Georgia’s Forest Stewardship Program utilizes the unprecedented cooperation of resource professionals from both the public and private sector with backgrounds in forestry, wildlife biology, soil science, and recreation management. Working together, they produce detailed and comprehensive management plans called Forest Stewardship Plans for landowners enrolled in the program.

The Forest Stewardship Program is designed to integrate forest management objectives of sustaining quality native timber, native wildlife populations, soil & water resources, aesthetics, & recreation, over a 10-year planning period. This template provides landowners with technical guidance that places near-equal emphasis of these objectives. It prescribes conservation practices to establish new longleaf pine forests using either artificial planting methods or natural regeneration methods.

Roots on the surface of the soil can cause all kinds of problems, but not necessarily for the tree.

The purpose of this manual is to inform landowners, foresters, timber buyers, loggers, site preparation and reforestation contractors, and others involved with silvicultural operations about common-sense, economical and effective practices to minimize non-point source pollution (soil erosion and stream sedimentation) and thermal pollution. These minimum practices are called BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES and are commonly referred to as BMPs.