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TREE FARM

Pioneer Trail Kennel and Tree Farm includes 70 acres
of land - mostly wooded and managed for multiple use land management
- us, the Flora and the Fauna.
Wildlife, Wood, Recreation, Water, Soil, Fresh Air and mostly
lacking light and noise (pollution).
Yes, we can see the stars at night! Pat's first
college degree was in Natural Resources - Interpretation before
becoming a BSN/RN and later a Massage Therapist and a Physical
Therapist Assistant.
Kingsley got his undergraduate degree in Biology - Environmental
Education and worked for both the YCC program and Bob Evans
(conservationist and founder of Bob Evans Farms).
Camping, kayaking, hiking, gardening... all have been important
activities in our life - so having our own "park" seemed like a
wiser choice than
Over the years, living in close harmony with our
environment and having a low-impact lifestyle has been important to
us and maintaining our property to benefit both our lifestyle but
also the plants and animals which depend on it. The
Tree Farm contains managed timber stands or mature timber and
re-growth areas. Non-native/invasive plants are removed
whenever possible and brush piles are created for the wildlife.
Nesting boxes are abundant (mostly bluebirds as King is an avid blue
birder...)
History of the
American Tree Farm SystemŽ
The term "tree farming" was first used in the
1940's to introduce the public to sustainable
forestry terminology they could easily understand.
Farming implies continual stewardship and
production of goods year after year. By linking the
term "farming" with trees, foresters could
communicate the concept of sustainable production of
forest products over time. Tree Farming implies
commitment to the land and was the philosophical
opposite of the "cut-out and get-out" philosophy of
the early 20th century.
From the beginning, Tree Farms were viewed as
more than pine plantations or Christmas tree farms.
Even the first Tree Farms certified into the
American Tree Farm System (ATFS) were varied in
nature and contained many different habitats and
stages of forest regeneration, from seedlings to
mature timber. To this date, biodiversity remains a
critical component of a Certified Tree Farm. To join
and remain in ATFS, Tree Farmers must pledge to
maintain their land for clean water and healthy
watersheds, abundant wildlife, and recreation - as
well as wood. Some of the most progressive family
forest owners of their era were recognized as
Certified Tree Farmers over a half century ago. That
heritage continues today.
| The first Tree Farm
was designated in Montesano,
Washington just before the beginning
of World War II, in 1941. The aim
was simple but farsighted. Leaders
from industry felt that America's
private forests were being cut at
unsustainable rates without
reforestation. Tree Farms,
recognized for their outstanding
practices, would become
demonstration sites to other forest
owners - showing them the benefits
of scientific forestry, and how to
do it on their own land. Within a
few years, ATFS spread to virtually
all forested states in the United
States, embracing thousands of
family forest owners. They became
members of ATFS only after their
properties were visited by a
professional forester who verified
they had a plan that took into
account water, wildlife, soil and
recreation opportunities. Properties
were re-certified every five years,
and landowners who had not yet
developed a plan for their forests
were recruited into the Pioneer Tree
Farm program, and guided toward full
Tree Farm status. |
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