Families & forests A newsletter for Arkansas Tree FarmerS
Tree Farmer of the Year Honored Written by: Rebecca Neely AFA Communications Director
Tree farms have truly been a family affair for the Smith family. Mr. Earl Smith’s grandfather and relatives began working on a farm in 1920. The Izard County Tree Farm has been passed through the generations, making it so special!
Fall 2016
THE TREE FARM PROGRAM...
is administered by the Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA) and its Tree Farm Committee. AFA’s goal is to provide relevant, timely information about the Tree Farm program and forestry resources.
The Guion property is over 1800 acres and is filled with mixed oak and pine, along with other hardwoods. The Earl T. Smith family was selected as the 2016 Tree Farmer of the Year on Oct. 6 at the AFA Annual Meeting in Fayetteville. The family’s Tree Farm is located in Guion.
The Tree Farm is managed by Foust Forest Management. Mr. Smith and Mr. Brent Foust partner with AFA, the he minute you step onto the pristine Guion property Forestry Commission and the Nature in northeast Arkansas, it’s easy to see why the Earl T. Conservancy to fund various projects Smith family was selected as the 2016 Tree Farmer of around the Tree Farm. the Year at the 71st Annual AFA Meeting in Fayetteville on October 6. “Mr. Smith has a history of trying to do what is the best for his property The Smith’s objectives are to be good stewards of the over the years by using sound land and enhance their tracts, which benefits forestry and forestry management practices to wildlife. They believe in doing the right things and making meet his longterm goals,” AFC District the right management decisions. Forester, Kenny Smothers said.
T
The Arkansas Tree Farm Program is hosting a Tree Farm Tour of the Guion property on Thursday, October 27. In next month’s e-newsletter, you can see photos of the tour. Please email Jennifer Johnson at jjohnson@ arkforests.org if you are not receiving the e-newsletters. Be sure to take a look at the Earl T. Smith family Tree Farm video on our Facebook page, “Arkansas Tree Farm Program.”
How do you fit into the Arkansas Tree Farm Program? Written by: Jennifer Johnson Arkansas Tree Farm Administrator
Managing for recreation, providing nature trails, hunting, fishing, paying special attention to wildlife habitat, and establishing a source of income are all possibilities. Management may consist of selective harvest of mature trees to aid in the reproduction of species such as oak, walnut, and other valuable hardwoods. This can be as simple as clearing fallen trees and using them for firewood as a sustainable energy source.
I
n your travels have you ever seen this sign and wondered what a Tree Farm is all about? The first thing that comes to mind is that the landowner is probably concerned with wood, water, recreation, and wildlife. Being a certified Tree Farm means that the landowners are taking the steps to manage their timberlands for the enhancement of these resources. They are, generally speaking, conservationists and are proud of their property. It means that they are working towards the goals stated on the sign. To be eligible for the Tree Farm program means that the landowner has obtained a management plan written by a professional forester. The forester has analyzed the present condition of the forest and provides management recommendations according to the health and aesthetic needs of the forest in accordance with the wishes of the landowner. All this is done after careful consideration of the landowner’s wishes and for historical sites and endangered species that may be located on the property.
What is a Certified Tree Farm? Who certified it and why? The organization (American Tree Farm System, or ATFS) providing the sign is a part of the nationwide American Forest Foundation. ATFS is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and provides important services to landowners such as directing them to experts who will help them manage their woodlands for sustainable forestry and representing them nationally in matters such as taxation and regulation of their resource uses. The Arkansas Tree Farm committee, comprised of volunteers, oversees the Tree Farm program in Arkansas. The committee helps coordinate local inspections throughout the state, develops educational programs, and chooses the Arkansas Tree Farmer of the Year to participate in the national competition. A fairly recent development is that the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) has been recognized, along with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), for third party certification. Having this third party certification gives consumers assurance that the products they purchase originate from
sustainably managed forests that protect economic, social, and environmental benefits. Being certified provides the landowner a sense of pride knowing that their forest adheres to lofty standards of sustainability, and may also offer monetary advantages when selling forest products. Most people probably don’t realize that 58% or 19 million acres of Arkansas is forested. That’s more area than New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined. The standing timber in Arkansas’ forests has a value of more than $12.6 billion – and $6.3 billion is added to the state’s economy each year from forestry. According to 2015 statistics, on a nationwide basis, there are about 40,000 Tree Farms representing 27 million acres of forestland. Arkansas has over 2,700 Certified Tree Farms on over 460,000 acres. The ATFS is a source of information and professional help to attain the landowner’s goals. The landowners provide the efforts necessary, and are rewarded accordingly; the sign is a visible indication and certification of the commitment to protect the environment we all share. Information about ATFS can be found in this link: https://www. treefarmsystem.org.
