ORIGIN OF RESOLUTION:
Southern Group of State Foresters

ISSUE OF CONCERN:
Landowner Recognition in the Forest Stewardship Program

BACKGROUND:
The Forest Stewardship program seeks to increase landowner involvement in the management of their lands, and to improve that management where needed. Recognizing the landowners who enroll in the program is an important component of this effort. Landowners are recognized with a Stewardship certificate and a sign for their property. The enabling legislation for the Forest Stewardship program states that "The Secretary (of Agriculture), in consultation with the State foresters or equivalent State officials, is encouraged to develop an appropriate recognition program for landowners who practice stewardship management on their lands with an appropriate, special recognition symbol and title." (Emphasis added).

RESOLUTION:
As the Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters evaluate the recognition of landowners in the Stewardship program, it is important that future recognition efforts focus on the actual implementation of forest practices as recommended in the Stewardship plan.

NASF ACTION:
(X) Approved

DATE OF ACTION: October 4, 2000