Hello John,

Great question! And we are so glad that you are interested and working to become a certified Tree Farmer through our American Tree Farm System. ATFS recognizes landowners who are committed to good stewardship and sustainably managing their land. Landowners who meet our Standards become certified Tree Farmers who are recognized both within their community and internationally for their commitment to sustainability. So how does MyLandPlan fit into that process? MyLandPlan has an interactive tool that can be used by landowners to develop the parts of a management plan that they are responsible for, including the map of their property (including identifying important features on their property from trails to specials sites to water bodies) and the goals a landowner has for their property. Once you have developed your goals and the activities you are interested in doing on your property, then you can use MyLandPlan to track your progress on those goals and activities. MyLandPlan can also create an online connection between you and your forester. Once you have developed your map and identified your goals/actions, then you can share that information with your forester if he or she is listed on our Forester Directory.

In addition to those features, you can also create a Forest Journal through MyLandPlan where you record your experience on your land, including photos. We are in the process of developing the ability for you to share these journal posts with your family and friends.

Finally another important part of the MyLandPlan site is our site content and resources. The site is full of useful information written specifically for landowners. This information is all groups in our five main topics: Enjoy it where you will find information on hunting, hiking, fishing, enjoying your land with your family, etc; Protect it- natural disasters, access/trespassing, etc; Make it healthy- invasive species, water quality; Profit from it- harvesting, cost share programs, etc.; and finally Pass it on- where you will find information on passing your land legacy on to the next generation.

Hopefully you will agree that MyLandPlan has a lot to offer you. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me, Caroline Kuebler, at ckuebler@forestfoundation.org

Thanks,

Caroline Kuebler, Outreach Manager