Advocacy

GFA advocated for the successful passage of a statewide referendum which provides an ad valorem tax exemption for forestry equipment used in tree planting, forest management, and timber harvesting. Referendum A started as House Bill 997, sponsored by Rep. Sam Watson (R-Moultrie) which was passed by the Georgia General Assembly in its 2022 Session. Immediately after, GFA launched a grassroots communications campaign in support of Referendum A, focused on activating members across the state and educating key media outlets across the state.

This tax exemption will apply to more than 1,200 small forestry businesses that directly support more than 5,400 jobs across the state. Small forestry businesses are under an extreme amount of economic pressure due to rising operational costs, supply chain constraints and labor challenges.

HB 282 ensures legislative intent is adhered to in the Department of Revenue’s (DOR) rulemaking process for the Qualified Timberland Properties (QTP) Program so that forest landowners can reap the full benefits of the program as intended. The QTP program was created by Amendment 3, which was approved by GA voters in 2018, and provides forest landowners with another ad valorem tax enrollment option in addition to CUVA and FLPA that seeks to recognize forest landowners for the benefits their lands provide to all 10 million Georgians.

Expedited Georgia’s adoption of the 2021 International Building Codes’ tall mass timber provisions, which will allow construction of mass timber buildings up to 18 stories tall (the current building code was limited to six stories). Demand for lumber is critical to the health of Georgia’s forest sector. HB777 layed the groundwork for increased utilization of lumber in the future.

Creates an enforcement system and increased penalties for theft of saw palmetto berries. HB 966 helped reduce or end millions of dollars worth of losses that forest landowners are experiencing across Georgia due to palmetto berry theft.

As a result of GFA’s constitutional amendment campaign, Georgia Voters approved Amendment 3 on the November 2018 General Election Ballot. Amendment 3 addressed several issues with the valuation of timberland for property taxation purposes. It established a new class of land, Qualified Timberland Property, that is assessed at fair market value as determined by the Department of Revenue rather than local tax assessors. It Increased the acres eligible for conservation under the Forest Land Protection Act. And, finally, it maintained Local Assistance Grants for counties and schools under the Forest Land Protection Act.

Advocated for legislation that strengthens private property rights and still leaves the door open for a petroleum pipeline to be built in Georgia. Most importantly for forest landowners, this legislation: allows for landowners to appeal the process for eminent domain and permitting decisions; elevates the criteria needed for a company to use eminent domain; places the burden proving the need to use eminent domain on the pipeline company.

On April 29, 2014, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed legislation into law that strengthened Georgia’s timber theft and timber trespass statutes. House Bill 790 was the product of the House Study Committee on Timber Security, established by House Resolution 644 at the urging of GFA. A key provision of the legislation expanded the authority of the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) to investigate, issue warrants and make arrests in timber theft cases. Since July of 2014, GFC has investigated 154 complaints and recovered over $123,000.

GFA teamed with the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources to determine the value of the ecosystem services provided by Georgia’s 22 million acres of privately-owned, commercially available forests. The study conservatively estimated that value at $38.6 billion.

GFA was instrumental in creating the Georgia General Assembly’s Future of Forestry Study Committee, charged to prepare a comprehensive plan for Georgia to sustain and expand the benefits of forestry in the state. This effort unified government and forestry leaders, and directed the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) to certify to the General Assembly the sustainability of the state’s forest resources through a report every five years. This initiative has been critical to crafting long-term relationships at the State Capitol and providing a statistical basis for legislative proposals over the past 10 years.