ASTM D7480-21

Standard Guide for Evaluating the Attributes of a Forest Management Plan

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This guide is intended to be used by developers of standards and other documents in the field of renewable resources and green building to evaluate whether the attributes of a specific forest management system meet the intent of sustainable forest management.  
5.2 In addition to the attributes addressed by this document, some users may wish to impose other evaluation criteria intended to satisfy goals beyond maintaining sustained-yield and sustainable forest management. While these issues are not specifically addressed in this guide, some are discussed in Appendix X1, Commentary.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides a list of criteria and indicators that have been shown to be useful in achieving the goals of a sustainable forest management plan. This guide lists a set of criteria considered to be important for the following tasks:  
1.1.1 To describe, assess, and evaluate progress toward sustainability of forest management at the national, regional, or individual forest level.  
1.1.2 To inform the policy debate at regional, national, and international levels.  
1.1.3 To evaluate the attributes of a forest management certification or evaluation system with a specific combination of forest management principles, practices, or adaptations, where such practices are evaluated against a set of prescribed standards. Although this guide provides a qualitative list of criteria for evaluation of forest conditions, it does not purport to recommend any specific forest management certification or evaluation system or subset of overall attributes. The guide does not replace forest certification or verification standards.  
1.2 This guide will require compilation of information from multiple sources across various governmental and nongovernmental agencies. For this guide to be useful, it is recommended that the information collected is in alignment with that which is already collected for other purposes; otherwise these indicators may be too great an effort to combine in a timely fashion.
Note 1: Although this document provides general guidance applicable to forests and forest products from many countries, its initial application is expected to focus on North America.  
1.3 This guide cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment such as that provided by foresters, forest scientists, and wood technologists.  
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2021
• ICS: 65.020.40 - Landscaping and silviculture
• Technical Committee: D07 - Wood
• Drafting Committee: D07.08 - Forests

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D7480 − 21
Standard Guide for
1
Evaluating the Attributes of a Forest Management Plan
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7480; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.1 This guide provides a list of criteria and indicators that
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
have been shown to be useful in achieving the goals of a
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
sustainable forest management plan. This guide lists a set of
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
criteria considered to be important for the following tasks:
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.1.1 To describe, assess, and evaluate progress toward
sustainabilityofforestmanagementatthenational,regional,or
2. Referenced Documents
individual forest level.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1.2 To inform the policy debate at regional, national, and
international levels. D9 Terminology Relating to Wood and Wood-Based Prod-
ucts
1.1.3 To evaluate the attributes of a forest management
certification or evaluation system with a specific combination
3. Terminology
of forest management principles, practices, or adaptations,
where such practices are evaluated against a set of prescribed
3.1 Definitions—Standard definitions of wood terms are
standards. Although this guide provides a qualitative list of
given in Terminology D9.
criteria for evaluation of forest conditions, it does not purport
3.2 Definitions of Terms Related to the Field of Forestry:
to recommend any specific forest management certification or
3.2.1 criterion, n—category of conditions or processes by
evaluation system or subset of overall attributes. The guide
which sustainable forest management may be assessed.
does not replace forest certification or verification standards.
3.2.1.1 Discussion—A criterion is characterized by a set of
1.2 This guide will require compilation of information from
related indicators which are monitored periodically to assess
3
multiple sources across various governmental and nongovern-
change. Montréal Process
mental agencies. For this guide to be useful, it is recommended
3.2.2 ecosystem, n—dynamic system of plants, animals, and
that the information collected is in alignment with that which
other organisms, together with the non-living components of
is already collected for other purposes; otherwise these indi-
the environment functioning as an independent unit. Montréal
cators may be too great an effort to combine in a timely
3
Process
fashion.
3.2.3 forest management, n—branch of forestry concerned
NOTE 1—Although this document provides general guidance applicable
to forests and forest products from many countries, its initial application with the overall administrative, economic, legal and social
is expected to focus on North America.
aspectsandwiththeessentiallyscientificandtechnicalaspects,
especially silviculture, protection and forest regulation. Natu-
1.3 This guide cannot replace education or experience and
4
should be used in conjunction with professional judgment such ral Resources Canada
as that provided by foresters, forest scientists, and wood
3.2.4 forest type, n—category of forest defined by its
technologists.
vegetation, particularly composition, and/or locality, as catego-
rized by each country in a system suitable to its situation.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3
Montréal Process
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
2
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D07 on Wood and is the ASTM website.
3
the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D07.08 on Forests. Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators, Fifth Ed., Sept. 2015, Online:
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2021. Published October 2021. Originally https://bit.ly/3s8kozZ.
4
approved in 2008. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as D7480–08 (2014). Forestry
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D7480 − 08 (Reapproved 2014) D7480 − 21
Standard Guide for
1
Evaluating the Attributes of a Forest Management Plan
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7480; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide provides a list of criteria and indicators that have been shown to be useful in achieving the goals of a sustainable
forest management plan. This guide lists a set of criteria considered to be important for the following tasks:
1.1.1 To describe, assess, and evaluate progress toward sustainability of forest management at the national, regional, or individual
forest level.
1.1.2 To inform the policy debate at regional, national, and international levels.
1.1.3 To evaluate the attributes of a forest management certification or evaluation system with a specific combination of forest
management principles, practices, or adaptations, where such practices are evaluated against a set of prescribed standards.
Although this guide provides a qualitative list of criteria for evaluation of forest conditions, it does not purport to recommend any
specific forest management certification or evaluation system or subset of overall attributes. The guide does not replace forest
certification or verification standards.
1.2 This guide will require compilation of information from multiple sources across various governmental and nongovernmental
agencies. For this guide to be useful, it is recommended that the information collected is in alignment with that which is already
collected for other purposes; otherwise these indicators may be too great an effort to combine in a timely fashion.
NOTE 1—Although this document provides general guidance applicable to forests and forest products from many countries, its initial application is
expected to focus on North America.
1.3 This guide cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment such as that
provided by foresters, forest scientists, and wood technologists.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D07 on Wood and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D07.08 on Forests.
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2014Oct. 1, 2021. Published February 2014October 2021. Originally approved in 2008. Last previous edition approved in 20082014 as
D7480–08. –08 (2014). DOI: 10.1520/D7480-08R14.10.1520/D7480-21.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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D7480 − 21
TABLE 1 Criteria 1–6
Criterion Element Indicator
1. Conservation of biological 1.1 Ecosystem diversity 1.1a Area and percent of forest by forest ecosystem type, successional stage, age class,
diversity and forest ownership or tenure
1.1b Area and percent of forest in protected areas by forest ecosystem type and by age
class or successional stage
1.1c Fragmentation of forests
1.2 Species diversity 1.2a Number of native forest associated species
1.2b Number and status of native forest associated species at risk, as determined by
legislation or scientific assessment
1.2c Status of on site and off site efforts focused on conservation of species diversity
1.3 Genetic diversity 1.3a Number and geographic distribution of forest associated species at risk of losing
genetic variation and locally adapted genotypes
1.3b Population levels of selected representative forest associated species to describe
genetic diversity
1.3c Status of on site and off site efforts focused on conservation of genetic diversity
2. Maintenance of productive 2.a Area and percent of forest land and net area of forest
...