Transcript Slide 1
High Conservation Values Forests of the European North of Russia Approaches to conservation and sustainable use Workshop Syktyvkar, 1st April 2009 Dr Christopher Stewart – HCV Network Manager [email protected] www.hcvnetwork.org HCV Network aims for this meeting • Sustainable forest management - status in N. Russia • Broad discussion of HCVF in N. Russia – evolving definitions, identification, management • Sharing experience of HCV identification and management in rest of world • Understanding what HCV concept can, and cannot achieve within FSC certification context in N. Russia • Seek consensus on HCV definitions and management in Russia • Seek consistency with rest of world • Seek ways for HCV Network to support Russian stakeholders to progress conservation and sustainable use goals High Conservation Values A powerful tool for promoting conservation within productive landscapes Syktyvkar, 1st April 2009 Dr Christopher Stewart – HCV Network Manager [email protected] www.hcvnetwork.org History • Devised by Forest Stewardship Council in 1999 – Solution to debates over ‘primary forest’, ‘old-growth forest’, ‘well-developed forest’… – Focuses on exceptional values and how to maintain them – Implications: all forests have a value but some are more important than others – If HCVs are present, specific precautions are necessary • Toolkit developed by ProForest in 2003 • HCV concept very widely adopted in other (non-FSC) schemes • Now entering a critical phase of testing in nonforest and conversion contexts What is the HCV framework? • A set of explicit criteria (the six HCVs) • An assessment process for conservation priorities • A management decision tool • A key component of major sustainability standards Definitions •High Conservation Value (HCV) – a biological, ecological, social or cultural value of outstanding significance or critical importance at the national, regional or global scale. •HCV Forest or Area - An area which possesses one or more HCV attributes (1+ of the 6 values) and •HCV Management Area- The area that needs to be appropriately managed to maintain or enhance HCVs The six High Conservation Values (I) Biodiversity HCV1 - Significant concentrations of biodiversity values (RTE species, endemics, migratory etc). Landscapes HCV2 – Landscape-level areas (e.g. forests) where species exist in natural patterns of distribution and abundance. Ecosystems HCV3 - Rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems. The six High Conservation Values (II) Ecosystem services HCV4 - Basic ecosystem services in critical situations. Livelihoods HCV 5 - Basic needs of local communities. Cultural identity HCV6 - Local communities’ traditional cultural identity The HCV process Identify Monitor Consultation Manage HCV management • HCVs are identified and located in space • HCV management defined within specific areas (from punctual sites up to whole concessions) • Management should be specific for each HCV, but some measures may maintain several HCVs • Minimum requirement: must not damage HCVs • Appropriate forest management operations are permitted (range of measures from conservation areas, restoration, to sustainable use of forest resources) • Should be designed in consultation with forest stakeholders • Should be monitored for continuous improvement HCV process at different scales • At the project or site scale: – Requires that critical values are identified and managed – Ensures they are not harmed or destroyed by management operations – Industry-level responsibility • At the landscape scale: – Systematic framework for identifying multiple conservation benefits – Provides context for site-level HCV assessments – Responsibility shared by many stakeholders Major processes using HCV • Active commodity certification schemes – FSC, MTCC, RSPO (Palm Oil) • Natural resource sustainability standards – Basel Criteria + RTRS (soy), RTFO, RSB, Cramer Principles (Biofuels) – Climate Carbon and Biodiversity Alliance (Carbon) • Purchasing and investment policies – Many banks, manufacturers, retailers • National /regional land use planning – National/regional guidelines (Bulgaria, Romania… Russia*, China*, Indonesia*) – NGO national conservation priority mapping A few organisations with a stake in HCV… FSC certificates, Jan 09 HCVs and conversion • The HCV approach can be used with any type of land cover (grassland, wetland, forest…) • No conversion where this would adversely impact a HCV • Landscape context critical to decision making • Need to deliver maps and guidance ahead of the expansion frontier • Challenges include: – Shared and appropriate methodologies – Consistency of application – Capacity building Safeguards • HCV is a decisionmaking framework, not a stand-alone guarantee of sustainability • Precautionary approach • Issues of land tenure and legality • Requires governance and monitoring