Executive summary of the Georgia statewide forest resources assessment and strategy

GaTrees.org
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The Georgia Forestry Commission...providing leadership, service and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources.

Georgia's 24 million acres of forest land are a rich and renewable resource that provides a myriad of benefits to citizens across the state. The vision of the Georgia Forestry Commission ensures those benefits for present and future generations healthy, sustainable forests providing clean air, clean water and abundant forest products.
Wildfire prevention and suppression, forest management assistance, emergency incident command expertise and promotion of traditional and emerging markets are among the services that garnered the GFC the 2009 Georgia Customer Service Agency of the Year award.
Assessing our Forest Resources
The Georgia Statewide Forest Resources Assessment and Georgia Statewide Forest Resources Strategy documents were produced in accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill in order to position Georgia to receive funds under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act.
The Assessment provides a science-based foundation that analyzes forest conditions and trends in the state and delineates priority rural and urban forest landscape areas, in an approach consistent with the 2008 Farm Bill national priorities. Those priorities are to conserve working forest landscapes, protect forests from harm and enhance public benefits from trees and forests. The Strategy addresses top priority issues identified by the Assessment and will serve as the basis for formulating the GFC's five-year strategic plan.

Pressing forest issues and threats (ranked by stakeholders):

1) Water quality and quantity 2) Urbanization 3) Forest health 4) Biodiversity

5) Air quality 6) Fire management 7) Fragmentation and parcelization 8) Economics and changing markets

How we did it... What we found
The GFC solicited extensive input from Georgia forest landowners and stakeholders to identify forestry concerns. The GFC partnered with The University of Georgia to analyze land use changes across the state. By comparing forest changes through satellite images and land cover maps, priority areas were identified so that focused strategies can impact the most critical regions.
What's next...
The Forest Assessment and Strategy reports provide the GFC and its valued partners with a solid road map for navigating the challenges ahead. To view the full reports, visit GaTrees.org. Through efficiency, support and resolve, we can ensure Georgians of a sustainable forest landscape, today and tomorrow.