NEWTON, Ga. -The forestry industry is huge in Georgia. That’s why Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff helped launch the Forest Data Modernization Act to help detect more accurate forestry data with modern technology.
Georgia ranks number one for forestry in the United States, generating over $41 billion and creating numerous jobs.Ossoff and ecologists say this bill is needed. “It’s a crucial industry for the state of Georgia, and this industry relies upon robust data and accurate data. And in fact, many of the students here researching, they know how important it is for accurate data,” said Ossoff.
“The benefit of a scientist that is dealing with this data is that we can pretty easily access data from all over the country and answer some pressing questions about climate change. In particular, the act should add in some information about LIDAR, which is something we use every day,” Jeffery Cannon, a landscape ecologist, said.Copyright 2023 WALB. All rights reserved.