Tree Farmer

What Tree Farmer does

The American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is a nonprofit forest certification and recognition program established in 1941, currently operated as a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a 501(c)-style entity headquartered at 2000 M Street NW, Suite 550, Washington, D.C. ATFS certifies sustainable management of small private and community forests with eligible holdings between 10 and 10,000 acres, maintaining a presence across all 50 states under uniform national standards. Its core technical infrastructure consists of the ATFS Database (used for inspector credentialing, virtual training, landowner enrollment, and certificate generation) and the ATFS Verification Database (a subscription-based system used by mills, manufacturers, log buyers, and consulting firms to verify certification status of sourcing properties), supplemented by the Landscape Management Plans service that uses large-scale geodata sets for regional conformance, the My Land Plan landowner planning platform, the WoodsCamp services platform with partner CRM, and The Family Forest online community.

ATFS serves two primary customer segments. The first is the long tail of family and individual forest landowners, who enroll free of charge through state Tree Farm programs, receive written management plans, gain access to forester consultations, and earn stewardship recognition through state, regional, and national awards. The second is the forest products industry supply chain — mills, manufacturers, log buyers, and consulting firms — that subscribe to the Verification Database at tiered annual rates of $500 (consulting firms and log buyers), $600 (single mill/facility), $1,100 (two facilities), and $1,750 (three or more facilities) to support third-party verified sustainability claims. Distribution is overwhelmingly community-led through 40 volunteer-based state Tree Farm programs supported by state forestry agencies and conservation partners, with a grassroots event-driven engagement model anchored by the National Leadership Conference and the Outstanding Tree Farmer / Inspector / National Leadership Award programs. PEFC international endorsement, received in 2008, provides globally recognized certification credibility and unlocks international market access for certified forest products, while AFF donations and grants remain the primary funding base for program operations, which are staffed by approximately three national ATFS personnel.

Name

Tree Farmer

Legal name

American Forest Foundation

Website

https://treefarmsystem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Tree Farm System is a nonprofit forest certification program run by the American Forest Foundation, certifying sustainable management of small private and community forests (10-10,000 acres) across all 50 U.S. states under PEFC endorsement. It serves family forest landowners through state volunteer programs and forest products companies via a subscription Verification Database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forest Certification and Stewardship

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Management Unit (FMU) Certification (FSC/PEFC/SFI) (AFAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Controlled Wood / Due Diligence / Risk Assessment Services (AFAMALAC)

Keywords

• Forest certification programs
• Sustainable forest stewardship
• Family forest management
• Supply chain verification
• PEFC endorsed certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Verification Database Subscriptions: Subscription-based revenue from mills, manufacturers, and consulting firms accessing the ATFS Verification Database to verify certification status of sourcing properties. Annual subscriptions with automatic renewal.
2. Donations and Foundation Support: ATFS is a program of the American Forest Foundation (nonprofit). Primary funding comes from AFF's mission-driven donations and grants. Gifts support family forest conservation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tree Farmer (American Tree Farm System) operates a third-party forest management certification and recognition program for family and community forest owners holding 10 to 10,000 forested acres, delivering internationally PEFC-endorsed certificates, the green-and-white Certified Tree Farmer sign, and access to state-program support. It also sells subscription access to the ATFS Verification Database for mills, manufacturers, log buyers, and consulting firms to verify certification status of sourcing properties, and supports affiliated online tools (My Land Plan, WoodsCamp, The Family Forest) for landowner planning, services matching, and community engagement.

