About Illinois Tree Farm

The Illinois Tree Farm Program began October 14, 1955 with the certification of Sinnissippi Forest, which was owned by former Illinois Governor Frank O. Lowden. Forest management at

Sinnissippi started in a systematic way in the late 1930’s with the establishment of the forestry curriculum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At that time the Lowden (Miller) family made an agreement with UI’s Dept. of Forestry Head, Dr. Nelson Spaeth. In exchange for forestry assistance provided by the U of I Dept. of Forestry, Sinnissippi Forest could be used for experiments and studies on hardwood management, forest health, and suitability of conifers for northern Illinois. Sinnissippi Forest was later sold to the state of Illinois and is now part of Lowden-Miller State Forest.

The Illinois Tree Farm Program formally filed Articles of Incorporation with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office on April 20, 1993. In 2015, our state committee chose the Recognition

Pathway option of certification – a Memo of Understanding with the American Tree Farm System was signed on May 14, 2016, solidifying this option.