Media release from the Georgia Forestry Association and Foundation:
FORSYTH, GA – Forest landowners in northwest Georgia are invited to attend a free, hands-on field day April 7 in Summerville focused on practical tools for managing and strengthening working forestland. Hosted by the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) and Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF), the event will connect landowners with forestry professionals, land management experts and fellow property owners for a full day of on-the-ground learning. Attendance is free, but registration is required. To register, visit www.gfagrow.org/landowner-outreach-program
The Forest Landowner Field Day series returns for its third event this spring. The series brings landowners together with foresters, loggers and other natural resource professionals to explore real-world issues facing Georgia forests and the families who own them. Topics at the upcoming event include montane longleaf pine and hardwood management, wildlife habitat development, forest carbon markets and prescribed fire. Attendees will also hear a landowner testimonial offering practical insight from a fellow forest owner, Bob Mullinax.
“These events are about meeting people where they are,” said GFA and GFF Senior Vice President, Matt Hestad. “Whether you just inherited land or have been managing it for decades, this is a free opportunity to learn from experts, ask questions, and walk away with tools you can actually use.”
The events have quickly gained momentum. February’s gathering in Butler drew landowners and forestry professionals together for discussions on wildlife management, prescribed fire, and timber sales. The March event in Culloden attracted more than 75 attendees. It featured sessions on Longleaf Pine Management, Estate Planning, and a Prescribed Fire Drone Demonstration. The turnout is a sign of the growing appetite for this kind of practical, on-the-ground education.
“We want every landowner in Georgia to know that resources and support are available to them,” said GFA Landowner Outreach Coordinators Mike Harrell and Ansley Whitley. “These events are a place where people can connect with professionals and learn about cost-share programs, conservation incentives and understand the long-term value of their land.”
The Northwest Georgia Landowner Field Day will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Mullinax Property, 300 Henderson Circle, Summerville, Georgia 30747. Rain dates are April 8 and 9. The event is made possible through partnerships with Quail Forever, Berry College, The Nature Conservancy, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Limestone Valley RC&D, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and Georgia Tech’s Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, along with sponsorship support from Anderson Forestry Consultants, ArborGen, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and NCX.
About the Georgia Forestry Association & Foundation
The Georgia Forestry Association (GFA), established in 1907, has served as the premier advocate for working forests in Georgia for more than a century, promoting a healthy business and political climate for forest landowners, forest product manufacturers, and forest-based businesses. Its affiliated Georgia Forestry Foundation (GFF), established in 1990, focuses on the long-term sustainability of Georgia’s 22 million acres of private working forests — educating Georgians about the value of working forests and capitalizing on opportunities to capture carbon, filter water, provide wildlife habitat, create jobs, and build sustainable communities. For more information, visit www.gfagrow.org and www.gffgrow.org.
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