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Washington Farm Forestry Association Becomes
Co-Sponsor of the Tree Farm Program
(Chehalis, WA)--The
Washington Farm Forestry Association (WFFA), an organization of non-industrial
forest landowners, has joined the Washington Forest Protection
Association as a co-sponsor of the Washington Tree Farm Program, an
affiliate of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) on September 13,
2007.
"There's a natural synergy between
the Washington Farm Forestry Association and the Tree Farm
Program," WFFA Executive Director Rick Dunning said. "I'm excited for the great
opportunity to increase awareness of tree farming and to get the
message out about the benefits tree farming provides."
The American Tree Farm
Program is a certification program and is mutually recognized by the
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification program. Now, large forest landowners
typically are certified by SFI, while the non-industrial tree farmers
use the ATFS.
The ATFS is also known for
its National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year award. Washington State
tree farmers have received this national award twice in recent
years. Tom and Sherry Fox of
Ethel were the 2005 winners and Bob and Lynette Falkner of Frances
were the 2003 winners. Bob Playfair, the 2006 Washington State Tree Farmer of
the Year was named the Western Regional Tree Farmer of the Year for
2007 and currently is in competition for the national title.
ATFS is the oldest and
largest conservation, education, certification, and advocacy program
for private forest landowners in the United States. It began in 1941 when Weyerhaeuser
Company's Clemons Tree Farm was designated as the first tree farm in
the nation. Certified tree
farmers are committed to practicing sound, sustainable forestry on
their land and must pass a rigorous inspection by a professional
forester.
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