Tree Farmer - Summer 2012 - (Page 4)

American Tree Farm System Welcomes New Leader Veteran Forester and Tree Farm Inspector Bettina Ring Joins AFF By Westra kAThy (Photo: Beth Huning) In a sense, Bettina Ring has spent her whole career preparing for her new job as the American Forest Foundation’s (AFF) Senior Vice President for Family Forests. In late May, she took the helm of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and began to help forge a vision for the future of America’s privately owned forestlands. A forester by training, Ring earned her B.S. degree in forestry and wildlife from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and an M.B.A. degree from James Madison University. She is a highly respected and passionate advocate for working forests, whose 14-year career in Virginia’s Department of Forestry saw her working hand-inhand with Tree Farm families. “I got to work closely with private landowners and talk with them about their vision for their land and for their families,” she relates. As she advanced through the ranks, eventually becoming Virginia’s Deputy State Forester, Ring learned firsthand about the many challenges of conserving forests. Subsequent positions helped Ring develop a knowledge of landscapescale conservation and broad experience in public policy, both key areas in protecting private working forests. Most recently she was Executive Director of the Bay Area Open Space Council, a coalition of government agencies, nonprofits, and land trusts that works to foster an interconnected system of communities, parks, trails, agricultural lands, and natural areas throughout the San Francisco Bay area. “Conserving forests—particularly family-owned forests—is critical on so many levels to the health and well-being of our whole society,” Ring says. Her vision for Tree Farm involves “listening deeply to our Tree Farm family—families, partners, staff, inspectors—and building on that wisdom to ensure that we remain relevant and strategically focused on the next generation of landowners to make sure they have the support they need.” At the same time, she adds, “I hope to help AFF reach out to many more landowners and see more acres come under sustainable management.” “Bettina brings just the right mix of experience to lead the Family Forest program,” says Tom Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer of AFF. Correction The photograph on page 26 of the Spring 2012 issue was incorrectly identified as a hemlock woolly adelgid infestation; it is actually elongate hemlock scale. Tree Farmer regrets the error. 4 Tree Farmer SUMMER 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - Summer 2012

Tree Farmer - Summer 2012
Tree Farm Welcomes New Leader
Woodland with a View
Turning Trees into Dollars
Living Off the Land
Prime Cuts
Ties to the Land
Woodland Security
Taxing Issues
Sharing Your Experiences
Sharing Your Experiences
Tools & Techniques

Tree Farmer - Summer 2012