Tree Farmer - Fall 2012 - (Page 4)

Giving Family Forest owners the They from the director By Tools If you haven’t yet tried this wonderful new online tool, I encourage you to check it out—and share MyLandPlan. org with your family, friends, and neighbors. The second new initiative is a pair of new publications that we are launching in 2013. We recently conducted a survey of Tree Farmers across the country, and you told us how highly you value printed publications as trusted sources of information about how to manage woodlands. In addition, a large majority of you expressed a desire to receive a general-interest magazine about woodlands—one that provides engaging stories, beautiful photos, and helpful tips on ways to enjoy your woods. To meet these needs, we will be publishing a new magazine and newsletter on a quarterly basis. The magazine will feature compelling articles about woodland owners, interesting news about the many benefits of healthy woodlands, and useful information on protecting your forest land. The full color newsletter, which will replace Tree Farmer magazine, will provide all the valuable information you’re accustomed to finding here, custom- Need As the new leader of the American Tree Farm System® (ATFS) I’m eager to support the staff and our national network of professionals in providing valuable tools to landowners, Ring BEttinA educators, and decision makers to help enlarge the circle of individuals involved in protecting America’s woodlands. ized to suit the needs and interests of owners of working forests. Program updates on certification standards, industry news, and best management practices will be featured. Current subscribers to Tree Farmer magazine will receive both the new magazine and newsletter beginning in 2013. In the meantime, we’re striving to increase and improve other resources for family forest owners—from webinars to field days and workshops tailor-made for Tree Farmers—so you will have the best information to make the right choices for you, your family, and your land. Whether you own 10 acres or thousands of acres, we’re ready to give you the tools and assistance you need to protect your forest legacy. Please take advantage of these resources, let us know how we can improve on them, and help us spread the word! We have some exciting new initiatives that offer woodland owners even better resources and access to valuable information that will help make onthe-ground stewardship of America’s forests more widespread and effective. The first is MyLandPlan.org, a new interactive website for woodland owners, by woodland owners. Since the American Forest Foundation (AFF) launched MyLandPlan a few months ago, more than 1,000 landowners have used it to map more than 100,000 acres. Family forest owners are using AFF’s newest website to set goals for their land and connect with foresters and other professionals who can help them protect and restore America’s forested landscapes. The newest feature on MyLandPlan.org is the Forest Journal (mylandplan.org/ forest-journal). Once you create an account on MyLandPlan, you can begin to write in your own Forest Journal, which can remain private or be shared with your family and friends. Landowners are using the site to capture family memories, upload photos, track changes in their woods, and record wildlife sightings, for example. Bettina Ring is the Senior Vice President for Family Forests at the American Forest Foundation. 4 Tree Farmer FALL 2012 http://www.mylandplan.org/forest-journal http://www.mylandplan.org/forest-journal

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - Fall 2012

Tree Farmer - Fall 2012
Contents
From the Director
A Conservation Heritage
Enhance the Value of Your Woodlot
A Passion for Forestry
Tree Farmers Gather
Sustainability on Display
Wildlife Matters
Ties to the Land
Tools & Techniques
Woodland Security
Taxing Issues
Connecting Kids to Nature

Tree Farmer - Fall 2012