A narrow road with tall trees lining it.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County

Covering more than two-thirds of Georgia lands, trees provide much more than a background for our busy lives.

Trees protect environment and health

As they tower above us, trees create shade to keep us cool – and lower power bills. Tree leaves catch and filter airborne soot and dust, and they absorb harmful atmospheric gasses and convert them into energy for growth. Leaves also intercept raindrops, slowing the speed of their fall and lessening their erosive force when they strike the ground. Trees produce healthy food, provide wildlife habitat, and grace our vistas with stress-relieving beauty.

Even at this season, when most deciduous trees lift bare branches to cold skies, trees are still contributing benefits. Their roots slow stormwater runoff and help alleviate soil erosion. Similarly, fallen leaves return organic matter to soil and increase absorption of water through the soil, down to plant root systems, and, eventually, back to underground aquifers that replenish our streams and lakes and refill our wells.

Forestry produces economic benefits

A large log on a machine to prepare it for being made into boards.

In addition to environmental and health benefits, trees are an important part of Georgia’s economy. Forestry and renewable forestry products contributed $18.7 billion and nearly 83,000 jobs to Georgia’s economy in 2018. According to the Georgia Forestry Association, Georgia has a solid history of harvesting more volume of timber than all other states in the U.S. – while at the same time increasing forest land cover over removals for the past 50-plus years.

Over 92 percent of Georgia’s 23-25 million forested acres are privately owned. Whether landowners are interested in timber harvest or conservation, good management is critical to health and sustainability of forestry resources.

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