Forest Sustainability and Planning |
| Base Indicators of Forest Sustainability |
| Managing forests sustainably involves recognizing interconnections among environmental, social, and economic systems to preserve options for future generations while meeting the needs of the present. |
The USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area and the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters have made a commitment to track a base set of 18 forest sustainability indicators that are consistent with the criteria and indicators framework measured at the national level. Criteria define broad categories of sustainability and indicators are specific measurements of each category. There are many benefits for tracking common forest sustainability indicators. A criteria and indicators steering committee and three task groups made up of Northestern Forest Resource Planners Association members and NA staff are working on reporting and implementation of the base indicators. NA Forest Sustainability Indicators Information System Work is underway to develop an on-line forest sustainability indicators information system. This will report data at State and regional scales for the 18 base indicators and associated metrics, and will track trends over time. Technical notes, Web links, and other resources will also be provided. The NA indicators information system should be available soon. Benefits of tracking common forest sustainability indicators:
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List of the base indicators