Third party certification

Overview

What is forest certification?

Third-party forest management certification provides verified assurances that forests are managed responsibly. Mills and manufacturers in the forest products sector use these assurances to meet corporate sustainability targets and access markets where sustainable forest products are in demand. Learn more about the basic elements of third-party forest certification.

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Becoming certified

All Tree Farms are verified to comply with the ATFS Standards of Sustainability and Eligibility. However, mills and manufacturers in the forest products sector may only make verified claims of sustainability on lands that have been issued a certificate by an accredited certification body. Learn more about pathways to receive certificates through Independently Managed Groups, individual ownerships, and state Tree Farm programs here.

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Verifying certification

Certificate holders are audited annually and provide their enrollment records to AFF for inclusion in the ATFS Verification Database. Learn more about that ATFS verification database and how to access it.

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Independently Managed Groups

An Independently Managed Group (IMG) is a collection of family-owned or privately managed forest properties under multiple ownerships certified to the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Standards.

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Individual Certificate Holders

An Individual Third-Party Certificate Holder is a single private forest owner or entity who is issued their own certificate by an accredited certification body. Third-party certificate holders are solely responsible for associated fees and auditing costs.

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AFF National Certificate and State Tree Farm Programs

The American Forest Foundation, in addition to owning and operating the ATFS certification program, also holds its own certificate. Twenty-three state-based Tree Farm programs administer on-the-ground functions of third-party certification under this certificate.

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Small lands module

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the American Forest Foundation (AFF) are working in partnership to increase access to the amount of certified family and other small holdings in North America through the Small Lands Module.

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