Family Forest Blog
February 14, 2018
Bringing Our Impact Into Focus: A Recap of the 2018 NLC
Each year, the American Tree Farm System hosts more than 250 individuals from the Tree Farm network including inspectors, Tree Farmers, state committee leaders and policy supporters to its three-day National Leadership Conference. This year, the event’s focus was on strategies and opportunities to grow, strengthen and increase the impact of the program.
February 12, 2018
AFF Supports the Introduction of the Forestry Recovery Act of 2018
Today, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) applauded Representatives Buddy Carter (R-GA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Ralph Abraham (R-LA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Steven Palazzo (R-MS) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) on introducing new legislation that would provide family and private forest owners a better chance to recover after a natural disaster by being able to deduct their timber losses through the tax code.
February 9, 2018
A Look into Conservation Projects in the Central Apps
In an effort to increase the capacity of local organizations working to enhance bird and wildlife habitat in the Central Appalachia, AFF launched a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to support work in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York.
February 7, 2018
AFF Statement Regarding Introduction of Empowering State Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act
The American Forest Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters offered their support for Empowering State Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act of 2018, a bill introduced by Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Glenn Thompson (R-PA). This bipartisan legislation would direct funding toward the highest priority forest conservation projects, resulting in measurable improvements to private and family-owned forests and nearby National Forest System lands.
January 30, 2018
Growing ATFS Certification: Adding a New Approach; A New $1 Million Commitment for AFF
Our nation’s forests give us an incredible bounty of riches. They filter our drinking water, they clean our air, provide habitat for wildlife, support 1 million good-paying rural jobs and help produce renewable products we rely on. In the U.S., the biggest portion of our forests are owned by families and individuals not by the government. These 21 million Americans are key to the long-term sustainability of our forests.
January 25, 2018
AFF Statement Regarding Release of USDA 2018 Farm Bill & Legislative Principles
Following is the statement that can be attributed to Tom Martin, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, in regards to the release of the 2018 Farm Bill & Legislative Principles by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Perdue.
January 10, 2018
Changing The Views of Policymakers Through Storytelling
With many new legislators and staffers coming to Washington, D.C. in 2017, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) launched a campaign to increase awareness and help inform policymakers of the importance of family woodland owners.
January 9, 2018
2017 Successes from AFF’s Placed-based Conservation Work
The Zorenskys in Colorado were able to overcome outrageous costs to restoring fire-resilency to their forests; the Smiths of Connecticut have a management plan in place to create wildlife habitat and climate-resilency in their woods; Dorothy of Alabama, a wildlife lover, now understands the benefits of forest management and just conducted her first prescribed burn. There are hundreds of stories like these thanks to the American Forest Foundation’s (AFF) conservation work with partners and family forest owners across the U.S.
January 4, 2018
My MassConn Woods Helps Landowners in Climate Informed Management
Beginning in 2013, the American Forest Foundation formed a partnership, the My MassConn Woods project, with the MassConn Sustainable Forest Partnership and the New England Forestry Foundation to work together to engage landowners in active forest management in the region that borders the Massachusetts and Connecticut to help improve overall forest health and wildlife habitat.
February 3, 2017
Report: Protecting Northeastern Wildlife Habitat
Learn more about the role family-owned forests can play in protecting and improving key wildlife habitat in the Northeastern U.S.
September 14, 2016
Report: Southern Wildlife at Risk
The Southern forests in the U.S. host more wildlife than any other region of the country. With ownership of 134 million acres, families and individuals can play a vitally important role in protecting and improving wildlife habitat, meeting demand for wood products, and maintaining overall forest health across the South.
October 19, 2015
Report: Western Water Threatened by Wildfire
As wildfire seasons continue to worsen, clean water sources are being put at risk. Addressing this issue requires working across both public and private lands and empowering landowners with the tools and resources they need to take action.