Forestry in Georgia

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Forestry in Georgia
Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Scott
Register April 2006
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Objectives

• Students will be able to
• Explain the importance of the forestry industry
  to Georgia.
• Name two main species of trees that are harvested
  for forestry needs in Georgia.
• Name one product that comes directly from trees
  and one product that is indirectly made from
  trees.
• Identify and explain ways to conserve the forest
  land and protect it while harvesting trees.
• Distinguish between and explain natural and
  artificial reforestation.
• Rank the forestry industry compared to other
  Georgia commodities.
• Rank Georgias forestry industry to that of other
  states.

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Why is forestry important

• Georgia is home to nearly 1,500 forest product
  manufacturers.
• Georgia consistently ranks near the top in pulp
  and paper production and in the top five
  lumber-producing states.
• Georgia is the number one producer of naval
  stores in the nation.
• Georgias forest economy directly and indirectly
  employs 177,000 Georgians.
• Georgia forestry is a 19.5 billion a year
  industry.

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Tree Species

• Georgia has 200 native trees, but only a few are
  routinely harvested for forestry needs.
• Trees are generally grouped into two different
  categories.
• conifers
• broadleaf trees
• The major type that is harvested in Georgia is
  the conifers, commonly known as pines.
• The major species of pines that are harvested
  are
• Loblolly
• Slash
• Longleaf (somewhat less due to abundance)
• Broadleaf trees are harvested for more specialty
  items, since they take much longer to grow to
  marketable sizes.

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Forestry Products

• There are many things that come from Georgias
  forests, wood and paper products, are the well
  known items but there are more.
• Biomass from the trees can be used as an
  alternative energy source.
• Lipstick and perfumes are created from chemical
  ingredients found in trees.

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Forest Conservation

• Forest stewardship is the most important thing to
  consider when dealing with forests.
• With proper management the same land can be used
  for multiple plans such as timber, wildlife
  habitat, recreational opportunities, and
  aesthetics.
• Proper plans and suggestions can be obtained from
  the Georgia Forestry Commission.

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Conservation

• In line with the actual tree conservation are the
  conservation of the water that is in and
  surrounding the forest.
• Water conservation is extremely important to
  ensure that everything continues to thrive.
• Some of the best management techniques to ensure
  water quality are Best Management Practices
  (BMPs)
• The focus of BMPs are to minimize erosion and
  stream sedimentation from forestry practices.

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Conservation Cont.

• Another extremely important aspect of forestry
  conservation is prescribed burning.
• Prescribed burning is NOT the same thing as a
  forest fire.
• Prescribed burning is a necessary tool for forest
  management.

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Conservation Cont.

• There are several reasons to perform these
  burnings
• Reduce hazardous fuels
• Prepare sites for seeding and planting
• Improve wildlife habitat
• Manage competing vegetation
• Control insects and disease
• Improve forage for grazing
• Enhance appearance
• Improve access
• These burnings should only be done by
  professionals and with the directions and/or
  knowledge of the Forestry Commission.

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Reforestation

• Reforestation - is the process of restoring and
  recreating areas of woodlands or forest that
  once existed but were deforested, otherwise
  removed or destroyed at some point in the past.
  It is distinguished from tree farming because it
  has purely ecological intentions.
• There are two types of reforestation.
• Artificial Reforestation is a measurement that
  requires the use of deliberate, human-initiated
  measures to re-grow vegetation and is used when
  conditions or activities prohibit natural
  reforestation
• Natural Reforestation is the restoration of
  forests that have been reduced by fire, cutting,
  or natural occurring events, the forest itself
  conducts this to survive.

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Timber Production
Forestry and Products
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Interesting Facts

• One acre of healthy trees produces enough oxygen
  for 18 people per day.
• In one year, an acre of trees absorbs the amount
  of carbon dioxide you produce when you drive your
  car 26,000 miles.
• Trees placed strategically around a home or
  building can reduce heating and cooling costs
  from 10-50.
• Georgia forests, located in the heart of the
  nation's "wood basket," cover 23.8 million acres.
  
• In the past 10 years, total forestland increased
  by more than 1.
• Forests now cover 66 of the land area statewide
• Georgia is the largest timber-producing state in
  the eastern United States.

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Assessment

• 1. Name one reason the forestry industry is so
  important to Georgia.
• 2. Name two categories of trees.
• 3. Name the most common species of pine trees in
  Georgia.
• 4. Name five products that come from forestry
  products.
• 5. What agency should be consulted on matters of
  forest management?
• A. UGA Forestry Agency B. Department of
  Education
• C. Georgia Tree Service D. Georgia Forestry
  Commission
• 6. The focus of ______ are to minimize erosion
  and stream sedimentation from forestry practices.
• A. SMZs B. BMPs C. QMPs D. GPSs
• 7. Why is a prescribed burn not a forest fire?
• 8. Give two reasons to perform a prescribed burn.
• 9. Distinguish between Natural Reforestation and
  Artificial Reforestation.
• 10. Which of the following is not a top 5 county
  in Georgia in timber production?
• A. Wayne B. Clinch C. Murray D.
  Washington

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Assessment Key

• 1. Georgia
• - is home to nearly 1,500 forest products
  manufacturers.
• - ranks near the top in pulp and paper
  production and
• - is in the top five lumber-producing states.
• - is the number one producer of naval stores
  in the nation.
• - forests directly and indirect employs
  177,000
• - forestry industries are a 19.5 billion a
  year industry
• 2. Conifers and broadleaf trees
• 3. Loblolly, Slash, and Longleaf
• 4. Any of the products from the previous slides
  among others. (at the digression of the
  instructor)
• 5. D. Georgia Forestry Commission
• 6. B. BMPs
• 7. A prescribed burn is a supervised, controlled,
  planned, and calculated burn, where a forest fire
  is an uncontrolled and typically unsupervised
  burn.
• 8. reduce hazardous fuels, prepare sites for
  seeding and planting, improve wildlife habitat,
  manage competing vegetation, control insects and
  disease, improve forage for grazing, enhance
  appearance, and improve access
• 9. Artificial is preformed by man or machine, and
  natural is a natural occurring event that is
  preformed by the forest.
• 10. C. Murray

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References

• http//www.gfc.state.ga.us/Education/ForestProduct
  sWeek.cfm
• http//www.sauteenacoochee.org/ecc/trees/index.htm
  l
• http//www.csrnet.org/csrnet/Trees/forest_products
  .html