A fundamental truth or law as the basis of reasoning . Principles are the broad goals of sustainable forest management. Criteria define a principle and provide the basis of assessing whether the goals for sustainable forest management are being achieved. A measure by which a criterion is judged by.
Indicators are quantitative or qualitative variables which can be measured or described.
They provide verifiable measures of change in a criterion over time. A defined measure that an aspect or component of forest management must achieve to be sustainable. Standards represent a minimum measurable level of objectives and targets for management that must be obtained in order to achieve sustainable forest management.