Georgia, like much of the Southeast, is faced with increasing pressures on its natural resources including forests. The predominant forces being imposed on Georgia's forests are development due to human population expansion and increasing demand for forest products. In 1996, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, began working with 14 corporate forest owners operating in Georgia to develop a partnership program that would recognize companies for their efforts in natural resources conservation. The Forestry for Wildlife Partnership Program has been functional for 3 years and has facilitated improvements in communication, operations, training, and resource conservation by participating companies. After 5 years of implementation, the partnership program provides a model from which many lessons can be learned relative to the role of private corporations, especially the forest industry, in conserving natural resources.
