Productive forests are managed to provide wood-based products and ecosystem services. They range from diverse, lightly managed stands, through a continuum, to intensively managed tree plantations - and a forested landscape may have varied forest types, including production and protected forest in close proximity.

Increasingly, forest landscapes are changing in response to growing demand for forest products, land use changes, and to environmental change - particularly to climate change impacts. Productive forests have a critical role to play in mitigating the climate and biodiversity crises, and in the wellbeing of local communities. For this to happen, it’s vital that companies commit to source from landscapes where ecological, social and carbon values are protected and enhanced, in balance with sustainable production. Those companies need the capability to look beyond regulation and certification, to gain direct knowledge of their sourcing landscapes, and to engage directly with forestry companies and other stakeholders for healthy forest and community outcomes.

The HFL approach has been developed to enable companies to:

• Monitor trends in critical forest landscape attributes: tree cover, forest carbon, biodiversity and community wellbeing in their key sourcing landscapes.
• Access clear, communicable reports
• Use the report findings to have more constructive conversations about responsible sourcing requirements with supply chain partners, NGOs and other stakeholders.
• Engage directly with forest companies and other landscape stakeholders on collaborative action to improve environmental and social outcomes.

HFL uses the best available data and analysis to track metrics across specific fibre catchment areas. Where necessary, research is commissioned from expert organisations or individuals, but in many regions, existing publicly reported data and analysis is suitable. And alongside the quantitative metrics, stakeholder consultation informs each HFL assessment design and results interpretation. This engagement is also critical for effective dialogue to identify needs for change, and effective collaborative actions to bring about deep and lasting improvements.

EF has developed the HFL approach working closely with Drax Group plc, a leading UK power company and the world’s largest consumer of forest biomass for electricity generation. During 2019 – 21 Drax carried out HFL pilot projects in its US South biomass sourcing catchments and the approach is also applied to a very large pulpwood sourcing landscape in northern Sweden. Further development of the approach, and roll out to new regions is underway.

HFL Methodology HFL assessment results

Alongside steady demand for traditional materials like paper, tissue and packaging, the rise of newer forest products like wood pellets and cellulosic fibers has prompted the question: how can we sustain and heal our forest landscapes and ensure ecological, social and carbon values are protected and enhanced, in balance with sustainable production?

The HFL approach measures and evaluates the health of a forest at landscape level to help determine opportunities for positive impacts and take action to mitigate negative impacts.

It is a cycle of measurement, engagement, diagnosis, and potential intervention, leading to a transparent evaluation of forest landscape health and a collaborative path forward to address issues. HFL is also designed to provide a consistent framework for evaluation, even in different forest types and geographies.

From 2019 to 2021, Drax carried out HFL pilot projects in the US South, as well as using the approach with a very large pulpwood sourcing landscape in northern Sweden, it is to be rolled out in many new regions.

Resources

HFL uses the best available data and analysis to track metrics across specific fibre catchment areas. Where necessary, research is commissioned from expert organisations or individuals, but in many regions, existing publicly reported data and analysis is suitable. And alongside the quantitative metrics, stakeholder consultation informs each HFL assessment design and results interpretation. This engagement is also critical for effective dialogue to identify needs for change, and effective collaborative actions to bring about deep and lasting improvements.

EF has developed the HFL approach working closely with Drax Group plc, a leading UK power company and the world’s largest consumer of forest biomass for electricity generation. During 2019 – 21 Drax carried out HFL pilot projects in its US South biomass sourcing catchments and the approach is also applied to a very large pulpwood sourcing landscape in northern Sweden. Further development of the approach, and roll out to new regions is underway.

HFL Methodology HFL assessment results