What is the ACF?

Northwest Management, Inc.
Ponderosa pine

What is ACF?

The Association of Consulting Foresters of America, Inc. was founded in 1948 to advance the professionalism, ethics, and interests of professional foresters whose primary work was consulting to the public. The ACF is the only national association of consulting foresters. Currently, there are 22 state or multi-state chapters in most forested regions of the U.S.; with over 570 members.

The national office, in the Washington, DC area, pursues national level issues and interests with other organizations involved in forest management.

Many ACF members are general foresters while others have professional specialties within forestry. Our members focus their practices locally and/or worldwide.

The ACF is active in the areas of most interest to consulting foresters and their clients. These areas include but are not limited to:

Setting the standards for the consulting forestry profession.
Educating and assisting land owners in good forest stewardship of their lands.
Tracking legislation directly impacting private forestry.
Educating the public, legislators, and others on issues sensitive to private landowners.
Working with federal and state governments to protect private property rights.

A Consulting Forester “is a professional who devotes a majority of their working time each year to performing…technical forestry work… on a fee or contract basis” and whose services are offered “ to the general public rather that to a single employer”.

An ACF Consulting Forester serves individuals, banks, attorneys, accountants, industry, and others in the following capacity;

Appraisals of land/timber value
Acquisitions of forestland
Computer application
Environmental impact studies
Estimates of timber volumes-economic studies
Litigation – expert witness
Management of forest resources
Marketing forest products
Taxation counseling

The ACF sets strict standards for members. They are:

A minimum of a B.S. degree in Forestry from an approved college.
Eligibility for a status as a Candidate Member requires a minimum of 2 years experience. Full membership status requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in practical forestry.
A member’s principal business activity must be forestry consulting work to the general public on a fee or contract basis.
Members may not have an economic interest in a timber purchasing or procurement entity.
Members must be owners or partners of a forestry consulting firm, or salaried employees of an ACF member.

In professional ability, technical training, broad experience, honesty, integrity, and a desire to serve only the client, an ACF Forester is fully qualified to serve the needs and requirements of both individuals and businesses.

Contact us today for a free consultation about the management of your forestlands, marketing of your timber products, wildfire control efforts, or prescribed burning needs. We also provide the region's best wildlife management, watershed management, and forest regeneration services. Explore our site and let us know how we can best serve you!

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