Spotlight: Special Sites
The updated Inspector Training highlights the need for all Tree Farmers to research whether or not they have special sites on their forestland. As an inspector, you can advise landowners of their options to meet this Standards’ requirement.
Definition - Special sites are areas that have unique historical, archaeological, cultural, geological, biological or ecological values. They can be designated by landowners or by state resource agencies.
Landowners have several options to research special sites depending on capability. A number of these options are listed in the ATFS Management Plan Addendum. Inspectors have the flexibility to evaluate what are reasonable expectations of individual landowners given the size of their Tree Farm and the location within or near to an area of special concern.
Case Study: What would you do?
A landowner contacts their consulting forester, Joe, because they want to make sure that their forest management activities and management plan meets the 2010 Standards. The landowner does not know if they have any special sites on the property and is not sure where to start their research.
Joe, while developing the landowners’ management plan, checked state databases for threatened or endangered species. To research the possible historical and cultural sites on the property, Joe recommends the landowner contact their local historical society and walk the property to see if there are any old home sites, wells, Indian burial grounds, or other historical and cultural sites of interest. After conducting research, it is determined there are no special sites on the property and the landowner notes this in their management plan.
Case Study:What would you do?
Landowner Mike contacts a county forester in his area, Connie, who is also a Tree Farm Inspector, with some questions about the Management Plan Addendum. After reviewing old property maps, Mike contacts his neighbors to learn more about some gravestones that he uncovered in one of his stands. Connie tells Mike that he has done a good job with the research portion and recommends that he protect the gravestones by roping off the area during his next harvest and notifying the loggers.
The AFF Standards are not designed to place unnecessary burdens on the landowner to protect sites that could be a hazard or commonplace in their area. For example, a landowner has an old home site on the property, but it is not a designated historical site nor does the landowner want to maintain it; it does not need to be designated as a special site in their management plan.
The goal of the AFF Standards is to encourage landowners to recognize what is potentially present on their properties to make informed management decisions.
If you have any questions about the AFF Standards and ATFS program requirements, please visit www.treefarmsystem.org, or contact us at questions@forestfoundation.org.
