Forestry Matters

In Georgia, privately-owned, working forests cover two-thirds of the state at more than 22 million acres. These forests are managed by private landowners who steward the economic and environmental benefits provided to all Georgia citizens.

17 billion

m³ avoided water runoff

18 million

tons of carbon absorbed

147,000+

jobs provided

Latest News & Information

Stay informed on the latest projects and initiatives of the Georgia Forestry Foundation.

Read Forestry News

Learn Forestry Career Skills!

Check out our new online game designed to help high school students learn about the forestry industry and career employability skills, including hiring personnel, solving industry-related problems, and making sound business decisions.  Learn More!

Support Working Forests Every Mile

You can now show your love for working forests with the Georgia Forestry Foundation license plate. For each plate that is purchased, the Foundation receives $20. Learn more and get your plate today!

Sustainably Managed, Working Forests

When most people think about forests, they picture shady groves or state parks. But in Georgia, it's working forests that cover the majority of the land area in the state. These forests are planted, harvested and replanted, providing millions of Georgians with resources they depend on every day.

Harvesting

Whether just thinning out a forest or harvesting an entire crop, every day, loggers select and remove trees that will become the paper products, home goods and other materials that we all need and use.

Reforestation

For each resident of our state, more than 21 trees are planted annually on private land to protect Georgia’s water, air and land. Landowners are annually planting more than 200,000,000 trees for a net increase of 48 percent more trees than are harvested each year.

Forestry Products

More than 5,000 – that’s how many products come from Georgia forests. The list includes the obvious, like printer paper and wood chips, but also the more surprising, such as toothpaste, insulation and even artificial kidney membranes.

Part of Georgia’s Heritage

For more than three hundred years, Georgia’s growth has been rooted in forestry. And while harvesting and reforestation practices have changed a lot since the early 18th century, the need for thriving, working forests has not.

Mission & Vision

Covering two-thirds of Georgia, working forests are a vital part of our economic, environmental and cultural ecosystem. That’s why we’re focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of Georgia’s forests by reconnecting youth and adults to the land and by demonstrating working forests’ environmental, educational and economic importance to our state.

Connecting Georgia to its Roots

Georgia Forestry Foundation’s focus is to conserve our working forests and their benefits while providing educational opportunities to Georgia students and delivering long-term environmental and economic benefits throughout the state.

Providing a Connection to the Land

We support some leading conservation and environmental education nonprofits to bring state-of-the-art educational opportunities to our children. These programs include partnerships with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), Trees Atlanta, and the Chattahoochee Nature Center that connect more than 10,000 students with the land and train nearly 2,000 educators on the importance of forests to our state.

Building Environmental Sustainability

We provide research and analysis to support private forest landowners who serve as stewards of working forests and provide the greatest at-scale solution for watershed management, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.

Ensuring Economic Prosperity

Working forests are managed sustainably to provide the products we need today, and in the future. We provide market research and analysis that focuses on keeping forests as forests, mitigating the spread of development and ensuring conservation of greenspace throughout the state.

Leaders & Collaborators

Protecting forestry in Georgia isn’t just the mission of our organization. It’s a responsibility we share with our ecosystem of advocates and supporters.

Leadership

The leaders who champion our mission every day.

Andres Villegas

President & CEO
andres@gfagrow.org

Robert Farris

Ecosystem Services Program Manager
farris@gffgrow.org

Matt Hestad

Media & Communications
matt@gfagrow.org

Jo Hodges

Development Director
jo@gffgrow.org

Amanda Rollins

Education & Outreach Coordinator
amanda@gffgrow.org

Board of Trustees

The day-to-day leaders and trusted advisors who are stewarding our growth.

Ken Stewart

Chairman
Georgia Institute of Technology (Retired)

Dr. Johnny Bembry

Landowner

Mac Peden

Landowner

Lee Rhodes

Rhodes Land & Timber

Tiffanie Starr

Timberland Investment Resources

Wesley Langdale

Vice Chairman
Landowner

Dr. Lindsay Boring

J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway (Retired)

Jon Harris

AgSouth Farm Credit

Robert Pollard

Pollard Lumber Company

Ben Vaughn

Attorney

Jimmy Allen

Treasurer
Pike Creek Turf Farms, Inc.

Lee Dickey

Dickey Farms

John Mulcahy

Georgia-Pacific

Cliff Pyron

Georgia Ports Authority

Todd Mullis

Forest Resource Consultants

Partners

Organizations who support our mission of connecting Georgia to its roots.