There is a growing recognition of the importance of working forests as a solution to our state and nation’s greatest challenges, and the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) and Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF) are working every day to ensure that forest landowners, forest-based businesses and forest product manufacturers are positioned to take advantage of current and future opportunities. 

We are most keenly focused today on THREE INITIATIVES:

1. DEVELOPING PREFERRED STRUCTURES FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICE MARKETS;
2. DRIVING DEMAND FOR WOOD PRODUCTS BY ENCOURAGING GREATER UTILIZATION OF MASS TIMBER IN CONSTRUCTION; AND
3. CREATING A SAFER, LESS DAMAGING AND MORE EFFICIENT OPTION FOR TIMBER HAULING.

For generations, domestic and global markets have driven demand for timber, which has, in turn, fueled investment, job creation and economic output. Georgia forestry businesses have taken advantage of this demand, and through continuous innovation and scientific advances in sustainable forest management, Georgia has been ranked as the number one forestry state in the nation.

Now, American businesses and political leaders are researching and innovating to identify new ways to solve issues relating to climate change, water quality and quantity, renewable energy and supply chain sustainability; and, once again, they are looking to our nation’s forests for answers.

Following momentum gained from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2018, many American corporations started work to develop climate strategies aimed at drawing down their own overall carbon emissions while also funding carbon reduction initiatives. Today, a growing list of companies including Amazon, Apple, BCG, Delta, Facebook, Google, Mars, Shopify and Stripe are incorporating carbon removal into their climate strategies. And each company has recognized forests as a part of the solution or the whole solution, citing the need for reforestation, afforestation, wetland mitigation, sustainable products and more.

The understanding of modern forest management continues to evolve as businesses look to leverage the capabilities of working forests to sequester carbon, clean and filter water, and provide sustainable alternatives to plastic and steel. That is where GFA President and CEO Andres Villegas says there is opportunity for the industry to frame the conversation. “Working forests and the people who steward them are uniquely positioned today to drive real results at scale across a broad landscape,” Villegas said. “Cultural understanding of forest management is shifting, but we must take advantage of this opportunity to frame working forests as a comprehensive solution, with healthy markets for timber being inextricably tied to forest management and sustainability. GFA’s priorities are focused on strengthening the ability of each part of the supply chain to ensure that our forested landscape is resilient, our forestry businesses are efficient and our products continue to provide innovative and sustainable solutions.” Through a strong advocacy program and the brand of the Georgia Forestry Foundation, GFA is working to advance a broad set of objectives that have a great potential for impact across the entire forestry supply chain.

“GFA’s priorities are focused on strengthening the ability of each part of the supply chain to ensure that our forested landscape is resilient, our forestry businesses are efficient and our products continue to provide innovative and sustainable solutions.” — Andres Villegas, GFA President ​

BUILDING REAL VALUE
INCREASING AND PROTECTING THE VALUE OF PRIVATELY OWNED FORESTS 

GFA has long been focused on increasing the value of working forests by protecting private property rights, ensuring sensible regulations and driving modernization of the ad valorem tax code to recognize the long-term investment nature of owning timberland.

1. DEVELOPING PREFERRED STRUCTURES FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICE MARKETS
As landowners continue to face pressure from increasing urbanization and decreasing timber prices, GFA is focused on identifying and developing emerging markets for a broad range of ecosystem services, including carbon, water and wildlife habitat. In February, the Georgia Forestry Foundation organized nine forums with more than 150 attendees, focused on gathering feedback on the development of new market-based tools to connect water providers and landowners. Data from the forums will be used to inform the development of preferred market structures that are focused on paying forest landowners for the clean water services their forests provide.

​The effort was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forests & Water and brought together a diverse group of collaborators, including Keeping Forests, Dovetail Partners, the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, the Georgia Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Southeastern Partnership for Forests & Water.

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ENHANCING MARKETS FOR FOREST PRODUCTS
Forest products, including solid wood products and pulp and paper products, are receiving more and more recognition for the benefits they provide to carbon sequestration and for offering sustainable alternatives to environmentally intensive products such as steel and concrete. GFA is focused on developing policy that removes barriers and drives market-based incentives for forest product utilization.

2. DRIVING DEMAND FOR WOOD PRODUCTS BY ENCOURAGING GREATER UTILIZATION OF MASS TIMBER
GFA is sponsoring legislation to expand the use of mass timber as a structural element in commercial construction, which will drive direct value for Georgia’s working forests while unlocking potential for working forests as a climate solution. GFA is advancing legislation to establish the nation’s first carbon registry for sustainable buildings that will encourage developers to utilize wood products, including mass timber, and other materials that sequester carbon. GFA is engaged with a diverse coalition in support of this initiative, including the Georgia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Georgia Conservancy and Southface Energy Institute.

​In addition to this legislation, GFA is also exploring opportunities to increase awareness of mass timber through an exhibition in metro Atlanta that will highlight the sustainability and versatility of mass timber as a construction material.

ENSURING SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY
Efficiency of each part of the supply chain is key to enhancing the value of forestry investments and keeping Georgia’s forest industry competitive in domestic and global markets.

​3. LOG TRUCK CONFIGURATION, SAFETY & MODERNIZATION
GFA is supporting legislation focused on modernizing timber transportation in Georgia by creating an optional annual permit for hauling raw timber that would allow permit holders to haul at a greater gross vehicle weight so long as a sixth axle is added to the truck/trailer configuration. The legislation will seek to provide an option for timber hauling that is safer, less damaging to our roads, and more efficient than Georgia’s current legal configuration.

Prior to supporting the policy development, the Georgia Forestry Foundation funded research at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources to study the potential cost savings, payload gains and safety implications of a variety of log truck and weight configurations. In 2019, the Foundation also funded research aimed at quantifying the economic, social and climate benefits of loaded log trucks having access to the federal interstate system.  ■ 

Matt Hestad is the vice president of engagement for the Georgia Forestry Association.