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 Georgia'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." Treacy-Lenda's experience made her the ideal person for converting crucial forestry facts from the 2019 report into palatable, actionable 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 association 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 environmental benefits are to everyone." With art, graphic design and photography in her tool kit, she aims to tell a story of sustainability that motivates both urban and rural audiences.

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 publication project so that more Georgians can understand the pressures being put on our valuable forestland and contribute 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 communities, and people living everywhere in Georgia.

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 — 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 forestlands. 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 community, 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 retaining traditional markets and developing new markets. That strategy is essential for giving landowners incentives to keep forests in forests, rather than choose alternative uses for the land. A key component 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.

Gauging the Threats

Georgia's well-earned reputation as the ideal place to live and work has resulted in a sizable population increase. Within 25 years, the number of people calling our state home is expected to jump from 10 million to almost 15 million. That growth is and will continue to have a number of impacts on forestland:

1. The sustainability report identifies urbanization as the largest single reason forests are converted to non-forest uses. The pressure to develop land is unceasing. Combined with fragmentation (dividing forestland into smaller parcels for mixed uses), these trends effectively and permanently remove this acreage from forest cover. That increases storm runoff, water quality issues and flooding. It also has negative impacts on air quality, aesthetics and local climate. Importantly, urbanization encroaches on Georgia's wildlife, particularly endangered species.

2. Research shows that in areas where population density exceeds 150 people per square mile, ongoing timber management ends. The change indicates a lack of economic support for local, ongoing forestry operations on a significantly increased land area, creating new pressure on the sustainable wood-products market. That multiplies the pressures still being experienced as a result of the last recession. Lack of significant logging infrastructure investment is a substantial threat to forestry in Georgia.

3. Changing ownership patterns have a tremendous trickle-down effect. New landowners less connected to the rural landscape are likely to have reduced understanding of basic forest management and the options available. The shift from forest industry to privately held companies and small private landowners is an added difficultly. Outreach to this new group of owners is beyond the capabilities of state, federal and private resource professionals.

4. Property tax policies have a significant impact on decision making by owners. The valuation of forestland must be applied uniformly across the state. Fair valuations, consistency across the state and conservation incentives are needed to support forest sustainability.

5. Urbanization places lives and property at risk from wildfire and reduces options for proper fire management. GFC ensures public safety by providing fire prevention services. As growth expands into rural environments, the management of wildfire and application of prescribed fire becomes complicated by factors including emergency access and smoke impacts.

6. Timber security is an important component of forest sustainability, and laws to protect owners were strengthened in 2014. GFC law enforcement continues to pursue timber thieves and has helped landowners recover almost a half million dollars in losses.

7. In today's global market, the potential is heightened for non-native insects, plants and disease organisms to find their way into Georgia and cause widespread damage. The Port of Savannah is the fastest-growing container port in the nation. New introductions of non-native invasive insects have been attributed to facilities accepting and shipping international cargo containing solid-wood packing material. Without native enemies to thwart their reproduction and spread, these invaders have the potential to devastate native environments.

8. Natural disasters are largely unpredictable and pose a constant threat to our forests. Georgia's most recent disaster, Hurricane Michael, left behind an estimated $762,683,909 in forestland damage on more than two million acres.

Choosing the Sustainable Path

Numerous systems designed to meet forest sustainability challenges have been generated. Detailed strategies have been mapped by government agencies, conservation groups and private citizens, coming together to "speak for the trees." The 2019 Sustainability Report for Georgia's Forests and its streamlined handbook are tools that any motivated reader can use to make a difference for our forest resource.

Forest certification systems including SFI, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and American Tree Farm System (ATFS) provide established mechanisms for third-party verification of sustainable forest management.

"Even though less than 15 percent of the forestland in Georgia is certified to SFI, Tree Farm or FSC, most of the wood harvested in Georgia goes to SFI Fiber Sourcing-certified mills,” said Georgia SFI Coordinator Chase Cook. “This means that requirements under the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard are essentially applied across our entire state because of the SFI-certified mills," he said. "Implementation rates for Best Management Practices are excellent. The logger education program is strong. And landowner outreach to those not certified is improving. Everyone along the chain is accountable.” 

GFA is the primary advocate for Georgia’s 22 million acres of working forests and the forest landowners, businesses and manufacturers that support the state’s forestry industry. Members count on GFA leadership to help legislators and influencers understand the importance of forestry in Georgia and protect forestry investments for future generations.

"We will continue to advocate for healthy markets at every stage of growth," said GFA President and CEO Andres Villegas." The importance of healthy markets and a sensible tax and regulatory system has proven to be fundamental for landowners to plant trees in Georgia and ensure our working forests are sustainably managed.”

Sustainability and conservation are concepts getting increased attention from the general public. Issues such as these are making their way to the ballot box.

"Georgians gave their overwhelming support to the forest conservation referendum last fall," said GFC Deputy Director Gary White. Amendment 3 allowed the legislature to change the formula used to calculate taxes on “forestland conservation use property” and create a new land designation for commercial timberland.

"Forests provide ecological services for all, and urban forests support a healthy quality of life just like rural forests,” White said. “Remember, everybody can support the future of forests when they choose paper over plastic!"

Georgia's forests cannot remain sustainable without one crucial element: replanting. Although timber volumes are still increasing, ownership changes and other pressures have the potential to reduce per-acre pine volume averages. More funding for tree planting or tax incentive programs make replanting after harvest more economically feasible for private forest landowners, thereby increasing future wood supply. Peaks in tree planting have historically coincided with cost-share programs that directly contribute to increases in future wood supply.

Land conservation programs such as the Conservation Use Value Adjustment (CUVA) and the Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA) help landowners reduce their tax burden by forgoing certain development and land-use rights. Conservation easements provide a means to permanently protect forestland from conversion, thus serving as a valuable conservation tool. Collaborative support by the state, non-governmental organizations and forest landowners can strengthen conservation easements' impact on forest sustainability. 

Georgia has changed a great deal since its first timber boom and the subsequent establishment of well-managed forestlands across the state. There are pressures working against forest sustainability, yet there is resolve from numerous sectors to overcome the challenges. Georgia's forestry community is committed to the wise use of scientific knowledge and resources. With generations of experience and well-honed instincts hard at work, citizens of tomorrow are in very good hands. 
Stasia Kelly is a media relations specialist with Georgia Forestry Commission. Stasia is focused on telling the story of forestry and the immense impact of the industry on Georgia's environment, economy and heritage.