Special Sites
A special site may be a cave,
vernal pond, burial
site, or the foundation of an early settler’s cabin.
A special site may also be designated by a land- owner for sentimental or recreational reasons, such a favorite picnic spot or a tree stand for hunting.
These locations can be found not only by walking a property with a landowner, but also with the help of online databases. State natural heritage programs, historical societies and historical maps are valuable tools for researching special sites. The American Tree Farm System® (ATFS) Woodland Owner Resource provides state-by-state listings of these resources for easy access.
For ATFS Certification, landowners must demonstrate a good-faith effort to locate special sites and, where they exist, they must be maintained. Landowners should be sure to identify special sites in their management plan and map, and communicate those locations to forest contractors to ensure protection during harvests. While some landowners choose to physically mark these sites for recognition, others may choose not to do so to protect them from vandalism or overuse.
