I like the yes/no approach.
For robust ecological forest management criteria here are nine condensed from the Ecological Forest Management book written by Jerry Franklin, Norm Johnson, and Debbie Johnson
Table A
| Ecological Forestry Criteria | Not Ecological Focused Silviculture Comparison |
|---|---|
| 1) Multi-age: Ecological forestry utilizes multi-or uneven-aged management regimes | Utilizes even-aged management regimes on high-productivity sites and selection (high-grading) on low-productivity sites |
| 2) Native species: focuses on native species and genotypes that provide an array of ecological and other values | Focuses on fast-growing species with desirable financial characteristics, often with tree improvement and genetic engineering |
| 3) Landscape planning: stand-level treatments focus on maintenance of ecosystem processes and structures across the landscape context | Landscape context of stand-level treatments focuses on efficiency of harvest patch, road, and logging design |
| 4) Harvest rotation: utilizes rotation lengths or periodic partial cutting entries that allow expression of forest complexity | Utilizes financially determined rotations on high-productivity sites and opportunistic removals on low-productivity sites |
| 5) Retention: utilizes variable-retention regeneration harvesting practices | Utilizes clearcut regeneration harvesting practices on high-production sites |
| 6) Complexity: emphasizes complexity in thinning and, consequently, on modifying understory and midstory conditions as well as overstory conditions to restore natural condition. |
Retains defective tress and structures (e.g., snahs, logs, cavities, and brooms) and may create additional such features during treatments.
Values complexity and heterogeneity.|Emphasizes contribution of thinning to financial return and consequently, on concentrating growing stock on the most efficient growth engines.
Eliminates defective trees and structures and does not create more.
Values simplicity and homogeneity.|
|7) Risk management: emphasizes ecosystem diversity and resilience to reduce risks from major ecosystem disruptions|Emphasizes fast-growing species on short rotations to reduce financial risks|
|8) Diverse successional stages: Seeks to maintain an array of ecosystem conditions (e.g., successional stages) at larger spatial scales, including older trees and forest and early successional ecosystems|Seeks to maintain age variants of single successional stage (young forests) at larger spatial scales; does not include older trees and forest or early successional ecosystems as management goals|
|9) Natural disturbance: Considers and incorporates impacts of natural disturbances|Attempts to eliminate or avoid potential for natural disturbances|