The Illinois Tree Farm Program serves family forest owners who care deeply about their land and the legacy they leave behind. For many, a forest is more than trees—it is history, heritage, and hope for future generations. Since 1955, Illinois Tree Farm has helped families steward their woods with knowledge, guidance, and certification, ensuring Illinois forests remain healthy and productive for generations to come.
Mission, Vision, and Values
Our Mission
The Illinois Tree Farm Program exists to support family forest owners in caring for their land across generations. We promote sustainable forest management, stewardship education, and third-party certification to help landowners protect their woods, wildlife, water, and legacy—today and for the future.
Our Vision
We envision an Illinois where family-owned forests are healthy, productive, and passed on with pride to future generations—providing clean water, thriving wildlife habitat, sustainable wood products, and meaningful connections to the land.
We believe forests are more than acreage—they are heritage, responsibility, and opportunity.
Our Values
Stewardship
We believe landowners are caretakers of a living legacy. Stewardship means managing forests responsibly so they remain productive, diverse, and resilient for generations to come.
Family and Legacy
Most Illinois forests are owned by families. We honor the tradition of passing land, knowledge, and values from one generation to the next, and we work to equip landowners with the tools to do so successfully.
Education and Empowerment
We provide education, technical guidance, and certification resources so landowners can make informed decisions about forest health, timber, wildlife habitat, and conservation practices.
Sustainability
We support management practices that balance economic, environmental, and social benefits, ensuring forests continue to provide timber, wildlife habitat, recreation, and clean water.
Community and Service
We are a volunteer-driven organization that believes in collaboration among landowners, foresters, educators, and communities to strengthen forestry across Illinois.
Integrity and Certification
We uphold the standards of the American Tree Farm System®, providing credible third-party certification that demonstrates responsible forest management and builds public trust in forest products and conservation.
Illinois Tree Farm 