Becoming a Certified Tree Farm - The Tree Farm Program

There are five categories of participation in the American Tree Farm System: Certified, Pioneer, Member, Heritage, and Windbreak.

Certified Tree Farm: meets the AFF Standard, current inspection, within acreage limit, non-industrial private forestland

Pioneer Tree Farm: designed for new Tree Farmers that do not meet AFF Standard, not ATFS Certified

Member Tree Farm: properties whose inspection is no longer current (beyond 5 years), not ATFS Certified, national communications still maintained, removed from system if not re-certified by year 10

Heritage Tree Farm: recognizes industrial forestland participation in ATFS, not ATFS Certified

Windbreak Tree Farm: recognizes properly placed windbreaks or shelterbelts, not ATFS Certified

CERTIFIED TREE FARM
The Certified Tree Farm category is the highest level of participation in the program. ATFS Certification requires landowners to meet the AFF Standard and maintain a current inspection. Landowners must meet the ATFS eligibility requirements and not own more than 20,000 contiguous acres. Properties between 10,000 – 20,000 contiguous acres must contact the national office to obtain an application and procedures to proceed with a third-party audit. Properties between 10,000 – 20,000 contiguous acres must meet the ATFS eligibility requirements and must undergo a third-party audit for Tree Farm certification.

Elements of Certified Tree Farms:

1. Minimum of 10 and Maximum of 20,000 contiguous forested acres.
2. Certified Tree Farms must meet the AFF Standard, including a written forest management plan.
3. Certified Tree Farms must maintain certification, including current up to date inspections.
4. Certified Tree Farms receive Tree Farm Sign and Certificate.
5. Properties exceeding 10,000 contiguous acres and less than 20,000 contiguous acres must complete an application process administered by the National Office.
6. All properties exceeding 10,000 contiguous acres (and not greater than 20,000 contiguous acres) must undergo a third party audit by an ATFS recognized third-party auditor.
7. Properties exceeding 10,000 contiguous acres may be subject to an annual administrative fee.

• Properties exceed 10 acres and are less than 20,000 contiguous acres.
• Properties are non-industrial in nature. May be associated with small local business.
• Ownership is privately held and not publicly traded.
• Commitment to sustainable, long-term forest management is apparent through management objectives and/or management plan.
• Owner(s) demonstrates proactive forest management involvement.
• Ownership goals and objectives do not compromise ATFS mission.
• Owner(s) are receptive to active outreach efforts or can contribute to the efforts.
• Not appropriate for landscape scale ownership.

PIONEER TREE FARM
The Pioneer Tree Farm category allows interested landowners, who may not quite meet the AFF Standard, to participate in the American Tree Farm System. The goal of using Pioneer Tree Farm is to establish communications with non-managing landowners to motivate them to work toward Tree Farm Certification by implementing excellent forestry on their property. Pioneer status is an introductory level of participation in the program, however, is not a mandatory starting point for Tree Farmers meeting all requirements of ATFS Certification. Landowners meeting the AFF Standard should be considered for ATFS Certification.

Requirements of Pioneer Tree Farm:

1. Minimum of 10 and Maximum of 10,000 contiguous forested acres.
2. Non-Industrial Private forestland.
3. Pioneer Tree Farms may have a written forest management plan, but the plan is not required prior to initial inspection and designation as a Pioneer Tree Farm. In order to achieve ATFS Certification, a Pioneer Tree Farmer must begin following a written plan that meets the AFF Standard before graduation to Certified status can occur.
4. Pioneer Tree Farms must meet the AFF Standard within five years or be removed from the program. Graduation to Certified status may take place sooner than five years, but Pioneer status cannot be retained longer than five years.
5. There is no official recognition of Pioneer Tree Farms. Pioneer Tree Farms do not receive the Tree Farm Sign or Certificate. If Certified at a later date, Tree Farm Sign and Certificate are provided.

Requirements of Member Tree Farm:

1. Meet eligibility requirements for ATFS Certification.
2. Non-Industrial Private forestland.
3. Member Tree Farms must have previously been Certified Tree Farmers. Pioneer Tree Farms not eligible for Member status.
4. Must be re-certified within 10 years since last inspection or removed from system.

Requirements of Heritage Tree Farm:

1. Must currently be supporting ATFS.
2. Heritage Tree Farm Signs, if displayed, are purchased at cost by the participating company.

Requirements of Windbreak Tree Farms:

1. Area should be at least one (1) acre. Smaller areas of special merit can be considered at the committee’s discretion.
2. Planted windbreaks must be at least three (3) years old.
3. The windbreak must be designed to protect soil, water, range, aesthetic quality, recreation, timber, fish and wildlife resources.
4. The planting must be protected from livestock damage, wildfire, insects, disease, rodents and other destructive influences.
5. Windbreaks should be properly maintained to enhance long-term health and productivity. In the process of thinning, weeding or replacing trees, every effort should be made to make use of cut trees for useful products.

PUBLIC LANDS
In general, lands owned by public entities can participate in the American Tree Farm System either as Certified Tree Farms or Tree Farm Demonstration Areas.

Lands owned by smaller public entities (cities, towns, schools, universities) may receive ATFS Certification, provided they meet the AFF Standard and fall within the acreage limits of the program.

Lands owned by larger public entities (county, state, federal) generally cannot receive ATFS Certification; however, State Committees may present individual cases for exception to the ATFS National Operating Committee.

Whether small or large, State Tree Farm Committees may recognize excellent forestry on public lands as “Tree Farm Demonstration Areas.” These properties may display the Tree Farm sign, but must carry an additional sign identifying the area as a demonstration area and include the wording, “Tree Farm Demonstration Area”. Tree Farm Demonstration Areas will not be ATFS Certified and will not be assigned a Tree Farm number.

Requirements of Tree Farm Demonstration Areas:

1. Area must be used to demonstrate sustainable forestry concepts.
2. State committee must notify AFF of any new demonstration areas.

SPECIAL TAX TREATMENT QUALIFICATION
It is the policy of the American Forest Foundation that ATFS Certification may be used as one of the proofs of forest management to qualify for special forestland taxation. However, ATFS Certification should not be the only proof accepted for qualification, as this may place privately funded, volunteer communities in the role of enforcing standards for a state law.

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