Silver Bells Tree Farm Certification Program
Our trees are grown at an American tree farm that is certified to practice environmental stewardship and sustainable farming procedures.
A brief overview of Silver Bells:
Silver Bells Tree Farm (SBTF) encompasses approximately sixteen hundred acres. Seven Hundred acres of gently sloped ground on the ridgeline of Silver Creek canyon is used to produce commercial Christmas trees. The Christmas trees are farmed in an agricultural fashion much like corn, wheat and soybeans. Nine hundred acres of steeper ground within the Silver Creek Canyon is dedicated to timber production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who certifies your tree farm?
A: SBTF is certified by the American Tree Farm system. The American Tree Farm System® (ATFS), a program of the American Forest Foundation, is committed to sustaining forests, watershed and healthy habitats through the power of private stewardship. ATFS has established standards and guidelines for property owners to meet to become a certified Tree Farm. Under these standards and guidelines, private forest owners must develop a management plan based on strict environmental standards and pass an inspection by an ATFS volunteer forester every five years. You can learn more by linking to www.treefarmsystem.org
Q: How does your farm help the environment?
A: There are many ways in which Silver Bells Tree Farm helps the environment. By growing trees, we provide oxygen for all living things. Our farm produces enough oxygen each day for around 28,800 people (1). The trees also reduce carbon dioxide, the main component in greenhouse gas emissions. Each year the trees at Silver Bells reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 18,093,920 lbs (2). This is equal to removing 1,776 cars from our roads each year (3). Real Trees are a renewable, recyclable resource while some artificial trees contain non-biodegradable PVC plastics and metal toxins such as lead (4). Trees provide habitat for wild life. The combination of Christmas trees and timber provides a diverse ecosystem for all kinds of animals. The center of our farm is our timber land, which encompasses over 900 acres of land just a few miles down from Silver Creek Falls State Park ( Oregon’s largest state park). The Silver Creek canyon was completely logged off in the early 1990’s by a timber broker. After the clear cut, our family purchased the land with the intention of restoring it to a sustainable timber farm. We have replanted and it now has an amazing stand of young timber with an average height of 15ft. Our goal is to keep this land in the family until the timber is mature. It then will be harvested in small plots and replanted to sustain the wildlife and land that supports it. There would be no way for us to invest in this sort of endeavor without the support of our Christmas tree operation.
Q: How is your Christmas tree land certified?
A: Our tree farm is certified by the world's oldest sustainable forestry and certification program. Our guarantee that we practice the same standards on our Christmas tree acreage as we do on our timber acreage is validation that our farm as a whole practices stewardship, sustainability and respect for the land that supports us.
Q: What are the other benefits of buying a real tree from your farm?
A: You are supporting the American economy. Silver Bells employs as many as 50 people at various times during the year.
Q: What kind of wildlife is your land home to?
A: On our property we see: elk, bear, cougars, bobcats, coyotes, deer, rabbits, owls, hawks, blue heron and native trout to name a few.
We appreciate the purchase of your real Christmas tree as it helps us achieve our goals of balancing resources with stewardship.
(1) http://www.christmastree.org/facts.cfm
(2) www.scientificblogging.com/science_mom/wanna_go_green_so_show_me_the_math
(3) www.usctcgateway.gov/tool/
(4) www.christmastree.org/faketrees.cfm
No endorsement of this product or service by the American Forest Foundation or the American Tree Farm System© is implied or intended. |
