%0 Research article
%T Measuring and monitoring socio-cultural sustainability in the action of forest biodiversity cooperation networks
%A Rantala, Mirja
%A Hujala, Teppo
%A Kurttila, Mikko
%D 2012
%J Silva Fennica
%V 46
%N 3
%R doi:10.14214/sf.52
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/52
%X To safeguard overall sustainability in forest resource management, the  ecological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of sustainability  should all be considered. However, the socio-cultural impacts are  frequently contemplated only weakly in sustainability assessments.  Hitherto, attempts to operationalize socio-cultural impacts arising from  economic utilization or conservation of forest resources have been  perceived as vague when compared to rigorous ecological and economic  indicators. One reason is that socio-cultural impacts of forest  management on individuals and communities are many and by nature  context- and case-specific: they need local definition, which hampers  diffusion of good solutions. This study developed a multi-criteria  method for measuring and monitoring socio-cultural impacts of forest  resource management; the case of cooperation network projects within  Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland (METSO) provided  empirical data. Based on a literature review, a set of 10 criteria and  25 indicators was compiled. Cumulative utility scores, presenting  networks’ contributions to socio-cultural sustainability, were generated  using performance, expert evaluation and weighting data and an additive  utility model. The method enables longitudinal monitoring of  socio-cultural impacts, which is beneficial because outcomes are  different at different time points of projects’ life cycles and some  appear with a delay. The method can be used in comparing sub-utility  distributions i.e. monitoring units’ performance profiles, providing  valuable information for policy-makers. The multi-criteria approach and  the list of socio-cultural criteria are internationally transferable to  other countries and contexts such as forest bioenergy, nature tourism,  watershed management, that call for analysing socio-cultural impacts of  forest resource management activity on private lands.