American Tree Farm System Honors Bill Chaney as 2019 National Outstanding Inspector of the Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 14, 2019)—The American Tree Farm System® (ATFS) is pleased to recognize Bill Chaney of Arkansas as the 2019 National Outstanding Inspector of the Year. Chaney was selected from among more than 2,500 inspectors nationwide for his exceptional on-the-ground work with family forest owners and commitment to the American Tree Farm System.
“Bill is one of those individuals who doesn’t just see his role as a forest inspector as a volunteer job, but as a calling to serve,” said Tom Martin, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, which administers and oversees the ATFS program. “He has an incredible passion for serving his community and the Tree Farmers of Arkansas; his work recruiting, mentoring and certifying landowners is making a true impact on the sustainability of our forests and the resources – wildlife, clean water, wood – that they provide.”
Chaney has been active in the Arkansas Tree Farm Committee for more than two decades, serving as Chair of the committee in 2011-2012. He frequently gives presentations to landowners within his District on relevant forestry topics and can often be found attending ATFS field days and educational events. He is constantly spreading the good word about Tree Farm – encouraging landowners to join, or fellow foresters to volunteer as inspectors. In 2018 alone, he certified nearly 50 new Tree Farmers to the program.
Chaney has worked for the Arkansas Forestry Commission as a county forester for more than 28 years. He is also an active member of the Arkansas Forestry Association and has served as a mentor to numerous foresters and landowners throughout his tenure.
Inspectors in ATFS provide forestry advice and technical assistance to family forest owners, and certify their property meets rigorous third-party standards of sustainability. The Outstanding Inspector of the Year award annually recognizes those inspectors who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve the ATFS community. Chaney was among four regional Outstanding Inspectors – Kelly Norris of Wyoming, Gary Bucklin of Michigan, and Dan Lewis of Maryland. He received his national award on February 27 at the 2019 ATFS National Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
Contact: Elizabeth Greener; (202) 253-1096; egreener@forestfoundation.org
The American Tree Farm System® is a network of 73,000 family forest owners sustainable managing 19 million acres of forestland. ATFS is the largest and oldest sustainable woodland program in the United States, internationally recognized, meeting strict third-party certification standards. The American Tree Farm System® is a program of the American Forest Foundation, a national forest conservation organization that works on the ground with families, partners and elected officials to promote stewardship for healthier forests.
Related Articles
May 28, 2025
New Report Details Innovative Approach to Permanence for Natural Climate Solutions
The American Forest Foundation released today “A Trust for Permanence: Enabling a New Generation of Permanent Nature-Based Credits in the Voluntary Carbon Market,” a new concept paper that details an innovative approach to ensuring the quality and integrity of credits produced through natural climate solutions (NCS).
May 20, 2025
In Historic First, Program Enrolls 1,000 Family Landowners in New Market Opportunity
The American Forest Foundation announced today that their Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) has reached a critical milestone, enrolling 1,000 landowners, who now have access to income through the voluntary carbon market. This is the first and only forest carbon program to enroll these many small-acreage landowners in the nation.
May 15, 2025
Statement: Committees Take First Step in Supporting Forest Landowners in Reconciliation
Today, the US House Agriculture Committee and Ways and Means Committees took the first steps in supporting the more than 21 million American family forest owners by protecting and growing voluntary conservation programs and maintaining important tax provisions.