Principles, criteria and indicators are used to define, implement and monitor the forest management. Primary framework for managing forests in a sustainable fashion is provided by principles. It provides the justification for criteria and indicators.
A set or situation which should be met to comply with forest management activities is described by criteria. Criterion itself cannot be measured and therefore indicators are used to measure criteria. Indicator is a quantitative, qualitative or descriptive attribute that indicates the direction of change when periodically monitored or measured. Therefore criteria and indicators are used to monitor progress towards sustainable forest management.
Ongoing international initiatives of criteria and indicators are Helsinki process, ITTO criteria, Lapartique process etc. Principles, criteria and indicators included in these initiatives are different to each other because they are applied to different ecological regions. ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organisation) criteria are used for management of tropical forests. They have introduced 7 criteria and 66 indicators which can be applied in tropical forest management. These criteria and indicators are used by certification bodies, government officials, forest managers, scientists etc.
Under ITTO criteria, criterion 1 is enabling conditions for sustainable forest management. Criterion 2 is forest resource security. Criterion 3 is forest eco system health and condition. Flow of forest produce, biological diversity, soil and water are criterion 4, 5 and 6. An economic, social and cultural aspect is criterion seven.66 indicators are comes under these 7 criteria.
Criteria and indicators are to be easy to apply. However there are limitations also. Therefore the correct application of criteria and indicators contribute to the sustainable forest management.
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