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Forestry Activities

Cutting Trees Can Be the Right Thing

In The Preserve at Callaway Gardens™ sustainable forestry techniques are used to manage its forested landscapes.  Forestry activities on the property are designed to improve habitat for wildlife, contribute to the overall health and diversity of the forest and protect the quality of the watershed. A registered forester on our staff determines the management and harvest goals for the property.

In 1998 Callaway Gardens® was the second non-industrial licensee to enroll land in the American Forestry and Paper Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. At that time we made a commitment to only harvest trees in compliance with SFI principles.

In Georgia, 23 groups participate in the SFI program and together represent the management of more than 4 million acres of forested land. The participating organizations also work together across the state to communicate with other landowners, logging contractors, government agencies and conservation groups about improving forestry practices in Georgia.

Through participation in the SFI program, the periodic harvest of trees on our property leads to the overall ecological improvement of the land, provides a variety of demonstration/educational sites, provides forest products for the marketplace and allows us to work with nature to ensure the health of our forestlands for future generations.

The SFI program is based on these principles that integrate the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality:

• Broaden the practice of sustainable forestry to all forest ownerships
• Ensure long-term forest productivity and conservation of forest resources
• Protect water quality in streams and lakes
• Protect wildlife habitats and contribute to biodiversity conservation
• Manage the visual impacts of harvesting
• Protect special sites of ecologic, geologic and historic significance
• Promote the efficient use of forest resources
• Encourage the use of SFI practices by forest landowners, foresters and wood producers
• Publicly report on progress in fulfilling commitment to sustainable forestry
• Provide opportunities for the public to learn more about sustainable forestry concepts
• Promote continual improvement in the practice of sustainable forestry

Visit www.aboutsfi.org to learn more about sustainable forestry.