ATFS 2021 Standards of Sustainability
American Tree Farm System ® Standards of Sustainability
The AFF Standards of Sustainability and Requirements for certification under the American Tree Farm System are the basis for claims of third-party forest management certification through ATFS. The AFF 2021 Standards of Sustainability were approved by AFF's Board of Trustees on November 11th, 2020 and enacted January 1,2021, thus officially replacing the 2015-2020 Standards of Sustainability. Full endorsement of the new Standards by the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems was granted on June 1, 2023.
Detailed information on the Standards setting process and procedures, which normally occurrs every 5 years, can be found here.
The 2021 Addendum is a tool foresters and landowners can use to update their management plans from the 2010 Standards to the 2015-2020 Standards. It's also a great place to record their research throughout to keep their management plan current and relevant.
Internal Monitoring Process and Procedures
All members ATFS State Programs participate in internal monitoring to verify conformance with the 2021 ATFS Standards of Sustainability. The internal monitoring process and procedures can be viewed here.
American Tree Farm System ® Eligibility
ATFS eligibility requirements were developed to ensure ATFS Certification remains consistent with the mission of outreach to small private landowners and to positively affect the management of their lands. The included guidance language provides further clarification of the Eligibility requirements.
Read the 2021 Eligibility Criteria and Guidance here
Independently Managed Groups
The American Tree Farm System ® (ATFS) Independently Managed Group (IMG) Certification Standards (2021) contain the requirements for the implementation by, and independent certification of, group organizations that manage a number of group member properties under one centrally administered program. The Group Organization holds the single certificate on behalf of the Group Members. This process is referred to throughout the document as “group certification.”
