FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 29, 2005	Contact:Amanda Rudy 202.463.2442 arudy@forestfoundation.org

Washington, D.C. – The American Tree Farm System®  (ATFS) announced that the Langdale Company Woodlands Division group organization successfully underwent an independent third party ATFS Group Certification audit.  F&W Forestry Services, Inc., the auditing firm, judged conformance to the American Forest Foundation’s 2004-2006 Standards of Sustainability and the Standard Operating Procedures for Group Organizations Group Managers and Group Members (SOP-01).  The Langdale Company’s group organization includes seven group members, owning a total of more than 200,000 acres, with properties in Georgia and Florida.

ATFS group certification is the process of evaluating and certifying groups of forest owners under a single certificate.  Group certification allows individual forest landowners to benefit from the “economies of scale” of being part of a larger group.  The advantages of group certification include sharing information and the mutual support offered by a group, as well as efficiencies in implementing the standard and achieving certification by an independent auditor.  

The Langdale Company Woodlands Division is the second group to complete certification outside of the ATFS pilot program.  Long standing members of the American Tree Farm System, Langdale has been participating in the ATFS program for over 50 years and thus, was recognized as achieving golden anniversary Tree Farm status in 1999.  Every year since the 1930s Langdale has planted more trees on its land than it has harvested.  In 1991 the company planted its 50 millionth seedling.

“As a company, Langdale has always felt we were landowners ourselves from the beginning” said James T. Barrett, Group Manager, Langdale Company Woodlands Division.  “It’s essential that we gain certification now, as in the coming years this certification will be invaluable to our livelihood – and the American Tree Farm System’s group certification was the perfect fit.”
 
“This is another great step for our ATFS Group Certification program,” said Bob Simpson, Senior Vice President, Forestry Programs, American Forest Foundation.  “Group certification continues to show us that there is a way to economically, efficiently, and credibly certify groups of small family forest owners.”

Eligible groups, as the ATFS program is currently developed, include forestry cooperatives, forestry associations, landowner assistance programs, as well as clients of forestry and consulting
firms and state forest stewardship programs that apply a consistent management program to its
members. Individual landowners within the group (group members) voluntarily agree to manage their forests according to the American Forest Foundation's Standards of Sustainability, against
which ATFS certifies. Group managers are responsible for ensuring that group members adhere to the standards.

“Group certification gives us another tool to help ATFS accomplish its mission of getting more good forestry on more acres,” Simpson said.  “With group certification we now have a means to outreach to larger numbers of forest owners, certify their forest management, and continue to feed them timely and current information regarding practicing sustainable forestry.”

ATFS, a program of the American Forest Foundation, promotes the sustainable management of forests through education and outreach to private landowners.  Founded in 1941, ATFS certified members are committed to excellence in forest stewardship. Tree Farmers manage their forestlands for wood, water, wildlife, and recreation with assistance from over 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 to help people make informed decisions about our communities and our world.

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

ATFS promotes the sustainable management of forests through education and outreach to private landowners.  Founded in 1941, ATFS covers 33 million acres of family owned forestland and has 51,000 certified Tree Farmer members who are committed to excellence in forest stewardship. Tree Farmers manage their forestlands for wood, water, wildlife, and recreation with assistance from over 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 to help people make informed decisions about our communities and our world.