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Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard. Free to residents of Missouri.
A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
TEXAS COUNTY, Mo -- Texas County landowner John Powell has been recognized by The Missouri Tree Farm Committee for 50 years of good forest management and involvement in the American Tree Farm system. Through his oversight and actions, Powell has demonstrated commitment to the four cornerstones of wood, water, wildlife and recreation that make up the American Tree Farm System.
“Landowners interested in improving their property for wildlife or potential revenue from timber sales are encouraged to look into the American Tree Farm System,” said Brian Schweiss, a forestry field programs supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). “The program will put landowners in touch with resource professionals that can provide advice on practices to attract more deer and turkey, or what trees could be harvested and what to let grow for future timber sales. The ultimate goal is to work with landowners to maintain a healthy forest that meets their needs and the needs of future generations.”
With 96,000 family landowners nationwide, the American Tree Farm System represents the largest group of private landowners in the U.S. Family forest landowners manage and own 35 percent of the country’s forests.
In Missouri, private landowners own 83 percent of the forests. These forests are critical for clean water, wildlife habitat and wood products in Missouri.
The American Tree Farm System (ATFS), a program of the American Forest Foundation, is a network of private woodland owners sustainably managing 26 million acres of forestland. It is the largest and oldest sustainable family woodland system in the United States, is internationally recognized and meets strict third-party certification standards. For 70 years, ATFS has enhanced the quality of America’s woodlands by giving forest owners the tools they need to keep their forests healthy and productive.
For more information on the American Tree Farm System, contact Schweiss at 573-522-4115, ext. 3129, or go to treefarmsystem.org/.
