This Is Us
How GFC Shares the ForestryMessage with Fellow Georgians
Fall 2025
By Stasia Kelly
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Education is one of the pillars on which the Georgia
Forestry Commission (GFC) was founded. For the past 104 years, GFC personnel have been spreading the good news
about trees and their critical importance to Georgia.
For those of us steeped in all things Georgia forestry, it’s surprising at times to realize there are many people around us who don’t know our story. Between the financial impact we have on our state and the impact trees have on individuals’ personal well-being, there are countless stories to tell, and the GFC is committed to telling them every day.
In recent years, GFC’s outreach arm has been gaining muscle. Building on traditional, established methods, the agency’s communication team has carefully
expanded its practices and embraced emerging media tools. GFC’s audience is broad, and the importance of relevant messaging can’t be underestimated.
GFC had an established team of communicators, including a writer, graphic artist and education professional. Two
years ago, Public Relations Director Wendy Burnett rounded out the team with Aubrey Gee, a gifted video specialist. She works closely with Conservation Coordinator Chelsea York, who joined GFC in 2016.
“It feels like there’s been a shift,” York said of the momentum gained over the past few years. “We’re active on social media and we added a podcast called ‘The Georgia Forestry Forum.’ Our people in the field are getting more training and we’re doing more landowner events, like ‘Learn-n-Burns’ and landowner suppers.”
Forestry Commission (GFC) was founded. For the past 104 years, GFC personnel have been spreading the good news
about trees and their critical importance to Georgia.
For those of us steeped in all things Georgia forestry, it’s surprising at times to realize there are many people around us who don’t know our story. Between the financial impact we have on our state and the impact trees have on individuals’ personal well-being, there are countless stories to tell, and the GFC is committed to telling them every day.
In recent years, GFC’s outreach arm has been gaining muscle. Building on traditional, established methods, the agency’s communication team has carefully
expanded its practices and embraced emerging media tools. GFC’s audience is broad, and the importance of relevant messaging can’t be underestimated.
GFC had an established team of communicators, including a writer, graphic artist and education professional. Two
years ago, Public Relations Director Wendy Burnett rounded out the team with Aubrey Gee, a gifted video specialist. She works closely with Conservation Coordinator Chelsea York, who joined GFC in 2016.
“It feels like there’s been a shift,” York said of the momentum gained over the past few years. “We’re active on social media and we added a podcast called ‘The Georgia Forestry Forum.’ Our people in the field are getting more training and we’re doing more landowner events, like ‘Learn-n-Burns’ and landowner suppers.”
Lessons Learned in the Great Outdoors
York has been busy putting the closing touches on two very successful annual summer happenings. The Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop and the Billy
Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp are both designed to give hands-on learning opportunities to different groups. Each session, co-sponsored by GFC, was well-attended this year.
The Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop (TCW) is considered the premier forestry and environmental education professional-development event for teachers and educators in Georgia. Since it began in 2005, more than 530 educators have completed the week-long session.
The workshop focuses on topics related to the benefits of forestry, including the cycle of growing trees, the utilization of trees for common consumer products,
and the management of trees for water and wildlife. It emphasizes the importance of conservation of natural
resources, with special attention given to Georgia’s forests, wildlife and water.
Participants learn hands-on practical exercises that can supplement their classroom curricula and student projects.
In addition to GFC, numerous partners and sponsors participate in and support TCW. They include the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nature Conservancy and University of Georgia.
Content from three corresponding environmental education programs is incorporated into the workshop. Participants
receive certification in Project Learning Tree, WET (Water Education for K-12 Teachers), and WILD, which
delves into wildlife subjects.
Project Learning Tree is considered the gold standard for teaching students about forests and the environment. It provides a copious selection of curriculum resources for all types of students, and numerous professional-development opportunities for the people who guide them. This hands-on, interdisciplinary approach has been utilized by teachers for almost 50 years and has inspired environmental awareness in legions of learners.
The week-long TCW, held at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer. Participants’ experiences include a visit to a harvesting and reforestation site as well as a corrugated paper facility, and demonstrations showcasing snakes and other critters. Targeted activities and experiments always keep the vibe lively.
“TCW has helped me better understand how I can make this content come to life for my students,” said Kristin Lee,
a high school science teacher at Peachtree Academy. “To create those special moments for them to fall in love with the
environment — it helps their experience in the classroom and it’s really helped improve my teaching.”
Several participants said these immersive experiences are inspiring, and when shared, can be constructive antidotes for students who have “screentime overload.”
Nancy Sartin, a retired Valdosta State University professor who attended the workshop, worries about kids in that situation.
“We have children who are just depressed, that have issues with self worth, self-esteem [related to] what they see on Facebook, what their friends are saying to and about them behind their backs, and they’re turning inward to themselves. To take them outside, into nature and get them to understand, that’s medicine out there! Breathing, fresh air, listening to those birds, exploring — that is medicine for your soul.”
