
Proportion of participants who are satisfied with
public involvement processes in forest
management in Canada
6.5.1
Coverage, attributes, frequency, and statistical
reliability of forest inventories
6.5.2
Availability of forest inventory information to
the public
Investment in forest research, timber products
industry research and development, and education
6.5.4
Status of new or updated forest management
guidelines and standards related to ecological issues
6.4.2
Rate of compliance with sustainable forest
management laws and regulations
6.4Fair and EffectiveDecision Making
6.5Informed
Decision Making
C R I T E R I A A N D I N D I C A T O R S F R A M E W O R K 2 0 0 5
Contribution of timber products to the gross
domestic product
Value of secondary manufacturing of timber
products per volume harvested
6.1.2
Area of forest land owned by Aboriginal peoples
Production, consumption, imports, and exports of
timber products
5.1.4
Contribution of nontimber forest products and
forest-based services to the gross domestic product
5.1.5
Value of unmarketed nontimber forest products and forest-based services
5.2.1
Forest area by timber tenure
5.2.2
Distribution of financial benefits from the timber
products industry
5.3.1
Annual harvest of timber relative to the level of havest
deemed to be sustainable
5.3.2
Annual harvest of nontimber forest products
relative to the level of harvest deemed to be
sustainable
5.3.4
Productivity index
5.3.5
Direct, indirect, and induced employment
5.3.6
Average income in major employment categories
1.1.1
Core Indicator
1.1.1
SupportingIndicator
5.3.3
Return on capital employed
1 2BIOLOGICALDIVERSITY 3SOIL AND
WATER 4ROLE IN GLOBAL
ECOLOGICALCYCLES 5ECONOMIC AND
SOCIALBENEFITS 6SOCIETY’S
RESPONSIBILITY
6.3.1
6.3.4
6.5.3
ECOSYSTEMCONDITION ANDPRODUCTIVITY
4.1.1
Net change in forest ecosystem carbon
Rate of compliance with locally applicable soil disturbance standards
3.2
Rate of compliance with locally applicable road
construction, stream crossing, and riparian zone
management standards
3.3
Proportion of watersheds with substantial
stand-replacing disturbance in the last 20 years
Forest ecosystem carbon storage by forest type and
age class
4.1.3
Net change in forest products carbon
4.1.4
Forest sector carbon emissions
3.1
4.1.2
PERFORATION PERFORATION
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The CCFM was established in 1985 to allow the 14 federal,provincial and territorial ministers with responsibility forforests to cooperate more closely in major areas of commoninterest. The Council provides leadership on national andinternational issues and sets direction for the stewardshipand sustainable management of Canada’s forests. More information on the Council can be found on-line atwww.ccfm.org.
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You can learn more about the work of the CCFM and itsCriteria and Indicators (C&I) initiative. The report Criteriaand Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management in Canada:National Status 2005 is available on the Internet atwww.ccfm.org/ci/index_e.php. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the six criteria and 46 indicators showingCanada’s progress toward sustainable forest management.Copies may also be obtained free of charge from
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service580 Booth StreetOttawa ON K1A 0E4E-mail: [email protected]
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Canada is a member of The Montréal Process – an initiativeby 12 countries to use criteria and indicators to define, measure and report on progress toward the conservation and sustainable management of temperate and boreal forests.Together, these 12 countries represent 60 percent of theworld’s forests and account for nearly half of the world tradein forest products. In 1995, the member countries endorsed aframework of 7 criteria and 67 indicators, and in 2004, theylaunched a process to improve the indicators.
Canada uses the CCFM C&I framework to meet its MontréalProcess reporting obligations. The two frameworks are com-patible, with considerable alignment in the values importantto both processes. Membership in The Montréal Process ispart of Canada’s overall commitment to promote sustainableforest management. Canada is also proud to have housed theLiaison Office for The Montréal Process since 1995, whichacts as a secretariat for the process. For more information onThe Montréal Process, refer to its Web site at www.mpci.org.
© Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, 2006ISBN 978-0-662-44500-5Cat. No. Fo4-8/2005-1E (Print)ISBN 978-0-662-45755-8Cat. No. Fo4-8/2005-1E-PDF (Electronic)
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Critères et indicateurs de l'aménagement forestier durable au Canada : bilan national 2005 – Sommaire
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© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2007
