Forests Sourcebook - HCV Resource Network
Forests Sourcebook - HCV Resource Network Forests Sourcebook - HCV Resource Network
areas that can be used more intensively without threatening maintenance of conservation values. For example, in the Russian Komi Republic, the HCV approach has been used to guide forest land planning exercises at the regional level, including rezoning concession areas based on public consultation and identification of social and biological HCVs. At the management unit level, the HCV approach can be used to guide ongoing management of natural forests. The presence or absence of each HCV is determined based on an analysis of existing information and the collection of additional information where necessary to fill gaps. The existing protection of, and threats to, the values, and the potential future threats (including those arising from the proposed activities) need to be identified to determine management prescriptions. In areas zoned for conversion to agricultural or industrial forest plantations (for example, palm oil and pulp), HCV is also being widely used to identify areas that are low risk for conversion and those that must be maintained and managed as natural vegetation to preserve critical conservation values. It can also provide guidance on plantation planning and management to optimize conservation goals (see note 3.3, Forest Plantations). For example, the main industry standard for palm oil (the RSPO [Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil] Principles and Criteria) 5 includes a prohibition on conversion of HCV areas to oil palm plantations and a requirement to maintain HCVs within areas affected by oil palm plantations and mills. Also, outside of forest certification, at least one pulp company in Indonesia has made public commitments not to convert HCV forests to pulp plantations. In a conversion scenario, the HCV approach needs to be incorporated into an adequate safeguards framework, notably to ensure legal compliance, protect land use and tenure rights, address consent procedures, and ensure that the concept is not inappropriately used to justify conversion based on incomplete information. Where the HCV approach is used for forest land-use planning involving conversion, identifying which areas of forest cannot be converted to plantations is a core part of this process, but management recommendations for other areas of forest are also extremely important. Finally, the HCV concept has been invoked in the formulation of procurement and investment policies. A growing number of companies and governments are introducing purchasing policies that preclude the purchase of wood or wood products from forest areas where HCVF are not managed for their values. For example, members of the WWF’s GFTN are committed to excluding material from HCVF, unless certified by the FSC. A number of investment organizations, particularly banks and screened pension funds, are making commitments to avoid investing in poorly managed HCVF. OPERATIONAL ASPECTS The HCV approach provides a systematic process for identifying critical conservation values—both environmental and social—within a forest tract or production unit, and for planning forest or land-use management to ensure that these values are maintained or enhanced (see examples in boxes 3.6, 3.7, and 3.8). 6 HCV forest is the area of forest that needs to be managed to protect its conservation values. The HCV approach is based on a three-step process: 1. Identify the critical conservation values that are present (the HCVs), and the areas where they occur. 2. Manage the HCVs by addressing the threats to the values, both now and in the future (including the threats posed by any planned activities). 3. Monitor the HCVs to ensure that management prescriptions are effective in maintaining or enhancing the values, and adapt the management regime to take account of any changes. An ideal HCV process would follow the sequence illustrated in figure 3.3. The strength of the HCV approach is that it recognizes variations in countries and situations where it is applied (see box 3.9). Where existing protection is good and threats limited, the requirements will differ from those in a similar area where existing protection is poor and threats extensive. Although the HCV approach was originally developed for use at the scale of forest management units, it has increasingly been applied at various scales up to the landscape level. HCV process: Implementing HCV assessment and defining management prescriptions Identification of the presence and location of HCVs. For each of the six HCVs, a systematic process is required to establish whether it is present in the area of interest and, if present, the approximate extent. A national interpretation of the HCVF toolkit, if it exists, is the first point of reference as the HCVs are defined for the national context and relevant data resources are listed. In the absence of a national interpretation, relevant information can be obtained from other regional interpretations. The HCVF toolkit provides generic guidance. The HCV 106 CHAPTER 3: MEETING THE GROWING DEMAND FOR FOREST PRODUCTS
