Spotlight: Forest Management Plans
As we move into the summer, and inspections pick up, we want to highlight the importance of forest management plans and clarify any confusion around the ATFS requirements. All landowners enrolled in the Tree Farm program must have a written management plan. Inspectors are asked to review this plan as part of an initial or reinspection visit and ensure the plan components meet ATFS management plan requirements as outlined in the AFF Standards (Standard 3: Commitment to Practicing Sustainable Forestry).
Per current Standard 3,management plans are required to have: title page; type of ownership (e.g. fee simple, limited partnership,etc.); owner’s goals and objectives for management, tract map that notes stands and conditions, important features such as special sites; and management recommendations that address wood and fiber production, wildlife habitat and environmental
quality. Optional: owner-designated fish, wildlife and plant species; and recreational opportunities.
Case Study: What would you do?
Inspector Bob is visiting Mr. Johnson on his Tree Farm for a reinspection. Mr. Johnson’s management plan was written seven years ago and recommended a thinning last year.Mr. Johnson did not do the thinning because the markets were bad. As an inspector, do you think Mr. Johnson has met the spirit and intent of Standard 3 which calls for landowners to develop and implementing a long term forest management plan? Looking closer,you see that Mr. Johnson has left a handwritten note in the margins of his plan by the thinning recommendation that describes why he chose to defer the thinning. You recognize that the management plan is an active and adaptive document and that Mr. Johnson is using his plan for the purpose for which it was intended, as a guide,and you recertify his Tree Farm.
Case Study: What would you do?
Inspector Liz is visiting new landowners. The Richman’s have met with a consulting forester about their new land and talked about what they want to do in the future. Their objectives are to manage the land for gopher tortoise habitat and possibly participate in a wetland banking pilot project. Liz is excited to hear that the Richman’s plan to actively manage their land for an endangered species and the work they plan to do. Liz asks the Richman’s if she could see a copy of the plan, but they inform her that consultant has not yet written the plan. As an inspector,would you recommend the Richman’s be certified after Liz’s initial visit? Liz decides that the Richman’s are a great fit for the pioneer program and when they finalize their written management plan, they should be brought into the certified program and recognized for their great commitment to sustainable forestry.
If you have any questions about the AFF Standards and ATFS program requirements, please visit our website at www.treefarmsystem.org, or contact staff by email at questions@forestfoundation.org.
