How effective is the audit process in achieving its intended objectives?
We believe that the IFA is generally effective in assessing compliance with the planning, implementation and licensing aspects of forest management, but is not as effective as it should be in assessing sustainability aspects of planning and implementation. Limitations in assessing sustainability are related to both factors external to the IFA (i.e., the planning process, the state of the science of sustainability measurement) as well as to the manner in which the IFA is implemented. We also believe that the IFA is generally effective in assessing how well forest management objectives are met, subject to inherent limitations imposed on the IFA by the absence of available data and the qualitative nature of some objectives. We further believe that the IFA is generally effective in assessing the responses to recommendations identified in previous audits. Does the audit program function in an efficient manner, given the resources it utilizes? We believe that there are opportunities to enhan
