GFC’s Stance on Respect and Discrimination

Recently, the Georgia Forestry Commission became aware of a serious situation in which one of our employees made an inappropriate and insensitive comment on a personal Facebook post. The comment…

2021 Dirty Dozen (Top Twelve Nonnative Invasive Plants) List

72 counties have had cogongrass detections since 2007, and to date 34 of the 72 counties have no active cogongrass. Georgia’s proactive treatment program assists landowners across the state, and 85% of all known cogongrass spots in Georgia are considered inactive.

The Georgia Forestry Commission documents all known cogongrass infestations.Invasive Species: Any plant or animal that has been introduced and aggressively competes with and displaces local native communities; normally having no native enemies to limit reproduction and spread.

The Dirty Dozen List of Non-native Invasive Species is ranked by the total acres occupied according to Forest Inventory and Analysis data. Honey Suckle and Fescue are not included in this list. Credit for the data used to make this list to the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program and The Georgia Forestry Commission FIA Foresters.

Ransomware Attack Impacting GFC Online Services

* Georgia law no longer requires notification to the Georgia Forestry Commission by people planning to burn yard debris. Charges may apply if wildfire results from escaped burning and evidence…

Georgia ReLeaf Grant Program

…and the Community Forestry Assistance Act of the 1990 Farm Bill, has allocated funding to the Georgia Forestry Commission for statewide distribution, in partnership with the Georgia Tree Council. To…

Tree Ordinances

…trees. A well-designed tree ordinance can take months or years for communities to write, but can provide many benefits to people living in the community. Tree ordinances should be formulated…

Making the Shade Program

…buildings. The Making the Shade program enlivens and activates communities for years to come. Students and parents can serve as the primary planters. This allows them to take ownership and…

Environmental Risks to Arthropods from Imidacloprid Applications for Hemlock Conservation

Managing hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) can involve use of insecticides. When it does, the non-target impacts (negative effects to other organisms) need to be thoroughly considered
and weighed against the environmental cost of inaction or alternative management approaches. Insecticides applied for HWA management are used for conservation purposes, which may seem counterintuitive. However, hemlocks are a key forest species, and so their loss can result in severe ecological consequences. To justify insecticide use against HWA, we have to ask: What are the possible negative consequences of using insecticides in the forest? We must consider these trade-offs in hemlock management. It is important to remember that there will be trade-offs in any kind of resource management discussion, even if it may not initially seem apparent. The negative environmental consequences of hemlock mortality must be weighed against the known consequences of insecticide use to preserve hemlocks.

GA Outdoor Burn Notification System FAQs (Spanish Version)

GA código sección 12-6-90 elimina la necesidad de notificar a la comisión forestal de Georgia cuando una persona, empresa, corporación o asociación tiene la intención de quemar vegetación apilada a mano/ escombros de patio. Sin embargo, se añadieron importantes precauciones de prevención de incendios para los quemadores.