American Tree Farm Program is a part of the American Forest Foundation and is the Timberland Certification avenue for private landowners to have their timber certified under the SFI -Sustainable Forest Initiative umbrella.
SFI is a standard to promote sustainable forest management through 9 principles, 13 objectives, 34 performance measures and 102 indicators developed to meet a standard that addresses key environmental, social and economic forest values. This is a base for forest certification for the timber and wood products that may come from a landowners forest.
You can read more about SFI and the American Tree Farm Program at these web sites:
The Tree Farm Program incorporates a Forest Management Plan that includes, a Timber Appraisal for a Bases Value that allows for Timber Management, wildlife habitat management, urban forestry, recreation, forest inventory, Hunting Leases, Timber Sale Administration, recreation, water quality, invasive plants, herbicides, prescribed burning, special sites, road construction, water quality, reforestation and afforestation. A Forest Management Plan will help when a timber trespass occurs since you will have had a timber appraisal completed for the Plan.
Many landowners that are participating in the American Tree Farm Program not only benefit from the timber certification they are part of a family of forest landowners in their state and nationally. A Tree Farmer can choose to attend State and National Meetings where they can meet other landowners and natural resources professionals while enjoying educational and fun activities.
Get Started have a Forest Management Plan written and begin with at least Timber Management with a Timber Appraisal for future timber sales administration and if your are an absentee landowner a hunting lease for an on site caretaker through a hunter.
