ABSTRACT
Forest biodiversity refers to the variability among all forest life forms (trees, plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms) from genetics to species and ecosystems and their associated ecological processes. Conserving forest biodiversity is a fundamental goal of sustainable forestry. Therefore, governments, nongovernment organizations, academic institutions, corporations, partnerships, and others tasked with managing and conserving the world’s forests require mechanisms to monitor their progress toward this goal. One of the mechanisms to accomplish this is the use of a suite of biodiversity indicators. These indicators are measures based on data that convey information beyond what is directly measured or assessed (BIP 2011). Given the multitude of possible indicators, frameworks are used to organize them to better understand and show their relationships and interconnectedness. Indicators and indicator frameworks can be used to educate, support policy, and inform management decisions.
