Page 22 - Georgia Forestry - Fall 2017

Two out of every three drops of rain that fall in Georgia land on forestland.
Water Warriors
State Forestry Commission Professionals Enhance the Water Quality Benefits Provided by Georgia’s Forests
Story by Stasia Kelly
tatistics sometimes have a way of making one’s eyes glaze over. Ninety-three billion light years to the end of the universe. Seven-and-a-half billion people in the world. Six-hundred-seventy-two million dollars to build Sun Trust Park, and
another $452 million for The Battery Atlanta. Even 24.8 million acres of forestland in Georgia can be challenging to comprehend.
One eye-opening stat that’s much easier to grasp communicates a primary value of Georgia’s forests to its citizens: two out of every three drops of rain that fall in Georgia land on forestland. In addition to providing a vital
economic engine for the economy, our forests serve as giant water filters that ultimately deliver clean water to faucets, hydrants and waterways throughout the state. Water filtration benefits are a critical portion of the estimated $37.6 billion dollar value of ecosystem services Georgia’s privately owned forestland provides.
But back to those raindrops, and where they travel after they’ve fallen onto Georgia’s red clay, asphalt roadways, and pine straw littered timber stands. Are we doing all we can to ensure the resource stays clean as it moves its way through the established natural and man-made systems that deliver water’s benefits?
20 | GEORGIA FORESTRY