Many tree farms in Georgia and the remaining southern region have a long and unique history. Beginning as family farms where past generations set up housekeeping and raised row crops, such as corn and cotton in, order to survive and maintain a way of life, many of these family holdings were to later experience other transitions. As market conditions or demands changed, some family farms moved from being row crop land to pasture land. With additional market changes and encouragement and assistance from U.S. government programs, this same acreage in the 1950s and 60s was planted in trees or allowed to seed in naturally.

The south, which had at one time been white with cotton, began to turn green with trees. The pulp industry, which began to build paper mills in the late 40s and early 50s inspired this transition even further. What the family farm had produced in order to feed families and promote a changing and growing nation was now caught up in a changing cycle that still exists today. One constant, however, was that many farms that formerly produced food would now be producing wood fiber. Along with this change came a new concept in land management. Farm management began to focus more on timber and wildlife management.

Recreation in the form of hunting, camping, hiking and horseback riding took on new meaning on old family farms. Farms still need income to pay property taxes and to protect their overall investment. Therefore, family tree farms that can derive income from hunting leases and timber sales have worked toward becoming examples of good timber land management. The Awbrey farm in adjoining Haralson County is one example of many farms that have undergone changes during its 150 years of family ownership.

Comprising more than 800 acres, the Awbrey farm has been operating as a tree farm for the past 30 years. The farm is now owned by Jim Awbrey, who is shown in the above picture planting a token longleaf pine seedling as part of this year’s planting schedule. The farm is enjoyed by he and his wife, Dunja, and extended family members. Awbrey, who is an avid turkey hunter, employs land management practices, such as controlled burning and timber thinning to improve wildlife habitat.

Awbrey also leases his acreage to a group of hunters who practice good food plot management. An interesting story about Jim Aubrey is that he was denied some government assistance three years ago when he refused to use herbicides on a 100-acre section of his tract, which was being planted in longleaf pines. His position was that his grandfather and father never used harmful poisons on the land when it was a working farm, so he was not going to start now to follow a practice that would damage the environment. As a note of interest, the 100 acres that was planted without the use of herbicides is doing very well with an excellent survival rate.

By refusing to use herbicides, Awbrey saved us taxpayers some money and helped to preserve wildlife habitat and our environment as well. At age 73, Jim Awbrey is managing his family tree farm for future generations, and the needs of our nation as well. As a private forester, I appreciate tree farmers like Jim Awbrey and his family who look at the whole picture when being a good steward of our land.

(Taylor is a Carroll County resident and local forester.)