Equipping the Team
School visits and young audiences are prime targets for GFC messaging. A robust in-house training program helps agency employees learn effective ways to communicate with youth. York established a new staff training system that introduces them to the videos, presentations, handouts and other tools available for their use. A focus on training is one of the reasons local outreach is succeeding.
GFC Management Forester Jason McMullen frequently “checks out” one of the tubs that holds all kinds of tools of the trade: tree cookies, pamphlets, fire tools and much more. He enjoys teaching and interacting with kids from different backgrounds.
“It’s fun to see the kids get into it,” he said. “They’re surprised to learn about wildland firefighting and prescribed fire. I like telling them about all the different opportunities in the field of forestry.”
Community foresters are an active and important outreach group at GFC. They provide technical assistance to cities, counties, elementary schools, colleges, homeowners and nonprofit organizations via the Urban & Community Forestry Program (UCF). With the goal of nurturing a healthy urban tree canopy for its many benefits, communities across the state get tree plantings, presentations and mentoring.
And everyone within listening reach of 95.5 WSB gets regular forestry news with Saturday “Green and Growing” host Ashley Frasca. GFC’s Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator Seth Hawkins is a frequent guest and, in the fall, showcases prime leaf-viewing sites for her audience.
GFC’s presence at public events has proved valuable for sharing forestry messages with many non-traditional audiences. From field days and festivals to baseball parks and city markets, GFC shows up ready to share.
“Every person in Georgia is affected by forestry,” said Burnett. “So we do participate in a wide variety of events to meet a wide variety of people. And every GFC employee is an ambassador for the agency. When our shield inspires a conversation in the check-out line, we all need to be ready to share our story!”
Burnett added that the agency’s partnership with the Georgia Forestry Association and the Georgia Forestry Foundation has opened up many additional opportunities. “These partnerships have really broadened our reach into both rural and urban areas,” she said. With internet access, the TV feature “Virtual Learning Journey: Georgia’s Forests” on Georgia Public Broadcasting makes visiting the forests easier than ever.
Other opportunities, she said, such as the ongoing Earth Day event at Ponce City Market, put forestry front and center with elusive urban audiences. “The response to learning about things like knowing that we aren’t running out of trees, that we have more today than we did 60 years ago, is priceless.”
York has been busy putting the closing touches on two very successful annual summer happenings. The Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop and the Billy
Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp are both designed to give hands-on learning opportunities to different groups. Each session, co-sponsored by GFC, was well-attended this year.
The Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop (TCW) is considered the premier forestry and environmental education professional-development event for teachers and educators in Georgia. Since it began in 2005, more than 530 educators have completed the week-long session.
The workshop focuses on topics related to the benefits of forestry, including the cycle of growing trees, the utilization of trees for common consumer products,
and the management of trees for water and wildlife. It emphasizes the importance of conservation of natural
resources, with special attention given to Georgia’s forests, wildlife and water.
Participants learn hands-on practical exercises that can supplement their classroom curricula and student projects.
In addition to GFC, numerous partners and sponsors participate in and support TCW. They include the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nature Conservancy and University of Georgia.
Content from three corresponding environmental education programs is incorporated into the workshop. Participants
receive certification in Project Learning Tree, WET (Water Education for K-12 Teachers), and WILD, which
delves into wildlife subjects.
Project Learning Tree is considered the gold standard for teaching students about forests and the environment. It provides a copious selection of curriculum resources for all types of students, and numerous professional-development opportunities for the people who guide them. This hands-on, interdisciplinary approach has been utilized by teachers for almost 50 years and has inspired environmental awareness in legions of learners.
The week-long TCW, held at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer. Participants’ experiences include a visit to a harvesting and reforestation site as well as a corrugated paper facility, and demonstrations showcasing snakes and other critters. Targeted activities and experiments always keep the vibe lively.
“TCW has helped me better understand how I can make this content come to life for my students,” said Kristin Lee,
a high school science teacher at Peachtree Academy. “To create those special moments for them to fall in love with the
environment — it helps their experience in the classroom and it’s really helped improve my teaching.”
Several participants said these immersive experiences are inspiring, and when shared, can be constructive antidotes for students who have “screentime overload.”
Nancy Sartin, a retired Valdosta State University professor who attended the workshop, worries about kids in that situation.
“We have children who are just depressed, that have issues with self worth, self-esteem [related to] what they see on Facebook, what their friends are saying to and about them behind their backs, and they’re turning inward to themselves. To take them outside, into nature and get them to understand, that’s medicine out there! Breathing, fresh air, listening to those birds, exploring — that is medicine for your soul.”
Equipping the Team
School visits and young audiences are prime targets for GFC messaging. A robust in-house training program helps agency employees learn effective ways to communicate with youth. York established a new staff training system that introduces them to the videos, presentations, handouts and other tools available for their use. A focus on training is one of the reasons local outreach is succeeding.
GFC Management Forester Jason McMullen frequently “checks out” one of the tubs that holds all kinds of tools of the trade: tree cookies, pamphlets, fire tools and much more. He enjoys teaching and interacting with kids from different backgrounds.
