Ever wonder who owns the forestland

in Georgia? Is it national forests? Does it belong to the state? Of the

37 million acres in Georgia 24.4 acres is in forestland. That's two-thirds

of the state. Would you believe that 72 percent of the forestland in Georgia

is privately owned?

So what is ownership composition

on the local level? Fayette County has 126,300 total land acres, of which

59,600 acres are forested. Who owns the land in Fayette County? The county

and municipalities own 0.3 percent. 8 Percent is owned by corporations.

That leaves the private landowner who owns 91 percent of the forestland

in Fayette County.

What does this mean? In terms

of forestry, private individuals hold the vast raw materials base for

the forest products industry. Forestry creates an economic impact of $30.5

billion annually to Georgia. Proper management of the state's forestland

is crucial to supporting our environment, economy and forest products

industry that supplies the more than 5,000 products we use every day that

comes from trees. Many acres of forestland are actively managed for eventual

harvest and reforestation, as well as to enhance and preserve the environment

and wildlife habitat. Special care is taken to protect the environment

and water quality. Landowners use the help of private and government forestry

professionals to manage their forests and realize the potential of what

can be a profitable investment.

Our forests also provide economic,

social and environmental benefits. Clean water, community pride and economic

stability are just a few benefits. Many people think the destruction of

our forests is because too many trees are being harvested. However, the

reality is that more acres of forestland are lost to development and urban

sprawl than are cut for wood products. In fact, approximately 1.78 trees

are planted for every one cut, as well as nearly 80,000 acres that naturally

regenerate each year.

So, the next time you take

a drive, take a moment to notice the many trees across the county and

across this state. Georgia is known as the "greenest" state

in the South and private landowners are responsible for the stewardship

and care of these acres. The Georgia Forestry Commission invites you to

visit our web site at www.gfc.state.ga.us to learn what state forestry

is doing to help landowners protect and manage their forests. For more

information and assistance, contact your county forestry unit at 770-227-5522

or 358-1459.