HR 824: The acute and ongoing threat to Georgia's forest posed by the southern pine beetle, and encouraging all Georgia landowners to follow guidance by the Georgia Forestry Commission to mitigate the spread of this destructive pest; commend

This House resolution addresses an outbreak of the southern pine beetle, a native pest damaging pine forests in Georgia, with the western part of the state currently seeing especially heavy damage. The resolution notes that forestry contributes more than $41 billion a year to Georgia's economy and that healthy forests provide clean air, water, wildlife habitat, and raw materials for industry. The resolution does not create any new law, program, or funding. Instead, the House formally recognizes the threat the beetle poses, acknowledges the ongoing outbreak in western Georgia, and encourages landowners statewide to follow best management practices from the Georgia Forestry Commission, such as thinning overcrowded stands and removing infested trees. It also directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

• Formally recognizes the southern pine beetle as a significant threat to Georgia's forests.
• Acknowledges the current, worsening outbreak of the pest specifically in western Georgia.
• Encourages Georgia landowners to follow Georgia Forestry Commission guidance, including thinning stands and removing infested trees.
• Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make copies available to the public and the press.
• Creates no new legal requirements, penalties, or funding; it is a statement of the House's position rather than a change to Georgia law.

Private and commercial forest landowners across Georgia, particularly in the western region facing the outbreak, along with the forestry industry, rural communities that depend on forestry jobs, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, whose existing guidance the resolution promotes.

Because the resolution carries no legal force, its main effect is public attention: it puts the General Assembly's weight behind Forestry Commission guidance and may encourage more landowners to thin stands and remove infested trees, potentially reducing tree loss, wildfire risk, and economic damage from the beetle outbreak.

• The preamble cites forestry's more than $41 billion annual contribution to Georgia's economy and its ecological benefits like clean air, water, and wildlife habitat.
• The preamble identifies the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) as a native pest causing tree mortality and increased wildfire risk in Georgia.
• Paragraph (1) has the House recognize the significant threat posed by the beetle statewide.
• Paragraph (2) has the House recognize the acute, ongoing outbreak specifically in western Georgia.
• Paragraph (3) encourages landowners to follow Georgia Forestry Commission best management practices, such as thinning and removing infested trees.
• The closing section directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

1. 2025-03-27House Read and Adopted (House)
2. 2025-03-27House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-27House Hopper (House)

• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)Primary sponsor
• Lynn Smith (R, HD-70)
• Chas Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• David Huddleston (R, HD-72)

• forestry
• southern pine beetle
• agriculture and land management
• western Georgia
• Georgia Forestry Commission