English - HCV Resource Network

Each component is then discussed individually and includes a rationale and
instructions/guidance to users on the identification of the presence of the value and on
managing and monitoring the forest resource to maintain the value. These sections form
the heart of the HCVF toolkit.
Rationale
The rationale provides background and justification as to why a particular attribute is
considered of high conservation value. Further, the rationale lists the specific types of
forest or forest use that should be considered as an HCV.
Identifying the Presence of the HCV
For each component, the toolkit includes a methodology for evaluating if the component
is applicable within a forest management unit. Toolkit users are asked to compile
information or answer questions that can be examined using government and forest
management planning documents, maps and satellite images, knowledge of the trends
and threats to forest resources, and consultations with local communities and other
stakeholders.
The identification process and task depends upon the complexity of each component. For
components that are relatively simple to evaluate, the toolkit includes a description of an
appropriate task to make this determination.
However, for many components (e.g. HCVs 5&6), the evaluation process will be more
complicated, time-consuming, and possibly costly. In these cases, the toolkit has divided
the process into preliminary and full assessments and, for social values, a threshold for
determining if a value is fundamental or critical to the well-being of local communities.
The preliminary assessment is a simple methodology to see if HCVs are likely to occur or
not. This acts as a coarse filter, to rapidly exclude all those forests that definitely do not
contain HCVs, and to identify forests that do potentially contain specific HCVs. The
preliminary assessment should be straightforward enough to be undertaken by people
without specialist knowledge of biological or social sciences (e.g. forest managers and
timber purchasers). The preliminary assessment is usually in the form of a “yes or no”
question and asks about the presence of certain values. For example, a preliminary
assessment may ask users to identify if communities or protected areas exist nearby an
examined FMU. If the answer to the preliminary question in yes, then the toolkit user will
need to conduct a more complete or full assessment for the value. Preliminary
assessments often utilise maps and other information that can be easily accessed by
forest managers. If a toolkit user determines that a forest area does not exhibit the
characteristics, then this HCV does not need to be further examined.
The full assessment is a more detailed methodology to identify in detail what the
potential HCVs are or to clarify that there are no HCVs. This is a more thorough
examination of the characteristics of the forest area or forest use and requires more
information and expertise. A full assessment will usually require that the toolkit user
contact relevant experts and stakeholders and/or conduct specific research and
consultations.