Page 25 - Georgia Forestry - Summer 2019

In 2007, the Georgia General Assembly enacted a law requiring the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) to officially document the condition of our state’s forests every five years. The report details conditions, trends and threats that impact the sustainability of Georgia forests. Specifically, the mandate is to verify “the
ability of forest resources in this state to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations.”
We’ve got a lot riding on our forests. They give us thousands of products that make our life more comfortable, provide environmental services that sustain us and give habitat to an extraordinary array of wildlife. They bring money and jobs to Georgia and offer peaceful places to relax and rejuvenate.
So how are we doing on keeping the resource healthy for today and tomorrow? The 24-page 2019 Sustainability Report for Geor- gia’s Forests contains abundant answers that fall into several categories. Resource assessments, benefits, impacts, values and threats are detailed. The information was originally compiled to help elected leaders make informed policy decisions. Yet it’s clear that every Georgian is impacted by decisions affecting our forests, and today’s citizens are taking active roles in issues impacting the environment. That’s why a condensed version of the 2019 forest sustainability report is being produced for a general audience.
For more than a decade, Rebecca Treacy-Lenda has been researching and writing about sustainability for multi-national global companies. It’s a topic that has gained a great deal of marketing attention, and it’s almost impossible to shop these days without hearing or reading the word “sustainable.” Trea- cy-Lenda’s experience made her the ideal person for converting crucial forestry facts from the 2019 report into palatable, action- able information that can be absorbed by general consumers.
“When most people think of sustainability, they think of the environment,” said Treacy-Lenda. “There’s a natural associa- tion between the environment and trees. This booklet’s audience might not know about working tree farms, but we want readers to understand they benefit from working forests. And connect the dots to urban forests.”
Treacy-Lenda said her goal is to “drive home the importance of the forest industry and how essential the forest’s environ- mental benefits are to everyone.” With art, graphic design and photography in her tool kit, she aims to tell a story of sustain- ability that motivates both urban and rural audiences.
GFC’s report details conditions, trends and threats that impact the sustainability of Georgia forests.
Partnerships to
Ensure Sustainability
Forest sustainability is at the heart of all services provided by GFC, the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Each of these entities provided input and funding for the streamlined publi- cation project so that more Georgians can understand the pressures being put on our valuable forestland and contrib- ute to forest sustainability.
“The report concludes that our 24 million acres of privately owned forests are healthy today and ready to meet the needs of tomorrow,” said GFC Director Chuck Williams. “At the same time, we must be mindful of some emerging trends, and there are actions every person can take to protect this great resource.”
Forest sustainability is dependent on both environmental and economic stability. A challenge to either element is a challenge to both elements. Success, the report says, will depend on proactive decisions by state leaders, the forestry and conservation commu- nities and people living everywhere in Georgia.
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