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From Our President

Scott Gies, Gies Timber and Land Inc.

I hope this article finds everyone well, a few weeks ago the In Georgia the hurricane damaged over 1 million acres of tim-
panhandle of Florida and Southwestern Georgia experienced berland, with an economic loss of over 370 million dollars.
one of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history. Hur-
ricane Michael hit on October 10, 2018 with landfall hitting The challenges that face this area include the elevated fire
the small panhandle town of Mexico Beach, Fl, the hurricane danger with all the timber on the ground as well as the future
then moved inland through Florida into Georgia and finally insect damage possibilities. With reforestation costs of over
going out into the Atlantic over the outer banks of North Car- 250 million dollars to replant the pine upland areas damaged.
olina. The damage this storm did to the timber industry was This article is written before the elections on November 6,
catastrophic, damaging the West Rock mill in Panama City 2018, with both Florida and Georgia facing elections for gov-
and doing over 1 billion dollars in damage to standing timber. ernor as well as senate and congressional seats. The choices cannot

In Florida over 2.8 million acres of timber land were damaged be clearer and it is my hope that the residents of these two great
with at least moderate damage done, 1.4 million acres of that states are smart enough to vote the right way.
were catastrophic or severe, meaning at least 75% of the Be Safe
standing timber was damaged. Over 60 million tons of timber
have been damaged, with an economic loss as earlier stated Scott
of over 1 billion dollars.

Vol 29 Issue 4 2018 l SWPA Out of the Woods l swpa.ag 5