• Climate Change Adaptation

    RR-FM-450a.1: Description of strategy to manage opportunities for and risks to forest management and timber production presented by climate change

    OBJECTIVE 9. CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY

    Performance Measure 9.1 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address the climate change risks to forests and forest operations and develop appropriate adaptation objectives and strategies. Strategies are based on best scientific information.

    Indicator 1. Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify climate change risks and prioritize them based on the likelihood, nature, severity of their expected impact to their forest lands or forest tenures.

    Indicator 2. Certified Organizations shall develop an adaptation plan to address priority climate change risks, via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements for potential adaptive management including: a. periodic updates of forest inventory and recalculation of planned harvests as appropriate to account for changes in growth due to productivity increases or decreases, including improved data, long-term drought, fertilization, climate change, or forest health; b. access to growth and yield modeling capabilities; c. documented harvest trends within long-term sustainable levels identified in the forest management plan, and d. appropriate research, testing, evaluation, and deployment of improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings.

    Indicator 3. Certified Organizations shall document how their adaptation plan objectives and strategies fit within broader regional climate adaptation strategies and plans, where they exist.

    Indicator 4. Certified Organizations shall report annually to SFI Inc. their progress towards achieving climate change adaptation strategies and plans.

    Performance Measure 9.2 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address opportunities to mitigate the effects associated with its forest operations on climate change.

    Indicator 1: Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify and address opportunities to enhance the climate benefits associated with forest management operations on the forests they own or manage via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements such as: a. Objective 2 – Forest Health and Productivity; Objective 10 – Fire Resilience and Awareness; and/or other silvicultural or operational practices to enhance the climate benefits associated with their forest operations.

    Indicator 2: Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify and address opportunities to enhance ecosystem resilience for the forests they own or manage via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements including: a. prompt reforestation or planned natural reforestation as per Indicator 2.1.1; b. adequate regeneration and appropriate actions to correct understocked areas, and c. evaluation for afforestation of areas that are not ecologically important, and d. protection of desirable or planned advanced regeneration during harvest and the retention of vigorous trees during partial harvest.

    Indicator 3: Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall develop a program to identify and address greenhouse gas emissions within their operational control.

    Indicator 4: Certified Organizations shall report annually to SFI Inc. their measures to mitigate climate change associated with forest operations.