Synopsis:
Recognizing that natural and human disturbances cause significant changes to landscape composition and ecosystem function, this report aims to identify and describe key indicators of environmental sustainability, categorized by vegetation, biodiversity, and watershed characteristics. Measurable indicators of environmental sustainability, including landscape indicators summarized in the vegetation indicators category, were distilled from a wide-ranging literature review. These indicators are intended to serve as metrics of environmental quality that assist land use planners in determining if management goals have been reached. As such, the report provides an overview, assessment, and recommended uses for broad-scale and fine scale landscape indicators. Broad-scale vegetation indicators focus on landscape metrics such as cover type and amount, patch shape, core area and edge metrics, the distribution and juxtaposition of patches, and landscape fragmentation and connectivity. Fine-scale vegetation indicators include information on tree species, forest canopy cover, and the amounts of dead wood and vascular understory cover in relation to ecosystem processes and function.
Conclusions:
Report identifies and describes key indicators of environmental sustainability, categorized by vegetation, biodiversity, and watershed characteristics to serve as metrics of environmental quality. Broad-scale and fine scale landscape indicators are reviewed. Broad-scale vegetation indicators include metrics such as cover type and amount, patch shape, core area and edge metrics, the distribution and juxtaposition of patches, and landscape fragmentation and connectivity which help land planners monitor and set targets for managing landscape change.
Thresholds/Learnings:
