Green Horizons

This spring the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) recognizing each other's forest management plans as equivalent. And, not quite two years ago ATFS and the USDA Forest Service signed a similar agreement recognizing the equivalency of Tree Farm management plans and state forestry agency Forest Stewardship management plans.

The signing of the agreement with the NRCS adds tremendous benefit and value for Tree Farmers. In essence, if you are a certified Tree Farmer, it's like winning a trifecta. For those not familiar with horse racing, a trifecta is when three horses pay off in one race. Being in the Tree Farm System and having a current Tree Farm management plan now pays off in three ways.

First, the recognition of ATFS management plans by NRCS now allows Tree Farmers much easier access to many costshare programs available in the 2008 Farm Bill (that will hopefully be extended in the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill); in particular, programs available through the Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP).

The MOU means Tree Farmers with current management plans no longer need to jump through the hoops of having another plan written through the NRCS to be eligible for EQIP funding. This saves considerable time and money. Last year, nearly $60 million was received by forest landowners through the EQIP program ($1.9 million in Missouri alone).

Second, in the MOU signed with the USDA Forest Service, Tree Farmers with current management plans may join their state's Forest Stewardship Program without having to wait for another plan to be written and approved. This makes it much easier to participate in the Forest Stewardship Program and take advantage of many services, education, and costshare dollars that many of these programs offer.

Third, Tree Farm management plans are part of Tree Farm certification. This certification is now internationally recognized and endorsed by the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC endorsement gives Tree Farmers access to emerging markets for certified forest products, both domestically and internationally. So, make sure that when you are planning a timber sale, you let all interested companies know your forest is certified by the American Tree Farm System.

And if all this was not enough, to make it easier for Tree Farmers and other family forest landowners, ATFS, NRCS and the USFS have agreed on a management plan template. Missouri was one of four states heavily involved in crafting this new template. The template is a tool that lets you see what is needed to have a current management plan and how to go about creating or updating one. The template even comes with a guide for forest landowners as well as for professional foresters.

No other national forest landowner organization offers these benefits to their members. This is just part of the continuing development of benefits and values that ATFS is creating for you.