Southern Pine Beetle Cost Share Program (SPB)

The Southern Pine Beetle Cost Share Program, facilitated by the Georgia Forestry Commission with funding from the US Forest Service, offers financial support to non-industrial landowners for forest management practices aimed at controlling the Southern Pine Beetle (SPB). Eligible applicants include private individuals, groups, associations, corporations (excluding those with publicly traded stocks or primarily engaged in wood processing/manufacturing), Indian tribes, and other private legal entities, with a minimum project size of 10 acres. Covered forestry practices include non-commercial thinning, pine release, prescribed burning, and specific measures for SPB control. The program offers a pay rate at 40% of the average practice cost, not to exceed 75% of actual expenses, with caps of $10,000 for tree planting and $5,000 for prevention practices per landowner. Eligible species for reforestation include loblolly pine, slash pine, shortleaf pine, eastern white pine, longleaf pine, and commercial hardwoods. The contract duration is 10 years, with potential adjustments based on the practice.