Page 9 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 3 - Summer 2024

Georgia Forestry Association President Andres Villegas shakes hands with Governor Brian Kemp following remarks at Georgia Forestry Day at the Georgia State Capitol.
Keeping F
Georgia the
#1 Forestry State in the Nation
How the Georgia Forestry Association and Foundation’s Efforts Have Driven Value to the Entire Forestry Supply Chain
By Matt Hestad & Olivia Parrott
or more than 100 years, Georgia’s forest land- owners, forestry professionals and business and academic leaders have worked tirelessly to re-establish forestland as the state’s primary
land use. Today, Georgia’s 24.3 million acres of forest- land blanket nearly two-thirds of the state, providing a picturesque and diverse mosaic across the landscape that is working every day to support wildlife, air and water resources while serving as the heartbeat of the state’s economy.
These forest stewards work quietly in the background, tucked away in rural communities with names like Cochran, Lumpkin, Hazlehurst, Blackshear, Quitman and Warrenton. Until recently, you wouldn’t find them on the front page of any news outlet, but as society looks for answers to our nation’s greatest challenges, they are looking to Georgia’s best kept secret — its working forests. Today, Georgia is recognized as a domestic and global leader in forestry — leading the nation in commer- cially-available timberland, volume of wood harvested, forest product exports, and tree planting with more than 250 million seedlings planted annually.
Thanks to the intentional and strategic investment from the entire forestry supply chain, the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) and the Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) have been at the forefront of the growing cultural understanding of forestry, which is recognizing more and more the economic, environmental and social benefits. Over the past decade, GFA and GFF’s strategic efforts have not only sustained the sector but advanced it, benefiting landowners, foresters, loggers and manufacturers alike.
www.GeorgiaForestryMagazine.com | 7
MIKE GREGORY