Chattahoochee - Oconee National Forests
The Chattahoochee National Forest of north Georgia, and the Oconee National Forest of central Georgia, contain the last of the state's remaining wildlands. The Chattahoochee is home to the headwaters of the Chattahoochee river, Atlanta's drinking water source, and home to some of the most biologically diverse watersheds in north America. It is the site of our last remaining old growth forest and a haven for millions of tourists each year seeking solitude and spiritual renewal. It is also one of two Urban National Forests, so designated because of its proximity to four million people. However, over 70 percent of the Chattahoochee and almost 80 percent of the Oconee is open to logging, resource extraction, and roadbuilding.
Upcoming projects
Visit Georgia Forest Watch to learn more about what is happening on the Chattahoochee.
OHV use
The growing problem of illegal off-road vehicle (ORV) use on the public lands of the National Forests in Georgia is out of the control of the government agency pledged to care for these same forests. The U.S. Forest Service is responsible for the management and protection of all the natural resources on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and should move rapidly in a direction that will stem the problem and begin the restorative processes.
For more information about these forests visit Georgia Forest Watch or the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.
This map illustrates SAFC vision for protection vs. the current level of protection, as well as the size of state and federal land vs. the size of urban areas.