Evaluation of sets on indicators and verifiers to assess the biodiversity of tropical forests (1999-2002)

Prof. R. Schlaepfer, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL
Dr. J. Poulsen, CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia
Prof. R. Spichiger, Conservatory and botanical garden of Geneva

Goal

• to give a scientific foundation to selected indicators and verifiers to assess the biological diversity in tropical forests.

Objectives

• to test sets of indicators and verifiers to assess the biodiversity of tropical forests at the local level
• to use these indicators and verifiers to assess the effects of fragmentation on forest biodiversity at the landscape level
• to contribute with these sets of indicators and verifiers to management decisions for sustainable use of forests

Abstract
The need for new criteria, indicators and verifiers for the biodiversity assessment as part of sustainable forest management of tropical forests has been identified as a priority by many international organisations.

This research intends to contribute to this process by the study of a certain number of sets of indicators and verifiers at two levels: landscape and local scales.