Forestry Commission seeks equipment, facility upgrades and continued push on prescribed burning

The Georgia Forestry Commission told the appropriations subcommittee it supports the governor’s FY 2026 capital requests for equipment and facilities and emphasized the agency’s recent operational gains, including a 35% increase in prescribed burning relative to its five-year average.

The commission said the governor’s capital package includes $1.41 million for equipment (trailers, engines and related items), $1.785 million for facility improvements and about $814,000 to complete ongoing construction at the Long Liberty unit. The agency described in-house work by shop crews that builds and repairs equipment and noted the cost advantages of completing much of the work internally.

Commission staff described the practical role of the Tift/Macon shop teams in fabricating equipment and replacing components, and shown before-and-after photos of facility repairs. Agency officials also requested continued annual funding for vehicle replacement and said inflation has increased construction and equipment costs since earlier estimates.

Committee members asked about federal grant uncertainty and impacts on staff funded by federal grants. The commission said roughly $5 million of salary is currently tied to federal grants and that federal funding freezes or reductions would require operational adjustments but that the agency is taking steps to avoid placing staff entirely on federal grants.