This project is to continue to assist the forest service forest inventory and assessment needs associated with active forest management and disaster recovery needs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 8 (Southern Region), awarded Georgia Forestry Commission a Cooperative Agreement totaling $851,106.49 under the Good Neighbor Authority program (CFDA 10.691) on August 26, 2025. Under this ten-year agreement extending through August 15, 2035, Georgia Forestry Commission will provide forest inventory and assessment services to support active forest management and disaster recovery operations on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The Commission will deliver specialized forest stand delineation, stand inventory, and stand diagnosis services across the national forest, with work funded through the American Rescue Plan Act to address impacts from Hurricane Helene and improve management of National Forest System lands in Georgia.

The Good Neighbor Authority program enables the Forest Service to negotiate sole-source cooperative agreements with state agencies and eligible entities to conduct restoration and land management projects on federal lands. This award reflects the program's emphasis on collaborative, negotiated partnerships that increase the pace and scale of forest health restoration while addressing regional forest and watershed priorities. All work products and project objectives are subject to National Environmental Policy Act compliance requirements as appropriate, and the Commission must retain all financial and programmatic records for three years beyond final financial report submission.

Georgia forestry commission will assist the forest service with forest stand delineation, stand inventory and stand diagnosis across the chattahoochee-oconee national forest. These actions will lead to the improved management of national forest system lands following impacts from hurricane helene using funds from the american relief act.