Tracing its roots back to the 1940's, The American Tree Farm System can lay claim to being the oldest form of certification or recognition system for the practice of growing trees and maintaining sustainable forests in America.

 

For generations, Americanlandowners and farmers have proudly posted their Tree Farm signs as a way of displaying their stewardship values.   

“Our sign has been out there in the woods for some 60 years,” stated Dave Woodmansee, a Co-Chair of North Carolina Tree Farm.  “Most folks recognize the sign means that the forest is being well-managed.”    

 

North Carolina forest owners have been part of this tradition since the program's inception.  However, early in the 1990's, the program went into a hibernation of sorts due to administrative cutbacks.  At the time, there were some 2,500 tree farmers were enrolled in the program.

 

In 2001, Dave Woodmansee, Al Weller and Catherine Merz successfully resurrected the program under the guidance of Tree Farm Chair, Bob Cooper and several motivated Tree Farmers. Over the past six years, this committee has grown and worked to update the data base by contacting landowners throughout the state and train foresters to as Tree Farmer inspectors.   

 

After starting from scratch, the North Carolina Tree Farm is approaching the 1,000 Tree Farm mark. 

 

If you are a landowner who would like to become a Tree Farmer, please contact us.  If you are a forester who would like to be certified as a Tree Farmer, inspector, we would welcome your support.