Figure 3.3 HCVF Identification and Follow-up: The Ideal Picture Global toolkit Identify • What are the potential HCVs in this region or country? • Which values occur in the forest area? • Where are these values located? • Available data • Existing classifications • Expert opinion and individual expertise • Working group with balanced representation National interpretation Manage • What are existing threats to these values? • What forest area is needed to maintain this value? • How should this forest area be managed? Revision Monitor • What needs to be monitored? • What measurable parameters and thresholds for action can be identified? • How will monitoring be done? • How will the results off monitoring be used? HCVF Resource Network process draws on sources of data that are already available (box 3.10), which may take many forms. Obtaining reliable maps is an important component of the process. The maps may include data on recent forest cover, hydrology, elevation, and slope, but many national mapping processes give further useful details on habitats, soil type, and current or planned land use. Existing data and maps can be combined with specifically commissioned surveys to build a picture of the location of the values. Box 3.6 Identifying HCVFs in State Forests and Taking It to Scale: The Case of China The WWF and IKEA Co-operation on Forest Projects selected two local forestry bureaus in northeast China as pilot sites for implementing SFM techniques. HCVFs were identified and assessed in the 420,000 hectares of forests managed by these two bureaus. The detailed work mapped out HCVFs as areas that should be set aside as nature reserves, areas where logging should be banned, and areas with important stands of Korean pine. It also led to these two forestry bureaus achieving the first FSC certification of state-owned forests in China. After their participation in this work, the two involved provincial governments firmly embraced the HCVF concept. The Jilin Forestry Department introduced HCVF identification into its five-year provincial forestry development plan, and in Heilongjiang province, the HCVF concept will be integrated into the provincial standard for identifying forests that provide key ecological benefits. Alongside this HCVF work, the projects also led to the identification of potential HCVFs at the landscape and regional levels within northeast China and Inner Mongolia. In 2006, China’s State Forestry Administration incorporated the HCVF concept into the national guidelines on SFM planning. Thus, areas identified as HCVFs will be designated priority areas for sustainable management or protection. These guidelines are to be distributed to all provinces in China for implementation by local government or forest management units. Source: WWF 2007. NOTE 3.1: MAINSTREAMING CONSERVATION CONSIDERATIONS INTO PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES 107
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Figure 3.3<br />
<strong>HCV</strong>F Identification and Follow-up: The Ideal Picture<br />
Global toolkit<br />
Identify<br />
• What are the potential <strong>HCV</strong>s in this region<br />
or country?<br />
• Which values occur in the forest area?<br />
• Where are these values located?<br />
• Available data<br />
• Existing<br />
classifications<br />
• Expert opinion and<br />
individual expertise<br />
• Working group<br />
with balanced<br />
representation<br />
National interpretation<br />
Manage<br />
• What are existing threats to these values?<br />
• What forest area is needed to maintain<br />
this value?<br />
• How should this forest area be managed?<br />
Revision<br />
Monitor<br />
• What needs to be monitored?<br />
• What measurable parameters and thresholds<br />
for action can be identified?<br />
• How will monitoring be done?<br />
• How will the results off monitoring be used?<br />
<strong>HCV</strong>F <strong>Resource</strong> <strong>Network</strong><br />
process draws on sources of data that are already available<br />
(box 3.10), which may take many forms.<br />
Obtaining reliable maps is an important component<br />
of the process. The maps may include data on recent forest<br />
cover, hydrology, elevation, and slope, but many<br />
national mapping processes give further useful details on<br />
habitats, soil type, and current or planned land use.<br />
Existing data and maps can be combined with specifically<br />
commissioned surveys to build a picture of the location<br />
of the values.<br />
Box 3.6<br />
Identifying <strong>HCV</strong>Fs in State <strong>Forests</strong> and Taking It to Scale: The Case of China<br />
The WWF and IKEA Co-operation on Forest Projects<br />
selected two local forestry bureaus in northeast China<br />
as pilot sites for implementing SFM techniques.<br />
<strong>HCV</strong>Fs were identified and assessed in the 420,000<br />
hectares of forests managed by these two bureaus. The<br />
detailed work mapped out <strong>HCV</strong>Fs as areas that should<br />
be set aside as nature reserves, areas where logging<br />
should be banned, and areas with important stands of<br />
Korean pine. It also led to these two forestry bureaus<br />
achieving the first FSC certification of state-owned<br />
forests in China. After their participation in this work,<br />
the two involved provincial governments firmly<br />
embraced the <strong>HCV</strong>F concept. The Jilin Forestry<br />
Department introduced <strong>HCV</strong>F identification into its<br />
five-year provincial forestry development plan, and in<br />
Heilongjiang province, the <strong>HCV</strong>F concept will be integrated<br />
into the provincial standard for identifying<br />
forests that provide key ecological benefits. Alongside<br />
this <strong>HCV</strong>F work, the projects also led to the identification<br />
of potential <strong>HCV</strong>Fs at the landscape and regional<br />
levels within northeast China and Inner Mongolia. In<br />
2006, China’s State Forestry Administration incorporated<br />
the <strong>HCV</strong>F concept into the national guidelines<br />
on SFM planning. Thus, areas identified as <strong>HCV</strong>Fs will<br />
be designated priority areas for sustainable management<br />
or protection. These guidelines are to be distributed<br />
to all provinces in China for implementation by<br />
local government or forest management units.<br />
Source: WWF 2007.<br />
NOTE 3.1: MAINSTREAMING CONSERVATION CONSIDERATIONS INTO PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES 107
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