[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 547--RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN 
                            TREE FARM SYSTEM

  Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 547

       Whereas forests, covering one-third of the land in the 
     United States, provide clean air and drinking water, abundant 
     wildlife habitats, recreation spaces, and renewable resources 
     for buildings, furniture, energy, and paper needs, and also 
     serve as an economic driver supporting well-paying jobs 
     across the country;
       Whereas most of the forests of the United States are owned 
     by families and individuals who reside in and steward rural 
     regions;
       Whereas, in 1941, the American Tree Farm System (in this 
     preamble referred to as the ``ATFS'') was founded to help 
     family and individual woodland owners sustain forests and the 
     benefits that the forests provide;
       Whereas the ATFS is composed of more than 79,000 
     individuals and families, who together manage more than 
     20,500,000 acres of forest;
       Whereas the ATFS remains a strong and essential program to 
     conserve and manage the forests of the United States and the 
     benefits forests provide, especially in the face of 
     challenges like wildfires, invasive insects and diseases, and 
     growing development pressures;
       Whereas tree farmers invest time, manpower, and personal 
     funds to practice sustainable forest management so that 
     people across the United States can enjoy the benefits 
     forests provide;
       Whereas the ATFS is made possible by volunteers from local 
     small woodlands associations, conservation organizations, 
     State forestry agencies, forest products companies, and the 
     Cooperative Extension System;
       Whereas, to support family forests, family woodland owners, 
     and continued voluntary conservation of working forests, it 
     is important to expand the reach of ATFS to additional 
     woodland owners; and
       Whereas 14 States in the United States have approved 
     similar resolutions recognizing the importance of the ATFS: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the American Tree 
     Farm System;
       (2) encourages the public to participate in activities that 
     celebrate the anniversary and highlight the importance of 
     this vital program, working family-owned forests, and the 
     clean water, wildlife habitats, and wood supply that forests 
     provide for all people in the United States; and
       (3) supports conservation and management of the trees and 
     forests of the United States through landowner participation 
     in--
       (A) the conservation reserve program established under 
     subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
     Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.);
       (B) the environmental quality incentives program 
     established under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
     Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.);
       (C) the conservation stewardship program established under 
     subchapter B of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
     Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.);
       (D) the agricultural conservation easement program 
     established under subtitle H of title XII of the Food 
     Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.); and
       (E) the forest stewardship program established under 
     section 5 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 
     (16 U.S.C. 2103a).

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