American Forests: American Forests Magazine Guidelines

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General Editorial and Photography Guidelines

American Forests is a quarterly national magazine with stories and photographs about trees, forests, and forestry issues. The mission of our publication is to foster appreciation for trees and forests and to offer a responsible, science-based discussion of the trends, issues, policies, and management of America's forest resources. We seek to educate, entertain, and enlighten our audiences with compelling writing, eye-catching photography, beautiful illustrations, and exciting design.

The best way to learn about the kinds of articles and photographs we commission and buy is to study the magazine. For a sample copy, send a self-addressed, magazine-size envelope with $1.70 in postage. Please send written or emailed queries with information about the availability of photos; we do not accept phone queries. Submit an SASE for snail mail queries if you would like your materials returned. Because of our small staff, please expect a response time between 8 and 10 weeks.

DEPARTMENTS

Clippings: 150-500 words
News briefs and humorous stories of various lengths about the world of trees and forests. We are looking for recent national or local news, anecdotes, round-ups of long-term news events, and short profiles of innovative projects. These can include, but are not limited to, stories that touch on American Forests' work, such as the National Register of Big Trees, tree-planting initiatives, Famous & Historic Trees, threats to trees, or sprawl.

Communities: 750-1,000 words
Shows how communities or individuals in a particular area maintain or study their forest. Spotlights community-based forestry efforts, creative land management, and community responses to environmental threats.

Perspectives: 750-1,000 words
Focuses on controversial issues and how people seek to resolve them. Recent subjects include ecoterrorism, green businesses, and planning a forest legacy.

Recreation: 750-1,000 words
Highlights recreational opportunities in America's forests and woodlands. Should include information or a sidebar with practical tips. Family-oriented material is a plus.

Woods Wise: 750-1,000 words
Focuses on issues with unique interest for small-forest landowners. A recent Woods Wise discussed how a forest owner's management plan helped contain the deer population and increase cooperation with the community.

Earthkeepers: 450-650 words
Highlights an individual, not necessarily a forest professional, who makes a difference for trees and forests in the community. Recent Earthkeepers have included social activists, artists, teachers, and foresters.

FEATURES

Length: 750-1,750 words

We seek interesting articles that are well written, well illustrated, and will inform, entertain, and inspire. Although most features are assigned, we welcome informative news stories on controversial or current topics, as long as they are well documented and present the issue fairly. We do not accept fiction or poetry. Articles should be neither too elementary nor too technical. About 80 percent of our readers have had college training, and about 30 percent have either a Master's or a Ph.D. degree. Although we are always willing to consider a submission, the acceptance of an article for review in no way constitutes a contract for publication.

PHOTOGRAPHS

American Forests accepts professional photos for review. Also, many authors shoot photos to illustrate their articles. These photographs should be related to the article and must be clear and sharp. A caption sheet, keyed to numbers on the photos, should describe each shot and name any people shown. We prefer digital photography, with photos at 300 dpi or higher.

Submitting Articles and/or Photographs

E-mailed queries should be sent to kmarland@amfor.org. Material that is sent through the mail will be returned, provided a self-addressed, stamped envelope of suitable size accompanies your submission.

Send submissions to:
Editor, American Forests
PO Box 2000
Washington, DC 20013

Packages to be handled by Federal Express, UPS, or other fast-delivery services should be sent to our street address:

Editor, American Forests
734 15th Sreet, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005

Additional Information for Photographers

AMERICAN FORESTS has long been noted for its coffee table-quality covers and inside photographs, and we intend to improve upon that reputation. We strive for the photos in our magazine to be more than simply a record of a place or event, but rather a creative interpretation that's pleasing to the eye and evokes an understanding of what is happening in the scene and/or a longing to be in that particular place, usually outdoors.