Families & forests A newsletter for Arkansas Tree FarmerS
New membership fee structure Written by: Allen Nipper, Landowner Legacy Communication, Membership Committee Co-Chair
T
he Arkansas Tree Farm Program committee recently proposed an annual membership fee for each Tree Farm in Arkansas. The membership fee will be implemented beginning in 2017 and was established using responses from a survey recently mailed to all Tree Farmers and input from the Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA). Because the Tree Farm Program in Arkansas is administered by AFA, the AFA Executive Committee approved this measure at their June meeting, contingent upon AFA Board of Directors approval. The Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the new fee structure in July. The membership fee has been established at $75 per year for the primary (first) Tree Farm and $20 per year for each additional Tree Farm with
a maximum membership per individual or entity of $5,000. The committee recognized a membership fee based on the number of Tree Farms was as fair and equitable as possible across all owners regardless of the number of farms or acres which were enrolled in the program. The administrative cost for the Arkansas Tree Farm program is the same for each Tree Farm regardless of the number of acres involved. In order to be recognized as a certified Tree Farm, all Arkansas Tree Farmers must manage to the American Tree Farm System Standard of Sustainability. Those standards provide for third party certification by an independent auditor every third year. To be financially sustainable, the Arkansas Tree Farm Program will use funds from the membership fee to cover the certification
SUmmer 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. costs as well as to fund enhanced program activities for Tree Farmers in Arkansas. The Arkansas Tree Farm Program committee hopes the new membership fee will not be cumbersome to Tree Farms and that all Tree Farmers will consider becoming a paid member of the program. Arkansas Tree Farmers manage their land and timber sustainably and should expect the organization that represents them to do the same.
Second annual Tree Farm conference a success
T
he Arkansas Tree Farm Program hosted its second annual Tree Farmer Conference on June 9th at the Clark County Fire Training Facility in Arkadelphia. Seventy-three people from five states were in attendance. The day started at 8:30 a.m. and consisted of educational programs; followed by a tour of the Ross Foundation Demonstration Forest near Gurdon.
•
•
The morning program agenda for the Convention included: •
Tree Farm Program Update
•
A presentation on “Harvesting Considerations from a Loggers Perspective.” Mr. Allen Morgan with Hunter-Wasson Timber Services, LLC discussed what landowners should consider before harvesting trees from their property.
•
Dr. Kyle Cunningham, extension forester, gave a presentation on, “Using Herbicides in Pine and Hardwood Management”. He discussed the most common herbicides used for both pine management and hardwood management.
Dr. Becky McPeake, professor, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, presented “Leasing your Property for Hunting.” She discussed the pros and cons of leasing woodlands for hunting purposes and what landowners need to think about if they are considering this venture. The Coley family from McRae, 2015 Tree Farmers of the Year, talked about what their Tree Farm has meant to them and what challenges and successes they have seen in owning a Tree Farm.
Attendees enjoyed a networking lunch provided by Farm Credit of Western Arkansas. After lunch the group traveled to the Ross Foundation Tree Farm property. Mark Karnes, Director of Operations, conducted the tour and described several demonstration areas, including: •
Prescribed fire for brush control and wildlife habitat improvement.
•
Selecting trees for harvest, how to determine which trees should be harvested and which trees should be left.
•
Wildlife management activities on the Ross Foundation.
Much of the Ross Foundation management activities have a wildlife habitat focus. The work they do and what wildlife
species they highlight were discussed and demonstrated. The group returned to the Gum Springs facility after the outdoor tour and headed home with new ideas and new Tree Farm friends. To view the presentations from the 2016 conference, go to http://www.arkforests. org/?page=treefarm.
Attendees enjoyed touring the Ross Foundation Tree Farm on June 9. More than 70 participants attended the 2016 Tree Farm Conference in Arkadelphia.
“Like” us on FB! www.facebook.com/ARTreeFarm/
Teachers learn about Tree Farm
T
he Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation hosted the annual Teacher Conservation Tour, June 20-24, in Monticello. Teachers from across the state had the opportunity of gaining hands-on experience during the week. The tour included a trip to the Georgia-Pacific OSB Mill in Fordyce, a walk through a Monticello Tree Farm and more.
Monticello landowner, Kelly Koonce, explains the need for sunlight to have healthy tree growth. Koonce educated the group on the thinning process as well as various forestry terms, such as dominant and co-dominant trees.
Upcoming events
O
ur 2016 Tree Farmer of the Year will be named at the 71st Annual AFA Conference, October 4-6. To learn more and to register for the meeting, please go to http://www.arkforests. org/?page=annualmeeting. The Forest Management Workshop will be held on Tuesday, October 4 at this year’s annual meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Forestry professionals will discuss a variety of topics including Arkansas’ Trespass Law, Forestry Ethics and also a presentation concerning technology for forest landowners and managers. All forest landowners are encouraged to attend this workshop. To attend the Forest Management Workshop go to http://www. arkforests.org/?page=annualmeeting. The cost for the Forest Management Workshop is $25.
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
Importance of using contracts on your Tree Farm By: Caroll Guffey, Ext. Forester, Communication Committee Chair and Tree Farmer (Grant County)
Many times Tree Farmers fail to realize the importance of using a contract when they hire individuals or firms to conduct forestry activities on their woodland property. In the past most agreements were so called “handshake agreements.” These may no longer protect you if a problem develops after a forestry activity. These activities could be as diverse as planting trees, harvesting trees, herbicide application and prescribe burning to name a few. With any of these activities, problems could arise and without a contract there may be no way to resolve the problem either in civil or criminal court. The Tree Farmer could be the loser unless they make the decision to protect themselves with a contract. A well written contract protects both parties in several ways. If the contract is read and understood by both parties then each will know what is expected of them. Secondly, the contract provides written documentation of the terms of the agreement. This is important should a disagreement develop later.
Many reputable companies or individuals that offer forestry related services will have standard contracts for their services. It is important to know that while these contracts can provide a good starting point for a Tree Farmer to develop a contract, they are written to protect the contractor not necessarily the Tree Farmer. Even though most of us are hesitant about contacting an attorney, when dealing with services that might range from several thousands of dollars to potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, the few hundred dollars spent for legal assistance seems like a wise investment. A reputable company or individual should not have a problem with you insisting on having a contract. If someone who you are planning to do business with does object to a contract you should definitely reconsider your choice of vendors. There are many things to think about in a contract. One of the most important is the terms of payment. With a timber sale sometimes landowners are paid a lump sum in advance. Sometimes they
are paid on a weekly schedule or they can be paid after the entire operation is over. Having a clear understanding of what both parties agree to is important. Conversely, when contracting for services such as tree planting or herbicide work, it might be wise to have another forestry professional look over the practice after it is completed to make sure it is done satisfactorily. This should be clearly stated in the contract. Insuring that the vendor has insurance (health and liability) is important to Tree Farmers. If a vendor injures themselves while performing a service and does not have adequate insurance, the Tree Farmer might be forced to cover some or all of the medical expenses. This could be very costly to the Tree Farmer. Helpful Links http://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/ FSA-5024.pdf http://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/ FSA-5014.pdf