American Tree Farm System Convention – October 2007
What is Real vs. What is Hype?
The American Tree Farm System has 87,000 family forest owner members. That is less than 1% of all forest owners. Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association has a similar percentage of the potential membership. They are funded by industry and government – and may appear to or claim to represent forest owners in general. The vast majority of forest owners has no contact at all with the forestry profession, ATFS, or WWOA = for many reasons.
Talk to 10 random Tree Farm System members in S Wisconsin
Are you paid fairly for your timber harvests?
What are your alternatives to manage your forest?
Do you know what your timber is really worth?
Do you know what your forest produces each year?
Does a timber harvest damage or improve your land?
Do you trust the timber industry/forestry profession?
Talk to 10 average forest owners in S Wisconsin.
Same questions.
Follow 10 empty log trucks from the sawmill back to the harvest.
Is “sustainable forestry” really being practiced?
Is the forest owner really paid fairly for the trees?
Is the land really respected and left in good condition?
Are the trees really fully utilized, or left partially wasted?
Is any forester really supervising the harvest? Do You trust them?
Is the forest really regenerated for a desirable future crop?
Is the forest owner really satisfied with the harvest?
Despite the Positive Hype -
Forest Management in our woodlots
is a Disgrace in Wisconsin/America!
The Traditional Timber Industry Survives because:
People try to do the right thing.
There has never been an alternative. Something is better than nothing.
The traditional way is presented as the only way by the “Experts”.
The Key Issues: Today……
Timber Growers are paid less than the cost of production. (Discouraging!)
Our Forests have been/are still being Over-Harvested and High-Graded. (Devastating!)
The Harvesting Machines are now Huge and the Woodlots are now Small. (Destroying!)
Foreign Corporations are Profit-Taking, Down-Sizing, and soon Bugging-Out. (Depleting)
Rising land values and skyrocketing property taxes force people to enter the MFL and harvest their timber just to keep their lands. People join the MFL for tax relief – Not sustainable forestry! People often cut timber just to pay their taxes.
I was a; Tree Farm System Forestry Inspector
FSC Certified Resource Manager
FSC Certified Forest Owner
FSC Chain of Custody Certification Business Owner
Our family was a charter member of the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association
Our family has worked with every government forestry program for 40 years.
I Know the system. Have tried everything possible to make it work – really… Failure!
So I Found a Better Way!
Now, there is a new alternative for forest owners.
Wood is the perfect Fuel for small business.
Promote the use of locally grown and manufactured wood products!
Full Vigor Forestry with Direct Sales to Customers Offers New Hope to Forest Owners!
Birky