Measuring and responding to forest degradation in Canada: an operational framework
Abstract
Forest degradation resulting from human disturbance is a global concern that contributes to biodiversity loss, climate change, and reduced human health and well-being. The objective of this paper is to develop a framework for measuring and responding to forest degradation, and to identify a suite of indicators of forest change and describe their potential utility. The most significant challenges associated with measuring and responding to degradation are the lack of an agreed upon reference condition, the attribution of indicator change to specific pressures, and the integration of multiple indicators. We make seven recommendations that will improve our capacity to measure and respond to degradation including using a phased and adaptive process that integrates research with monitoring, and the integration of field-based research and remote sensing with ecosystem models to evaluate outcomes in relation to …
abstract: “Forest degradation resulting from human disturbance is a global concern that contributes to biodiversity loss, climate change, and reduced human health and well-being. The objective of this paper is to develop a framework for measuring and responding to forest degradation, and to identify a suite of indicators of forest change and describe their potential utility. The most significant challenges associated with measuring and responding to degradation are the lack of an agreed upon reference condition, the attribution of indicator change to specific pressures, and the integration of multiple indicators. We make seven recommendations that will improve our capacity to measure and respond to degradation including using a phased and adaptive process that integrates research with monitoring, and the integration of field-based research and remote sensing with ecosystem models to evaluate outcomes in relation to …” authors:
- L_Venier
- Barry Cooke
- Eliot McIntire
- James P Brandt
- Dan McKenney
- Diana Stralberg
- Andre Arsenault
- Karima Bakka
- Anna Drake
- Jason Edwards
- E_Emilson
- Ben Filewod
- Caroline Gagné
- Martin P Girardin
- Chelene C Hanes
- Andrew Judge
- Jason Leach
- Katalijn MacAfee
- Heather MacDonald
- Chris JK MacQuarrie
- Nicolas Mansuy
- Christa Mooney
- Dave M Morris
- Eric W Neilson
- Romi Oshier
- David Paré
- Douglas EB Reid
- Byron Smiley
- Carolyn Smyth
- Ellen Whitman
- Joanne C White
- Graham Stinson featured: false projects: [] publication: ‘Environmental Reviews’ publication_short: '' publication_types:
- “2” date: ‘2025-05-26T00:00:00Z’ publishDate: ‘2026-01-02’ title: ‘Measuring and responding to forest degradation in Canada: an operational framework’ url_pdf: “https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/er-2024-0085" url_source: “https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/er-2024-0085"
Lisa Venier
Research Scientist
I research biota (large and small) as indicators of sustaniable forest management
Erik J.S. Emilson
Research Scientist, Watershed Ecology Team Lead, Associate Editor CJFR
I am interested in how forests support freshwater ecosystem services. My research combines microbial and molecular approaches to undertand how forest productivity and disturbances affect ecosystem functions in headwater streams and lakes.