Relating to the Use of Criteria and Indicators for
Sustainable Forest Management

WHEREAS, the United States has been part of the Montreal Process, whose member countries comprise about 90 percent of the world's temperate and boreal forests, as well as some tropical forest areas

WHEREAS, the Montreal agreed at their last June meeting to prepare a First Approximation Report on each country's status of their implementation of Criteria and Indicators (C&I) for conservation and sustainable management of their forests for the World Forestry Congress in October, 1997.

WHEREAS, the use of Criteria and Indicators (C&I) to define and implement sustainable forest management (SFM) may be a valuable vehicle to establish a clearer vision for the management of the nation's public and private forest lands.

WHEREAS, NASF and its NIPF landowners represent a unique land tenure and political complex that must be adequately represented in any dialogue on sustainable forest management in the United States.

WHEREAS, NASF did participate with other individuals from government agencies, the forest products industry, environmental organizations, and academia at a Criteria and Indicator Workshop held in Washington, D.C. in March 1996 which provided a forum for assessing, from a U.S. perspective, the 7 criteria and 67 indicators of sustainable forest management agreed upon by the Montreal Process.

WHEREAS, the preparation and release of the Montreal Process's First Approximation Report will increase the domestic awareness and potential implications of use of C&I for sustainable forest management, especially as it relates to overall forest planning at the national level and adequate support and attention should be given by the appropriate Federal agencies to this report.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NASF urges that the United States Forest Service (USFS):

1. Assure adequate support and inter agency and intra agency cooperation for data gathering and reporting of C&I information for sustainable forest management of the nation's forests.
2. Establish a permanent home for the criteria and indicators project within the USFS.
3. Work with NASF to assure that NASF and state and private landowners are adequately represented in continuing dialogue on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in the United States.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT NASF is committed to develop an official liaison within its organization to participate in the ongoing and increasing International Forestry activities that affect its programs.

Copies of this resolution will be sent to the Secretary of Agriculture, Chief of the Forest Service, Deputies for Research and International Forestry, and the American Forest and Paper Association, the Office of Oceanographic, Scientific and Environmental affairs at the U.S. State Department.

NASF ACTION:

( X ) Approved Attest: Stanley F. Hamilton

Date of Action 9/26/96 Witness: L. Earl Peterson