Untitled Document

Ask this question of a group of outdoorsmen and they'll give lots of different responses: coyotes, fire ants, anti-hunting organizations, hunting lease prices, and on and on.
But the biggest threat to hunting in Georgia is loss of habitat. When there is no place for wildlife to live and thrive……..there is no wildlife.

Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. Individuals and businesses are drawn to the sunny south. It is like the land of milk and honey. From the state's economic point of view there are some good things about rapid growth. It does fuel the economy — at least in the short term. But from a wildlife point of view most growth is detrimental.

Those of us who live within 50-75 miles of Atlanta are getting a real taste of growth. And to most of us it doesn't taste very good. This metro sprawl brings homeowners higher taxes and more crime and traffic congestion in our communities. The primary growth areas in Georgia are the Atlanta area, North Georgia Mountains and the coast. This growth is gobbling up farm land and forest land like there is no tomorrow. And there is no tomorrow for the wildlife that is displaced by the shopping centers and housing developments.

A recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out that the housing dip is slowing sprawl in the 13-county metro area. The article says developers are no longer gobbling up metro Atlanta land — they're merely nibbling. To determine the rate of development in this 13-county area the Atlanta Regional Commission compares aerial photos shot in different years to see how forested and agricultural land is changing. To give you an idea of the wildlife habitat lost, they estimated 112,000 acres were developed from February 2003 to February 2005. Granted, the photos show the highest growth area in the state, but that's also 175 square miles in two years. The point the article was making was that sprawl in the 13-county metro area has slowed down. We all know this is a temporary thing and that development will be going full speed again as soon as the housing market adjusts to the recent problems.

It is a fact that Georgia is losing wildlife habitat at an alarming rate. We must focus on protecting the remaining quality habitat in the state for species that are declining in numbers and we also must protect the larger tracts of land that are continuous undeveloped space required to sustain many species. The mechanism for identifying this land is the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). It defines the lands in Georgia that need protection. This plan was prepared by a huge group of conservation-minded people, including hunters and anglers, who represented all sectors of Georgia. We have the roadmap in SWAP. Now we need the funding to obtain the appropriate type of protection.

Georgia needs a dedicated fund to purchase these critical lands when they become available. We cannot let large tracts of land like Oaky Woods WMA disappear because there are no funds. It is imperative that we find a way to protect this critical habitat for wildlife and to provide recreational opportunities for those who enjoy the outdoors.

The Georgia Wildlife Federation will work with the Governor and General Assembly to find a permanent source of funds or some mechanism to purchase or protect this land in some way. The communications system we use to keep you informed and provide you the opportunity to voice your opinion to the state's decision makers is the Camo Coalition. If you aren't a member, but you value your ability to hunt and fish….. join now. Go to www.camocoalition.org and join. It is simple and easy and it is FREE. If you want to protect our wildlife and hunting and fishing heritage, join now. You can and will make a difference.