Page 17 - Georgia Forestry - Summer 2018

My Heroes Have Always Been...
FORESTERS
Georgia Forestry Commission employees work to protect and conserve the state’s forest resources
STtory & Photography by Stasia Kelly
hey hail from cities as distant as Hong Kong, and have held jobs as disparate as managing an off- shore oil rig, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and performing in the circus. One refurbishes golf carts, one acted in a movie with Julia Roberts, one was on an international
soccer team and another skated in the roller derby. And that’s just eight of 543 employees of the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), who bring a diverse variety of skills and experiences to their jobs every day.
It’s been said the GFC provides more diversity of ser- vices than any other agency in state government. From heavy-equipment operation and piloting aircraft to solving pest problems, assessing timber markets, protecting nature services and educating people about the benefits of forest- land, GFC is an extraordinarily versatile resource to Georgia.
On these pages, you’ll meet a few people who are respected by their customers and colleagues for always “walking the talk.” You’re likely to find their passion refreshing — and infectious.
Retired family practitioner Dr. K.L. Lewis, right, has known Rent Sanders, left, his “whole life,” and credits the Georgia Forestry Commission’s partnership for helping his family’s forestland thrive for 50 years.
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