Page 27 - Georgia Forestry - Summer 2019

PROTECT Private Property Rights
CORE PRINCIPLES
ENSURE Sensible Taxes and Regulations
PROMOTE Healthy Markets for Forest Products
OUR VISION
MEMBERSHIP
Enhancing the connection of each GFA member to the forestry community in Georgia through highly focused communications, relevant and engaging events, and key member benefits.
FOUNDATION
Building a bright future for the forestry community in Georgia by connecting 10 million Georgians to the importance of the state’s working forests.
ADVOCACY
Protecting forestry investments through boots- on-the-ground engagement with policymakers and relationship-building through ForestPAC and Forest Resource Teams (FORT).
MANAGEMENT
Goal-focused, results-oriented and cost- effective stewardship of GFA resources to ensure maximum value is delivered to members.
Education
Building programs and partnerships that connect Georgians of all ages to working forests at scale across the state.
Leadership
Developing confident advocates for forestry.
Competitiveness
Providing research and analysis that helps improve the economic sustainability of Georgia’s forests.
Communications
Connecting Georgians to forests upon which they depend.
HOW CAN YOU STAY ENGAGED?
• Become a GFA Member
• Donate to ForestPAC
• Volunteer through the FORT • Donate to the Foundation
Learn more at gfagrow.org or contact us at 478-992-8110
water filtration, clean air, erosion control, aesthetics, wildlife habitat and soil formation to name a few — are processes of nature that are of direct benefit to humans. A 2011 University of Georgia report valued these services at an estimated $37.6 billion annually. Listing the three major ecosystem services of carbon sequestration, water quality and wildlife habitat, the study estimated values of $381/acre, $8,196/acre and $251/acre, respectively.
Forests’ contribution to the quality of Georgia’s water supply is critical. Many of the state’s 44,056 miles of perennial streams, 23,906 miles of intermittent streams, and 603 miles of ditches and canals begin in or flow through forest- lands. Water that is filtered through forests is less expensive to treat at municipal water treatment plants than stream water flowing from land used for other purposes. Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) minimize or prevent non-point source pollution contributions. Biannual implementation ratings show excellent performance by Georgia’s logging com- munity, which has strict standards for process training through the Master Timber Harvester education system.
While we are maintaining acres of forests at a stable rate and growth is surpassing removals, the sustainability report explains the importance of retain- ing traditional markets and developing new markets. That strategy is essential for giving landowners incentives to keep forests as forests, rather than choose alternative uses for the land. A key com- ponent of helping landowners keep their working forests working will be market prices that generate enough revenue to allow for an acceptable rate of return on the landowners’ investments.
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