Families & forests
A newsletter for Arkansas Tree FarmerS
Standards of Sustainability essential to Tree Farm’s success T
he Standards of Sustainability are an integral part of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS). Beginning in 2010, ATFS became endorsed as a recognized certification system and the standards became the guidelines that all Tree Farmers must follow to remain as a certified forest. Every five years, the Standards undergo a review process and the changes are put into place the following year. The 20152020 Standards of Sustainability are available online at www. treefarmsystem.org/standardsreview. The first Standard—perhaps the most imporantone—addresses the management plan. No longer should a management plan be a book
that sits on the shelf, left to collect dust. It should be an active and adaptive plan that can be changed as landowners’ goals and ideas change. Landowners are now encouraged to be a part of writing their own plan and add hand-written notes, contracts or anything else that is important in putting their plan into place. In fact, ATFS has helped develop a website that allows landowners to create or update a management plan at mylandplan.org. With the management plan being so important, this is the first stop when the Tree Farm Inspector inspects/re-inspects your Tree Farm. If the management plan does not adequately address your property
SUMMER 2015
THE TREE FARM PROGRAM...
is administered by the Arkansas Forestry Association and its Tree Farm Committee. Learn more at arkforests.org. and the latest Standards, then you may not be eligible to be certified under the Tree Farm program. If a management plan does not meet the current requirements, the inspector may give you time to get your management plan updated or if the Tree Farmer does not wish to make the necessary changes then the Tree Farm will be decertified. If you have questions about your management plan you can contact Arkansas Tree Farm Program Administrator Jennifer Lambert Johnson at (501) 374-2441 or jjohnson@arkforests.org for more information.
State’s Voice, State’s Choice decides program’s future By Caroll Guffey Immediate Past Chairman Arkansas Tree Farm Committee
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easons are changing and so is the American Tree Farm System (ATFS)— or Tree Farm Program. When it began, Tree Farm was a recognition system that honored woodland owners and held to a loose set of principles. Today, the program has changed to a certificationoriented scheme in which woodland owners must meet a set of stringent Standards (see article above). As part of this transition, participating program states have been audited to ensure that Tree Farm properties meet the Standards. This allows the forests and their products to be considered “certified”—meaning that the trees and forest products can be labeled and sold as sustainably grown. Certified Arkansas Tree Farms can compete nationally and globally. Historically, ATFS has provided financial support to help states administer the program and provide incentives for the volunteer Tree Farm Inspectors. At this time, ATFS is proposing a major program change. It is called the State’s Voice, State’s Choice. Starting in
2019, states will be required to send $7,000 to ATFS to keep their status as a “certification” program. This amount will be in addition to the Arkansas Forestry Association’s (AFA) internal costs of administering the program, incentives for volunteer Tree Farm Inspectors and expenses realized for required third-party audits. These costs will far exceed the $7,000 we will have to send to ATFS. At the end of 2015, Tree Farmparticipating states will have to choose one of three directions for their program: 1. Retain the “certification” option, cover all program costs and send $7,000 to ATFS; 2. Become a “recognition” program and cover the program administration costs; or 3. Drop out of the program. In Arkansas, we have discussed these options with public and private partners that have been integral in making ours one of the best programs in the country. Now, we are asking for input from you— our valued Tree Farmers. We should not go into this decision lightly and there is no easy answer. If we keep any level of the Tree Farm Program in Arkansas, it will cost money that we have not been required to pay in the
past. Everyone involved in a future Tree Farm Program will have to have some “skin in the game”—one way of saying that to be called a certified Tree Farmer, you will have to pay for that designation. What that cost will be will be determined by what level Tree Farm Program we keep in Arkansas. Your ideas are critical. Following are highlights of the timeline: • At the end of 2015, we must select a program option. • In 2019, we must send funds to ATFS to maintain a “certification” program. • If we select the “certification” option, the Arkansas program must also cover state-level program administration, inspection and audit expenses. • If we opt for the “recognition” program, we will still have to fund administration and inspection costs. • The funding decision are a small part of the equation, but we want your opinions to help chart the future course of the Arkansas Tree Farm program. Please call Jennifer Lambert Johnson at AFA at (501) 374-2441 for more information or to provide input.
Agencies provide landowner assistance The Arkansas Forestry Commission (AFC) offers landowners a variety of technical assistance, free of charge. Contact the nearest AFC office for assistance. This includes: • Land examinations. • Written forest management plans. • Providing a sample sales contract and a list of potential markets. • Working with landowners to identify and control forest insects and diseases. • Providing information about costshare programs. • Maintaining current timber tax and tax incentive information for landowners. • Providing information and site recommendations for protection, restoration, and improvement of
water and wetland resources. Providing landowners with a list of forestry consultants and forestry vendor services. Learn more online at forestry.arkansas. gov/Services/ManageYourForests/ Pages/landownerAssistance.aspx •
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Through these programs, the agency approves contracts to provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns or opportunities to help save energy, improve soil, water, plant, air,
animal and related resources. Learn more at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/ portal/nrcs/main/ar/programs/ financial/ or call (501) 301-3100. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission offers landowners technical assistance and advice managing wildlife through a statewide staff of private lands biologists (PLBs). If you own land and would like assistance managing for wildlife, contact the PLB who covers the county where you land is located. PLBs offer recommendations to habitat based on the wildlife objectives of the landowner. Call 877-972-5438 or look online at www.agfc.com/species/Pages/ SpeciesConservationProgramsPL. aspx for more information.
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Explore trending forestry topics at AFA event T
he Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA) will hold its 70th Annual Meeting, October 6-8, at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in Hot Springs.
Kroll, aka “Dr. Deer,” a renowned wildlife management expert, who will present “Building Your Own Deer Factory.” Learn more about Dr. Kroll at www.drdeer. com.
The first session on Tuesday is forest management workshop that will address pellet mill developments, the pros and cons of hunting leases, and forestry ethics training. The general session on Wednesday kicks off with a keynote address by Andrew Baum, ArborGen president and CEO. He will address increasing supply and volume through better genetics.
The Deltic Bluegrass and BBQ event will again be held at the Hot Springs Farmers and Artisans Market.
Featuring...
‘Building Your Own Deer Factory’ with Dr. James Kroll, aka ‘Dr. Deer’
drdeer.com
Rounding out the morning will be Barry Shiver, with Smarter Forestry in Georgia, who will speak on the actual forestry methods and applications related to improved seedlings and a panel that will discuss issues related to demand, delivery and sustainability.
invited to speak during lunch on his first months in office and issues impacting forestry, which will provide the foundation for an afternoon panel on government issues, particularly the Endangered Species Act and its impact on forest management.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman has been
Wrapping up the day will be Dr. James
On Thursday morning, the meeting concludes as AFA honors a select group of individuals for their contributions to forestry at the awards breakfast, including the Outstanding Tree Farmer. The early-bird registration for AFA members is $160 and $200 for nonmembers (available through September 7). This includes, meals, breaks and all general sessions. For more information, look online at www.arkforests.org/ event/70thannualmeeting or call (501) 374-2441.