“It’s fun to see the kids get into it,” he said. “They’re surprised to learn about wildland firefighting and prescribed fire. I like telling them about all the different opportunities in the field of forestry.”
Community foresters are an active and important outreach group at GFC. They provide technical assistance to cities, counties, elementary schools, colleges, homeowners and nonprofit organizations via the Urban & Community Forestry Program (UCF). With the goal of nurturing a healthy urban tree canopy for its many benefits, communities across the state get tree plantings, presentations and mentoring.
And everyone within listening reach of 95.5 WSB gets regular forestry news with Saturday “Green and Growing” host Ashley Frasca. GFC’s Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator Seth Hawkins is a frequent guest and, in the fall, showcases prime leaf-viewing sites for her audience.
GFC’s presence at public events has proved valuable for sharing forestry messages with many non-traditional audiences. From field days and festivals to baseball parks and city markets, GFC shows up ready to share.
“Every person in Georgia is affected by forestry,” said Burnett. “So we do participate in a wide variety of events to meet a wide variety of people. And every GFC employee is an ambassador for the agency. When our shield inspires a conversation in the check-out line, we all need to be ready to share our story!”
Burnett added that the agency’s partnership with the Georgia Forestry Association and the Georgia Forestry Foundation has opened up many additional opportunities. “These partnerships have really broadened our reach into both rural and urban areas,” she said. With internet access, the TV feature “Virtual Learning Journey: Georgia’s Forests” on Georgia Public Broadcasting makes visiting the forests easier than ever.
Other opportunities, she said, such as the ongoing Earth Day event at Ponce City Market, put forestry front and center with elusive urban audiences. “The response to learning about things like knowing that we aren’t running out of trees, that we have more today than we did 60 years ago, is priceless.”
‘“It’s funny to see the things that garner the most interactions with our followers,” said Burnett. “Everyone loves fire info — those are always our most popular posts.
They also love forest health information — perhaps because it empowers them and gives them a call to action to help protect our forests.”
Last spring, GFC teamed up with the Macon Bacon baseball team, connecting in a new way with outdoor sports fans. GFC’s wildfire prevention mascot, Smokey Bear, cavorted with Macon Bacon’s seven-foot “strip of bacon” mascot, “Kevin.” They delighted audiences on the Jumbotron and on the field with antics that riffed on the baseball players and America’s favorite pastime.
Smokey has been making an impact on Americans for more than eight decades, and GFC regularly utilizes his notoriety with personal visits. From parades to community festivals, classrooms and television studios, Smokey provides a memorable link to the forest. One of his handlers, GFC Chief Ranger Clayton Jones, has been accompanying the superstar bear on appearances for eight years.
He said he’s impressed with the wide age range of fans who wanted hugs and selfies at a Braves game last year. And while visiting patients at Children’s Hospital during 95.5 WSB’s recent Care-a-Thon, he was taken by the bear’s universal appeal.
“It’s people’s expressions, from pre-K to their 70s and older. I love to listen to how excited they are. It’s fun when Smokey reaches out his hand, and they say, ‘He’s so soft!’”
That’s an experience many will never forget. And it’s a connection to the forest that’s sure to resonate for generations to come. ■
Stasia Kelly is a media relations specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission. She is focused on telling the story of forestry and exploring the immense impact of the industry on Georgia’s environment, economy and heritage.
They also love forest health information — perhaps because it empowers them and gives them a call to action to help protect our forests.”
Last spring, GFC teamed up with the Macon Bacon baseball team, connecting in a new way with outdoor sports fans. GFC’s wildfire prevention mascot, Smokey Bear, cavorted with Macon Bacon’s seven-foot “strip of bacon” mascot, “Kevin.” They delighted audiences on the Jumbotron and on the field with antics that riffed on the baseball players and America’s favorite pastime.
Smokey has been making an impact on Americans for more than eight decades, and GFC regularly utilizes his notoriety with personal visits. From parades to community festivals, classrooms and television studios, Smokey provides a memorable link to the forest. One of his handlers, GFC Chief Ranger Clayton Jones, has been accompanying the superstar bear on appearances for eight years.
He said he’s impressed with the wide age range of fans who wanted hugs and selfies at a Braves game last year. And while visiting patients at Children’s Hospital during 95.5 WSB’s recent Care-a-Thon, he was taken by the bear’s universal appeal.
“It’s people’s expressions, from pre-K to their 70s and older. I love to listen to how excited they are. It’s fun when Smokey reaches out his hand, and they say, ‘He’s so soft!’”
That’s an experience many will never forget. And it’s a connection to the forest that’s sure to resonate for generations to come. ■
Stasia Kelly is a media relations specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission. She is focused on telling the story of forestry and exploring the immense impact of the industry on Georgia’s environment, economy and heritage.
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Georgia Forestry Magazine is published by HL Strategy, an integrated marketing and communications firm focused on our nation's biggest challenges and opportunities. Learn more at hlstrategy.com
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