Network News: Inspectors Archive

Volunteer Highlight: Lois Kaufman

She’s a forester, a landowner, a volunteer, and an outstanding leader. Lois Kaufman is a force within the Tree Farm community, and we are so fortunate to work with her to bring the Tree Farm program to California landowners.

2016 Required Sample Update

On-the-ground inspections with an ATFS Inspector provide the greatest value to Tree Farmers enrolled in ATFS. To help ensure the credibility of ATFS, every year we ask state programs to complete a number of “required sample” inspections. 

Stumped October 2016

Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is ATFS looking for in the Notes Section of the 004 Inspection Form?

Standard 5: Forest Health

Standard 5.3 - Forest Health

Indicator 5.3.1 states that the landowner should make practical efforts to promote forest health, including prevention, control or response to disturbances such as wildland fire, invasive species and other pests, pathogens or unwanted vegetation, to achieve specific management objectives.

Volunteer Highlight: Bill Coburn

When it comes to the American Tree Farm System, Bill Coburn can do it all. He’s a Tree Farmer, an Inspector, an Inspector training facilitator, and serves as an active member of two state Tree Farm committees, Wyoming and South Dakota. 

Stumped September 2016

Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When are phone interviews acceptable for inspections?

Standards Highlight 4: Air, Water, and Soil Protection

According to the U.S. Forest Service, private forested lands are essential for about two-thirds of our drinking water. Therefore, managing land with water quality in mind is critical. Following the passage of the Clean Air Act in the 1970s, most states developed best management practices (BMPs) to help landowners safeguard water quality by controlling pollution and other threats arising from forestry activities. 

Volunteer Highlight: Dennis Galway

Since 1993, Dennis Galway of New Jersey has been a fixture in the American Tree Farm System both at the state and national levels.

Stumped August 2016

Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When Should a Management Plan Be Updated?

Congratulations to the 2016 Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year

We are proud to present this year's four Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year:

• North Central Region: Gerald and Charlotte Kann, Wisconsin
• North East Region: Eve-Cowles Family Tree Farm, Massachusetts
• Southern Region: Bobby Watkins, Mississippi
• Western Region: Lyle and Dean Defrees, Oregon

Notes From The Field

The 2016 third-party field assessments with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) concluded on June 22^nd. This year, eight states were visited: Arkansas and Texas for the Southern Regional Certificate, Pennsylvania and Vermont for the Northeast Regional Certificate, and California, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming for the West-Central Regional Certificate. Thank you to all of the state committee members and volunteers who helped make this process a success. 

Standards Highlight: Maps

The ATFS 2015-2020 Standards require that landowners have a map, depicting significant features such as roads, water features, timber stands, special sites, and other features. During your inspection process, please verify that the Tree Farm map meets these requirements. 

Volunteer Highlight: Shirley Bargander

For more than thirty years, Shirley Bargander has been a fixture in Wisconsin’s Tree Farm Program, volunteering both as an ATFS Inspector as well as a leader of the committee. 

Stumped July 2016

Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q:As an inspector, how often do I need to complete an inspection or take a refresher training course to stay active? 

2016 Third Party Assessment Underway

The 2016 third-party assessment with PriceWaterhouseCoopers is underway, which included a review of the 2015 required sample inspections for those states undergoing assessment this year. Here are some noted best practices and reminders from the review.

Threatened and Endangered Species Update

The northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) population has been devastated by the White Nose Syndrome (WNS) throughout the eastern United States. This disease has caused a mortality rate of up to a 90-100% where present. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the northern long-eared bat as threatened and established a new rule, called the 4(d) Rule, to protect the bat population during its most vulnerable life stages in areas where the disease is present known as the White-Nose Syndrome Zone. 

Are You Familiar with the Inspector Training Policy?

All ATFS inspectors are bound to the ATFS Inspector Training Policy posted on the Inspector's Corner page. This policy clarifies the necessary training and expectations for maintaining credentials of all qualified inspectors. 

Stumped June 2016

Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between a Forest of Recognized Importance (FORI) and a Special Site?

Coming Soon for ATFS Inspectors: The NEW Sightline eNewsletter

This year, the American Tree Farm (ATFS) is celebrating its 75th Anniversary and as we reflect on how far we have come during that time, it is important to recognize the crucial role that our volunteers and inspectors have played in our success. This program would not be able to function without our passionate corps of volunteer inspectors who performed more than 8,000 inspections this past year alone.

2016 National Inspector Awardees

Congratulations to Jeremy Scherf (OH) who was named the 2016 National Outstanding Inspector of the Year at the National Leadership Conference in February.