“Like” us on Facebook! Arkansas Tree Farm Program
USDA, NRCS Accepting 2017 EQIP Applications USDA
F
armers and landowners in Arkansas have until November 18, 2016, to submit applications to receive financial assistance to implement conservation activities through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for the 2017 program year. Applicants can sign up at their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service field service center.
identified by the locally-led conservation workgroup representatives for each county or designated local area. Statewide categories address water quality issues related to animal manure management and sedimentation, improved management of irrigation water and reduction in ground water use, forestland enhancement, livestock production, reduction of erosion, and
improvement of wildlife habitat resource concerns. All applications will be evaluated for funding based on a state and nationally developed procedure to optimize environmental benefits. Applications ranking highest in a funding category will be funded subject to availability of program funds.
Individuals and other entities actively engaged in agricultural production are eligible to participate in EQIP. The EQIP deadline is for consideration in the local, state and initiative funding categories. EQIP offers a continuous application signup. However, to be considered for funding under the 1st batch sign-up applications must be received by November 18. Local categories focus on the primary resource issues in a localized area, as
Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Little Rock, AR Permit # 2686
1213 W. 4th St. Little Rock AR 72201 501.374.2441 www.arkforests.org
Estate Planning Options for Family Forests USDA Forest Service hile sixty percent of the public believes the Federal government owns most of America’s forests, the fact is that families and individuals own two-thirds of our woodlands. They deserve our thanks, because their forests provide great, unheralded public benefits beyond the personal meaning of owning forestland.
W
However, our country’s private forests are at a critical turning point; one sixth of America’s family owned acres of forests are expected to change hands in the next five years. More than 60 percent of current forestland owners are age 55 or older and about half of them have already retired. Without proper estate planning, forced liquidation of family forests or severe disruption of planned forest management activities is a distinct possibility. One of the main threats to preserving private forests is simply lack of communication
within families about estate planning. Without discussion, family forests are left at risk for conversion to house lots or other uses when the land changes hands. Schedule a family meeting: The first step to ensuring the personal and family legacy of your land is to talk about its future. Ask “What will the family legacy look like?” Talk with co-owners, heirs, or whomever the legacy will involve. Once discussion starts, consider doing some homework to learn what options are available to meet your needs. There are several options forest landowners can use for estate planning. The more common choices are listed below and include doing nothing, family partnerships, selling or gifting heirs, land trusts, wills, limited liability company, conservation easement and having public landowners.
FREE Feral Hog Control Workshop November 17, 2016 | 2-4 p.m. Horseshoe Bend, AR Call 501-671-2329 or register online. http://uaex.edu/environment-nature/wildlife/feral-hogs.aspx Trail Camera Usage | How to Trap Feral Hogs | Laws and Regulations
Some owners and families combine and customize these options to construct a plan that fits their unique goals and situation: Do Nothing: Experience has shown that the number one obstacle to the protection of family land is pure and simple procrastination. Few advisors support the do nothing option when it comes to estate planning. While doing nothing spares one time, expense and worry in the short term, the long term implications can be complex for a surviving spouse, or divisive among heirs. The “do nothing” option is the choice that leaves the estate and the forest most at risk. Family Partnerships: Some families choose to put their forests in family partnerships or qualifying conservation trusts. Read the article in its entirety on http://www.arkforests.org/treefarm.