The National Indicators were approved by FSCU.S. in January 2001 and serve as baseline standards for the further development and refinement of the regional standards. The National Indicators are designed to “harmonize” standards across the nine biogeographic regions of the conterminous 48 states. It is important to note that significant input from certifiers, based on their experience conducting assessments, was incorporated into the National Indicators, which helps ensure the auditability of the indicators. For The Lake States Central Hardwood region, indicators 4.4.e, 5.6.a, 6.2.a, and criterion 6.4 are considered fatal flaws.