Georgia Forest Facts 
 
Ownership: 
64% a/the total acres in Georgia is/orest land. 
Trees are Georgia's most valuable and abundant natural resource. Over halfofGeorgia is forested, and individuals own the bulk of that land. Indeed., private non-industrial landowners own 68 percent of all forest land. Georgia has 751,791 acres of national forests and 487,362 acres of forest in natural preserves. 
 
Cb Forest Ownership 
 
~ 68 percent Private Non-Industrial Landowner 
4 25 percent Forest Industry 
 
, 
 
7 percent Government (Federal, State and Local) 
 
Economy: 
Timber - The Top Crop: 
 Timber is the highest valued crop in Georgia followed by peanuts, tobacco and cotton. 
 Nationally, timber is tne single highest-valued crop produced in the United States, exceeding even com and wheat. 
Forestry - The Leading Industry: 
Forestry is a 13.2 billion dollar industry in Georgia. 
 For ever dollar Georgia landowners receive $15 is generated in the states' economy. 
 One in every five forest products manufacturing jobs is located in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area. 
 Forestry creates 144,000 jobs directly and indirectly statewide. 
 
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FORESTRY 
 
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Georgia's Top Four Crops 
 
Peanuts 
 
Soun:e: Ga. Department of Agriculblre 
 
Georgia's Forest Products: 
 Georgia leads the nation in pulp and paper production. We also lead the nation in the production ofnaval stores, the extraction ofpitch from pines which is used in a variety of products. Wood products made in Georgia range from 
 
oriented strand board furniture flooring insulation toilet paper newspaper 
to hundreds of others. 
 
paints ceiling tile packaging food containers crayons animal bedding 
 
 Georgia firefighters have the best fire suppression record in the Southeast. Their efficient tactics have kept the average fire size at or below 5 acres since 1988. 
 
Fires By Cause 
FY 88 - 92 
 
Five Year Fire Summary 
 
Ligthning 6% Machine 7% Smoking 7% 
 
Fiscal Year 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 
Five Year Average 
 
No. of Fires 16,959 8,048 6,212 7,707 10,878 
9,960 
 
Acres Burned 76,711 40,528 21,526 34,567 41,306 
 
Average Size 4.52 5.03 3.46 4.49 3.80 
 
42,927 
 
4.26 
 
Reforestation: 
 Since 1981, GeOlgians have replanted nearly 5 million acres in trees to ensure that future forests will continue to support our economy and enviroment. 
 And additional 625,000 acres of forest land have been naturally regenemted as well. 
 Reforestation using improved loblolly and slash pine nursery stock can improve per acre timber yields by 10 percent or more. 
 
Species: 
Hardwoods cover 53 percent ofthe timberland in Georgia, and 
pine makes up the remaining 41 percent 
 The most prevalent hardwood species are oak, maple and sweetgum. 
 Loblolly and slash are the primary pine species in Georgia. 
 
Urban Forestry: 
*48 percent of Georgia's population live in cities of 15,000 or more. Trees directly affect the air and water quality of those cities. When the proper species is planted in the right place, trees can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent. In addition to reducing the amount of gaseous pollutants, trees act as a filter for particulate matter in the air. 
 A recent study by American Forests revealed that for every 4 trees removed in urban areas only 1 tree is planted. 
The Georgia Forestry Commission is woIking closely with communites throughout the state to reverse this trend 
 Georgia now has 73 communities enrolled in the Tree City USA program. 
 Since 1991, Urban and Community Forestry and Small Business Adminstration gmnts have been awarded to 315 urban foresty projects. More than $8 million in fedeml and matching funds were gmnted for tree planting and care programs in Georgia communities.