Product overview

The American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is a certification and recognition program operated by the American Forest Foundation. The core offering is the ATFS certification program for family and community forest owners with 10 to 10,000 forested acres. Supporting platforms include My Land Plan (landowner planning tool), WoodsCamp (landowner services platform with CRM), and The Family Forest (online community). The ATFS Verification Database enables supply chain verification, while the Small Lands Module and Landscape Management Plans provide innovative certification pathways. The ecosystem also includes inspector training and sign ordering services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• Third-party certification of sustainable forest management for supply chain claims
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008PEFC international endorsement in 2008 validated ATFS as meeting global sustainability standards. ATFS certification is recognized internationally through this partnership, enabling certified forest products to access global markets.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFI and American Forest Foundation work in partnership to offer the Small Lands Module, allowing companies certified to SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard to form groups to certify small lands to ATFS in the U.S. and to SFI in Canada.
• American Forest FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFF is the national governing body and nonprofit arm of ATFS, chartered in 1981 to perform educational, scientific, and charitable activities. AFF runs North America's largest forest certification program for small private and community lands.
• State Forestry AgenciesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic sector partners supporting state Tree Farm programs with staffing, resources, and technical expertise for landowner enrollment and forest management assistance.
• Conservation OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners working with state Tree Farm programs to support landowner enrollment, conservation education, and forest stewardship programs.
• Voss SignsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPreferred vendor for Tree Farm and Family Forest sign production. State programs work directly with Voss to purchase bulk orders at negotiated pricing with AFF approval.
• Raise the Bar DesignsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred provider of promotional items managed by a Tree Farm family in Washington. State programs can use Tree Farm and Family Forest logos to purchase supplies from this vendor in compliance with logo use policy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Trust for Public Land: Trust for Public Land is a conservation nonprofit working on land conservation and public access. While its focus on conservation easements and land acquisition differs from ATFS's certification model, it engages with private forest landowners on stewardship decisions and competes for the same donor/grant funding pool.
• Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a large environmental nonprofit that engages in forest conservation, stewardship programs, and landowner partnerships. While it doesn't run a competing certification standard, it operates in adjacent conservation space and partners with state forestry agencies in ways that overlap with ATFS's state-program ecosystem.
• SCS Global Services: SCS Global Services is an accredited third-party certification body that performs audits and verification for multiple sustainability standards including forestry, carbon, and ESG claims. As a certification body rather than a standard-setter, it serves as enabling infrastructure for ATFS and competing standards like FSC and SFI.
• American Forests: American Forests is a conservation nonprofit focused on urban and rural forest restoration. It engages with family forest owners and corporate partners in adjacent space to ATFS, particularly around reforestation, carbon, and climate resilience, though it does not run a competing certification standard.
• National Association of State Foresters (NASF): NASF represents state forestry agencies that partner with and support ATFS state programs. While not a direct competitor, it shapes the institutional landscape and policy environment for forest certification, with overlapping membership and shared goals in sustainable forest management.
• Bureau Veritas Certification: Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company that audits forest management certifications and supply chain claims. It competes for the same enterprise verification and auditing spend that underpins the ATFS Verification Database, though as a multi-standard accredited body rather than a forest-specific program.

Broad incumbents

• Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest Alliance certifies forest, agricultural, and tourism operations under sustainability standards. While not exclusively forestry-focused, it competes in the broader certification market and offers forest-related certifications that overlap with ATFS for landowners seeking sustainability recognition.
• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC): PEFC is the umbrella global alliance that endorses national certification systems including ATFS, SFI, and 40+ others. PEFC provides international credibility and mutual recognition but does not itself certify forests — it operates one level above ATFS in the certification value chain.

Direct peers

• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): SFI is the leading North American forest certification standard with deep enterprise adoption. ATFS and SFI are both PEFC-endorsed and formally partner via the Small Lands Module — SFI serves large industrial forestlands while ATFS serves small private lands, making them complementary but competing for the same corporate sustainability procurement dollars.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): FSC is the most prominent global forest certification program, offering third-party certification for sustainable forest management. Like ATFS, FSC certifies forest lands through accredited bodies, but operates globally across all scales (not just small private lands) and commands stronger consumer-brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AmericanForest
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanForestFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tree-farmer
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanforestfoundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tree Farmer