Tree Farm Continues to
Celebrate 75 Years
The American Tree Farm System® celebrates its 75 year  anniversary in 2016. Over 20.5 million acres of forests are managed under the system with 33,300 Tree Farms certified through third party audits. Several state governments have celebrated the anniversary with resolutions or proclamations. The Center continues to support Tree Farm by holding an Independently Managed Group Tree Farm certificate. Our certificate includes almost 13,000 acres of family forest lands that are the primary focus of the Tree Farm system. The Center also has the only public state forest in a Tree Farm group, the Kentucky Division of Forestry State Forests. You can read more about the 75th anniversary celebrations on the American Forest Foundation website.
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FSC® CoC Standard
Open for Comment
The Forest Stewardship Council® had opened the Chain-of-Custody (CoC) standard for public comment until August 31. The  main thrust of this comment period is transactional verification, cross-site trading of certification credits, change in recycled label requirements, and incorporation of several advice notes and standard interpretations developed over the past few years. The Center has concerns about the transaction verification and the previously mentioned Online Claims Platform. We will provide comments and encourage all certificate holders to comment as well. You can visit FSC's webpage to review the new standard and learn how to provide your comments.
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CFWC Certification
Cycle Ends/Starts
The Center for Forest and Wood Certification has completed our first full CoC and forest management (FM) audit cycle. The cycle lasts five years and our current certificates expire in early 2017.  This means the Center must complete and pass a full recertification audit before expiration. The Center will release a Request for Proposals directed to Certifying Bodies to complete the audits for the American Tree Farm System and Forest Stewardship Council FM certificates and the Forest Stewardship Council CoC certificate. All Certifying Bodies listed as approved to conduct audits for certification systems will receive the request at the email and physical addresses provided from the certification system's websites. Certifying Bodies do not have to be able to complete audits on all three certificates to bid. The Center will potentially work with multiple Certifying Bodies to complete the audits but still will consider working with one company. Look for the proposal to come out in August.
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Center Sponsors and Support
The Center wishes to thank our sustaining and supporting sponsors. Particular thanks are given to corporate sponsors providing sustaining multiple year commitments including Time Inc., Domtar Corporation, Central Appalachian Forestry Alliance, Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development, and Kentucky Division of Forestry. Sustaining contributions are also being provided by the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Forestry, and the Kentucky Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee. Center also wishes to thank organizations for providing endorsement of the Center including the Kentucky Forest Industries Association, Tennessee Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee, Kentucky Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters, and the Kentucky Woodland Owners Association. For more information about our partners and how you can support the Center's mission, goals, and projects please visit here.
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The Center for Forest and Wood Certification is a partnership venture focused on enhancing wood and forest certification. The Center is provided direction by eight partners including University, non-profit, forest industry, and consulting foresters. The Center is housed at the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Department of Forestry and is funded through membership fees, grants, and gifts with oversight and management by Cooperative Extension Service personnel at the University of Kentucky.
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