On September 22, landowners gathered in Waynesboro to learn the basics. Georgia Forestry Foundation joined UGA Extension, Georgia Tech, Clemson University and Southern Regional Extension Forestry to host a free Forest Carbon Workshop for landowners. The day covered how forest carbon works, how carbon markets work and what landowners should consider before getting involved. Sessions also explained how carbon agreements interact with property tax covenants, and which NRCS programs and tax rules matter first.
A sincere thanks to speakers Richard Hall of Buckhead Resources, Dr. Umesh Chaudhari of ACR, Kenny Colson of the Georgia Department of Revenue, Cliff Eaddy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dr. Lucas Clay of Georgia Tech and Dr. Yanshu Li of the University of Georgia.
You can watch the full video of workshop presentations below.
The Forest Carbon Workshop was part of the Georgia RISE program, an initiative funded by the U.S. Forest Service  that aims to develop new market opportunities for forest landowners impacted by mill closures, Hurricane Helene, and with limited access to resources. By investing in markets and the timberland owners who steward Georgia’s working forests, we can ensure that communities and the wood industry in Georgia are successful well in to the future.
In partnership with Georgia Tech’s Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, Drawdown Georgia Business Compact , UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, Clemson University’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Southern Regional Extension Forestry, McIntosh S.E.E.D., and the Georgia Forestry Commission, the coalition has established various initiatives to reach buyers and landowners alike.
Key elements of the Georgia RISE initiative include:
- Education & Outreach: Giving landowners clear, practical information on forest management, available programs, financial assistance, and emerging market opportunities through Forestry101, workshops, and community engagement.
- Technical Assistance & Connections: Helping landowners understand their property, identify appropriate management practices and connect with trusted foresters, service providers, agencies and other professionals who can help them take action.
- Emerging Market Access & Long-Term Value: Creating pathways for landowners to participate in traditional and emerging forest markets—including carbon and other ecosystem-service opportunities—so well-managed forests can deliver greater economic and environmental value.
Educating Buyers
The Georgia RISE team has begun to develop a Working Forest Carbon Exchange between Drawdown Georgia Business Compact partners and Georgia’s forest landowners. The program will incentivize forest management and stewardship practices for landowners and provide companies with Drawdown GA opportunities to offset carbon emissions through carbon credits directly.
In January of 2026, members of the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact joined GFF and partners for a South Georgia field tour—visiting storm-impacted communities in Swainsboro and Soperton, and seeing a healthy working forest at a longleaf pine conservation site in Metter. The goal of the tour was to help prospective carbon buyers experience forest management on the ground and hear directly from the people who live it—small-acreage family forest owners, loggers and wood dealers, forest product manufacturing professionals, and landowners still reeling from Helene’s catastrophic damage and market disruptions.
Left: 2026 Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year, Herbert Hodges, Â Willie Hodges Family Farm Estate; Right: Forest Carbon Tour in Swainsboro, Ga.
Special thanks to Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business for their article on how stakeholders learned about challenges, opportunities, and how buying carbon credits through the new exchange could help their business.
Click here to read the article “Hope Among the Pines: Carbon Exchange as Solution”.
GeorgiaForestry101.orgÂ
Forestry101 is the landowner education component of Georgia RISE. Created to make it easier for landowners to find clear, practical information about managing forestland and understanding the business of forestry. It is designed for small-acreage landowners, people who have recently purchased or inherited forestland, and landowners who may have limited financial resources or less access to forestry programs, professionals, and technical assistance. The website introduces and covers four main areas related to owning timberland:
- Forest Management
- Forest Markets
- Financial and Legal Planning
- Federal and State Policies
With access and education, no matter where landowners are in their ownership journey, well-managed forests should work for the people who own them—supporting family income, rural jobs, local communities, and a strong forest economy.
Click here to visit Georgia Forestry 101
Forest Management & Stewardship Technical Assistance Program
In partnership with another grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service,  the GFF’s Forest Management & Stewardship Assistance Program connects Georgia forest landowners with the technical assistance, resources, and expertise they need to manage their land. Landowner outreach coordinators work across the state, offering direct, one-on-one support to new and experienced landowners alike. Today, the program invites landowners to:
- Contact GFA with forestry questions
- Attend an event in-person or online
- Subscribe to a ‘Field Notes’ newsletter
GFA Landowner Field Day, Butler, Ga.
To learn more about the program or contact a Forester today visit gfagrow.org/landowners.
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To learn more about forest carbon, visit GFFgrow.org or Georgia Forestry 101.
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Georgia RISE partners:
 
 
 
