Certifying Your Sustainable Timber

Certification with the American Tree Farm System is the sign of good stewardship.

You’ve made a commitment to caring for all the good things your woods provide—from the soil and water that sustain them, to the plants and wildlife that live in them, to the trees you grow and harvest there.

That commitment is a commitment to sustainability. Sustainability means all these different values and uses of your forest coexist together. It means managing your land and harvesting your timber in ways that protect these values, because you want your woods to remain healthy and productive for generations to come.

When you care for your land in this way, you deserve recognition for it. And that’s where certification comes in. Sustainable timber certification tells the world that your woods are managed according to high standards of sustainability, which are set by the certifying organizations and verified by inspectors. That gives companies and consumers confidence that your timber comes from a healthy, well-managed source—and this confidence can translate into a better market for your timber.

Step through this guide and you’ll learn what you need to know about certification. We’ll go over:

Shouldn’t the world know how hard you’re working to preserve the beauty and bounty of the woods? Certification isn’t about tooting your own horn—it’s about setting an example, and giving yourself access to resources that can help you keep doing what you’re doing.

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