FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2004	Contact:Amanda Rudy 202.463.2442

Washington, D.C. – The American Tree Farm System®  (ATFS), a program of the American Forest Foundation, named John and Rebecca Spearman, of Lane, S.C., as the 2004 Southern Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year.  The Spearmans received their award during the National Tree Farmer Convention held in Fort Collins, Colo., Tree Farming With Altitude. This annual ATFS award recognizes outstanding sustainable forest management on privately owned forestland.

John, a retired Army Colonel, and his wife, Rebecca, were selected from a long list of Tree Farmers throughout the South. Having been actively involved in promoting Tree Farming in their community for years, the Spearmans’ Tree Farming history is saturated with activities, organizations, and projects dedicated to advancing the good name of Tree Farming.

The Spearmans own Deer Hill, over 900 acres of Certified Tree Farm land.  In 1989, Deer Hill went from row-crop farming to tree farming and has been actively managed using sustainable forestry practices ever since.  Today, it is a thriving forestland and wildlife habitat, a survivor of Hurricane Hugo, and a celebrated Tree Farm, recognized as the district, state, and now Regional Tree Farm of the Year.

Certified Tree Farmers own at least 10 acres of forestland and actively follow a forest management plan developed in partnership with an ATFS volunteer forester.  The plan addresses forest sustainability, wildlife habitat, recreation, and water and soil conservation.

“Active management is essential for sustainability,” said Bob Simpson, Vice President of the American Forest Foundation.  “Family forest owners, like John and Rebecca, actively manage their forests because they want to be examples of superior stewardship.  By passing on the love of their land to their community they are improving the chances for America’s forest resources to thrive for generations to come.”

The Spearmans manage their Tree Farm with balance in mind.  Their goal includes a management plan which efficient timber production coexists with a thriving wildlife population.  While managing that balance they also have a myriad of other projects on the Tree Farm.  They concentrate on pond management which includes fishing, monitoring seven duck boxes, and feeding the fish; they allow friends and family to hunt on their land but monitor and restrict the volume; and they demonstrate good conservation practices for visiting groups.

For more information please contact Amanda Rudy, Manager, Communications, 202.463.2442, Email arudy@forestfoundation.org or visit ATFS at www.treefarmsystem.org

The American Tree Farm System®  (ATFS) is a national program that promotes the sustainable management of forests through education and outreach to private forest landowners.  Founded in 1941, ATFS has 33 million acres of privately owned forestland and 51,000 family forest owners who are committed to excellence in forest stewardship. Tree Farmers manage their forestlands for wood, water, wildlife, and recreation with assistance from 4,000 volunteer foresters.  ATFS is a program of the American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works for healthy forests, quality environmental education, and informed decision-making about our communities and our world.