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Oregonian Elected to Lead American Forest Foundation

Priority Programs will Stem the Loss of America's Woodlands

Portland, OR - The American Forest Foundation (AFF) today announced the election of Clint Bentz, CPA and family forest landowner from Scio, Oregon, as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees; Connie Best, co-founder and Managing Director of Pacific Forest Trust in California, as Vice-Chair; and Ken Stewart, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as Treasurer.  Bentz succeeds Colin Moseley, Chairman of Green Diamond Resource Company of Seattle, who has served on the AFF board since 2004.

Bentz said "I am honored to have this opportunity to lead the oldest and largest forest landowner group in the U.S, also a national leader in the field of environmental education, at a time of tremendous challenge in dealing with climate change, forest loss, landowner incentives, emerging forest markets, and other issues that can make or break the 10 million American woodland owners like me."

The Foundation is best known for its American Tree Farm System, which administers an internationally recognized forest certification program for its 90,000 members, and Project Learning Tree, which develops environmental education curriculum and trains 30,000 educators every year.  AFF convened and leads the Forest Climate Working Group, a diverse coalition of woodland owners, timber companies, and conservation groups that is making policy recommendations to Congress on climate change remedies that help conserve our working woodlands.

"Clint is the perfect person for the post, bringing his diverse experience in business, finance, forestry extension, estate planning for woodland owners, community service, policy, and especially managing his own sustainable Tree Farm," said Tom Martin, President and CEO of the American Forest Foundation.  "We are also deeply grateful to our former Chair, Colin Moseley, who has ably shepherded the organization through its program growth at a time of tremendous challenge for the timber business."

Bentz and his parents, Ron and Barbara, were honored by the American Tree Farm System as the 2002 National Outstanding Tree Farmers of the year.  Clint and his wife Maureen have six children and live next to their award-winning 700-acre Tree Farm in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains near Scio, Oregon.  Clint is a partner with Boldt, Carlisle & Smith, LLC, a local CPA firm with offices in Salem, Stayton, and Albany, Oregon, where he specializes in estate and succession planning for family farm and forest owners.

During its meeting in Portland this week, AFF's Board of Trustees identified the most important strategic priorities needed to achieve its mission of ensuring the sustainability of America's family forests for present and future generations.  Bentz said AFF is committed to a national campaign and programs that will:

• Stem the loss of American's woodlands
• Enhance the quality of America's woodlands, and
• Ensure decision makers and educators understand and value America's woodlands.

America's woodlands are disappearing at a rate of 1.5 million acres a year, due mostly to development and fragmentation.  Forest experts are increasingly sounding the alarm that loss of forests will lead to a parallel loss of clean drinking water supplies, a buffer against climate change, wildlife habitat, flood control in intense storms, and recreational opportunities.

Bentz previously served as the National Chairman of the American Tree Farm System, being the first private forest owner to serve in that capacity in its 68-year history.  He is a nationally recognized leader in the field of intergenerational planning for family forest owners and is a popular speaker and author on this topic.  He is the principal author of the award-winning "Ties to the Land" workbook and DVD curriculum, developed in partnership with the Austin Family Business Program and Oregon State University Forestry Extension.  This program is currently being used in 22 states to help family forest landowners with the difficult process of handing the baton to the next generation.  Bentz actively participated in developing, writing, passing, and implementing HB 2197, which was a complete re-write of the property tax system for small landowners in Oregon and is currently working on the overhaul of Oregon's estate tax system.  Bentz and his parents were honored by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski for their participation in the Oregon Plan for Salmon Recovery.

Incoming Vice-Chair Connie Best is well known as a national leader in forest conservation, focusing on strategies that harness the power of commerce to accomplish conservation objectives.  She is the principal author of America's Private Forests: Status and Stewardship (Island Press 2001) and "Capital Markets and Sustainable Forestry: Opportunities for Investment."  Prior to founding the Pacific Forest Trust, Ms. Best founded and managed the company that created America's first all-natural soda pop, a revolutionary development in the beverage industry.  She has served on numerous boards including the American Forest Foundation, Ecotrust, the Land Trust Alliance, Anderson Valley Land Trust, and Investors' Circle.  Pacific Forest Trust has been a national leader in demonstrating the potential of using national carbon markets to conserve forests and offset adverse impacts of climate change.

AFF Treasurer Ken Stewart was appointed to his post as Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development, by Governor Sonny Perdue in January 2007 and previously was director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.  As chief marketing officer for the state of Georgia, he leads Georgia's efforts to recruit new businesses and expand existing ones; grow the state's tourism, international trade and entertainment industries; and support the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Mr. Stewart spent the majority of his career in private industry, holding senior positions with Unisource Worldwide, Georgia-Pacific, Weyerhaeuser Company, and Mississippi Power & Light.  He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, and has held numerous board and advisory positions, including the Governor's Energy Policy Council, State Water Council and Land Conservation Council. 

AFF's Tom Martin said the diverse background of these officers-covering business, landowner, government, education, and conservation perspectives-parallel that of the entire board and accounts for the group's unique success.  "Our programs succeed because we convene stakeholders who may otherwise have been polarized, and we get them to work together on comprehensive solutions that will actually work on the ground," he said.  "It's not a new conservation model, but few have been able to make it work for the forest community.  That's our niche, along with educating the next generation, since we'll need broad support to solve big problems like loss of our forests and climate change."

* * *

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) conservation and education organization that strives to ensure the sustainability of America's family forests for present and future generations.  Our vision is to create a future where North American forests are sustained by the public which understands and values the social, economic, and environmental benefits they provide to our communities, our nation, and our world.

1111 Nineteenth Street, NW Suite 780
Washington, D.C. 20036
P 202.463.2462
F 202.463.2461
http://www.forestfoundation.org

Oregon Tree Farm System Fall 2009 newsletter

Oregon Tree Farm System Spring 2009 newsletter

Oregon Tree Farm System Fall 2008 newsletter

The Oregon Tree Farm Memorial Fund

The Memorial Fund can accept donations from persons or organizations as Memorials, as Honorariums, or as Special Gifts. Donations can be cash, property, securities or any other form of wealth acceptable to the Fund Administrator. Current donations amount to slightly over $30K working for OTFS through security investments.

The donated principal amount can never be withdrawn. Only interest, dividends, long and short term capital gains, and/or investment gain can be removed from the Memorial Fund as measured by a clear formula applied yearly at December 31.

The Memorial Fund was designed to provide property owners an opportunity to offer conditional or non-conditional property gifts, for example, Family Tree Farms.

Conditional gifts could carry a written contractual agreement instructing the Fund Administrator how that donation must be handled. The landowner may instruct the Memorial Fund to manage the property for benefit of the Memorial Fund or any other named beneficiary.

Alternatively, instructions may provide the Memorial Fund direction for selling the property. Conditional gifts must be approved by the Fund Administrator before acceptance. Inquiries held in strictest confidence.

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Can anyone guess the specie of this tree that grows in the Oregon coast range?

Photo courtesy of Dick Beers