Family Forest Blog
November 20, 2019
Giving Back for the Forests of Tomorrow
Vermont Tree Farmers Peter and Julie Parker went from Tree Farm newcomers to advocates of how sustainably managing forests provides many benefits to the ecosystem, including wildlife habitat.
November 8, 2019
AFF Welcomes Vulcan Materials Company as Family Forest Carbon Program Partner
The American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced today that Vulcan Materials Company (VMC), the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates, has joined AFF and its partner, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in supporting the newly-created Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) to enhance carbon sequestration in family-owned forest land across the U.S.
October 10, 2019
Two Solutions to Help More Landowners Find Support for Stewardship
Landowners in the West want to do their part to reduce wildfire risk, but they often face barriers that keep them from acting - notably finding technical assistance (from a forester) is a challenge, particularly for those who do not know whom to contact, or what programs or resources might be available to them. Secondly, when a landowner does reach out to get assistance, they are often met with another barrier – forester capacity as forester numbers are low, and of those existing foresters, time is tight. Learn more about one project in Oregon about two new strategies AFF has helped implement to reach and engage more landowners in fire reduction.
September 16, 2019
Bearing the Cost of Forest Ownership
Susan Benedict's 2,087 acre tract of forestland in Pennsylvania has been in her family for 3 generations. She is devoted to making it 5. But it hasn’t always been easy. The cost of owning – and sustainably caring for land each year has been a significant barrier.
September 3, 2019
How Different Landowners are Benefiting from the Landscape Management Plan
While family forest owners own land for a variety of reasons and have different stories to tell about their ownerships, they all care about their land and want to do the right thing. However, many also face challenges that keep them from stewardship. They struggle with knowledge and expertise on forest management, cost, and general awareness of the resources available to them. One of the most significant barriers to stewardship is not having a forest management plan.
August 22, 2019
American Forest Foundation Announces Intent to Revise ATFS Standards of Sustainability
Today, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced it itends to initiate the revision process for its Standards of Sustainability (Standards) for Forest Certification for the American Tree Farm System(ATFS) program. ATFS, a program of AFF, is internationally endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), which connects the extensive network of small family-owned forests to markets around the world.
August 19, 2019
New Tool Helps Alabama Landowners Do More on Their Land
Brinley and Martha Hocutt of Alabama can trace the ownership of the land back to the Civil War. They wanted to make sure that they were doing everything possible to ensure the health of their woodlands. With the help of AFF's Landscape Management Plan tool, they have become members of the Tree Farm program and are doing more to reach their management goals.
July 24, 2019
Forest Owners in Alabama, Maryland, Missouri and Washington Named Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers
Today, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) announced four Tree Farmer families from among more than 70,000 certified Tree Farmers as this year’s Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year. They are Stan and Suzanne Wood of Bremen, Alabama; Bill and Tina Buckel of Bittinger, Maryland; Mike Trial of Columbia, Missouri; and David and Dar New of Bellingham, Washington.
June 11, 2019
AFF Coordinators are on Board to Support America’s Family Forest Owners
Family forest owners are passionate about their land, but many landowners face barriers – such as cost, awareness, technical expertise and more – that prevent them from actively managing their woodlands. To make sure that these landowners get the help they need, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) is investing in staff to support partners and landowners in creating healthy, more resilient forests.
June 4, 2019
AFF Thanks Congress for Passage of a Disaster Aid Package
AFF applauds Congress on the passage of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act (H.R. 2157), a package to help forest owners, farmers and other Americans recover from last year’s hurricanes, wildfires and natural disasters.
June 3, 2019
A Forester's Perspective on the Landscape Management Plan
The American Forest Foundation (AFF) introduced a new approach to forest management plans, the landscape management plan to streamline the onboarding and American Tree Farm System certification process for both foresters and landowners. Hear directly from Florida Forest Service forester Greg Marshall on this new tool and how it's helping foresters spend more time with landowners.
May 28, 2019
American Forest Foundation Brings WoodsCamp to California, Accelerating Wildfire Risk Reduction
To help more California landowners access the funding and technical assistance to reduce wildfire risk and make their forestland more resilient, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) today announced release of the WoodsCamp online tool in California. The online tool gives family forest owners critically important data, resources, and access to expert advice that can improve land health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
May 28, 2019
AFF Applauds the Introduction of the Forest Recovery Act in the Senate
AFF applauds Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marco Rubio of Florida for the introduction and support of the Forestry Recovery Act (S. 1687).
May 20, 2019
Past, Present, and Future in the American Tree Farm System
Recently the American Forest Foundation (AFF) welcomed Angela Wells as the new Western Regional Tree Farm Manager. Having grown up on a certified Tree Farm, Angela has developed a deep personal connection with the program. This connection with the program is exactly what made her the perfect addition to our team.
May 20, 2019
AFF Statement on Washington’s Shared Stewardship Agreement with Forest Service
The American Forest Foundation (AFF) applauds the recent signing of a Shared Stewardship Memorandum of Understanding, which formalizes a partnership with Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Fish and Wildlife and the United States Forest Service to support shared goals and existing plans to address forest health, which is a cornerstone of reducing wildfires and providing wildlife habitat and clean water.