What are indicators, and how can they help us talk about sustainability?
Indicators can be viewed as measuring sticks. They are a way to make Oregon’s forest conditions and trends measurable and understandable. They can tell us what the current conditions are, and track how those conditions change over time. Oregon’s Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management are intended to address all of the state’s public and private forestlands. They also provide valuable linkages to other sustainability conversations and forest resource assessments at community, regional, national, and international scales. The department’s 2007-2009 Oregon Forests Report introduces the 19 indicators of sustainable forest management that the Board endorsed in January 2007. State, federal, tribal, and local governments, and private partners in Oregon can use these indicators in ongoing monitoring, policy development, and communications efforts. Also included in the report are the desired trends for each indicator, questions the data will be designed to answer, and statements by the Ore
