HCVF Toolkit
Guidance for High Conservation Value Forests assessment
Why is this important?
The idea behind High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) goes far beyond the question of which forests should be managed and which not - but helps choose the right management for the protection of identified values.
Knowing where HCVFs are enables the forest industry to avoid business activities which promote their destruction and degradation.
HCVF in action
To adapt the generic HCVF concept to different countries, a wide range of stakeholders are called upon to work together. In Russia’s Arkhangelsk Region for instance, a working group has recently been formed to develop and field test the best methodology for identifying HCVFs in a local context.
Through the WWF/IKEA cooperation, the HCVF concept is also being implemented in countries like Romania and China.
How it works
The Toolkit is divided into three parts. After the Introduction, which is intended for all users, people will either use either Part 2 (national HCVF working groups) or Part 3 (forest managers).
The three parts cover the following areas:
- Part 1: Introduction to HCVF
Part 1 gives a general introduction to the concept of HCVF and how different users can apply it.
- Part 2: Defining High Conservation Values at a national level: a practical guide
Part 2 provides a practical methodology to be used at a national level for defining High Conservation Values. The intended audience is working groups, which will often be part of a standards development process.
- Part 3: Identifying and managing High Conservation Values Forests: a guide for forest managers
This part of the Toolkit is aimed at forest managers, other land managers, investors, donors, and conservation practitioners who wish to implement HCVF in the absence of a ratified FSC national standard.
