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The International Sustainable Forestry Coalition (ISFC) has commenced a project to explore the nature-related data that is available from its member forestry companies and forest investment managers in their respective forests across 35 countries. Source: Timberbiz “The idea of a coordinated process to look at how nature is quantified across different regions and forest types is a first step to creating standardized systems of natural capital accounting and reporting,” Chief Executive Officer of ISFC, Mr Ross Hampton said. “As more and more investors seek to evolve their portfolio of investments towards more ‘nature positive’ outcomes the forestry sector will have an important role to play. “This survey across our membership, which steward a combined 16 m hectares (40 million acres) of forest, is an initial step in contributing to that goal.” Chair of the ISFC Nature Survey Committee and Managing Partner of Dasos Capital Oy and CapMan Natural Capital, Dr Olli Haltia said that nature accounting is also held back by differences in definitions, metrics and KPIs, which make it challenging for investors to compare ‘apples with apples.’ “Whilst ISFC Member companies all strive for a ‘best in class’ approach in their environmental management, they often apply different labels to similar initiatives. Our survey will help sift and coalesce terms and descriptors. If we can move even one step towards a more common lexicon it will be a leap forward for the creation of an investable Natural Capital asset class,” he said. The ISFC is a not-for-profit Association, headquartered in the United Kingdom, which brings together global forestry owners, managers, investors and fibre-using businesses. The ISFC has commissioned the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) to conduct the ‘Nature Measures’ survey.