Page 26 - Georgia Forestry - Summer 2019

Where we Stand
Twenty-four million acres of forestland is one astonishing statistic. Just as notable is the fact that Georgia’s forest area has remained stable over the last 60 years, and the majority of that acreage (91 percent) is privately owned — more than any other state in the nation. Georgia’s inventory volumes are at an all-time high, and we have 49 percent more cubic feet of wood growing in Georgia than we did 40 years ago!
Georgia has 159 counties, and 83 of them have at least one primary wood-using mill
Nearly 200 mills across the state produce wood products, such as lumber, veneer, poles and posts along with wood pulp and wood pellets, which are used to produce energy.
More than a dozen bioenergy plants have been built in Georgia since 2007, and that number is expected to increase.
More than 1,000 secondary mills
further process primary wood products into furniture, cabinetry, paper products and more.
In 2017, the economic impact of forestry was $35.9 billion and more than 147,000 jobs.
The forest industry generated $970 million in gross tax revenue for the state. In addition to this data, urban and community forestry companies created and supported 46,209 jobs, with wages and salaries of $1.7 billion, and generated $4 billion of economic activity. Forestry is clearly big business for Georgia.
Significant revenue is also generated from outdoor recreation and eco-tourism. Fishing, hunting and wildlife-associated recreation has a $5.5 billion economic impact on the state, supporting 40,000 jobs.
Putting monetary values on forestland, the forest products industry, and the impacts of both, is incomplete without measuring the benefits trees provide that are not so obvious. Ecosystem services —
24 | GEORGIA FORESTRY
Sustainability in Action
Enhancing the Value of Georgia’s Forestry Sector
For over 200 years, forestry has been a critical part of Georgia’s economy, environment and culture. As our
state continues to grow and evolve — urbanizing and suburbanizing — our efforts to ensure the sustainability of its forests are focused on adding value to each stage of the forestry supply chain and promoting its importance to all Georgians.
The Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) delivers value to anyone who owns “dirt” (i.e. forestland) or “steel” (i.e. equipment or manufacturing facilities) related to forestry in Georgia. This includes landowners, manufacturers and the entire forestry supply chain — loggers, truckers, forestry consultants, nurseries and professional service providers (lawyers, banks, accountants, financial planners). GFA’s vision supports Georgia forestry’s competitive advantage through the long-term sustainability of our forests.
Sustainability in action