Wildlife area in Bartow County closed to public as DNR attempts to extend lease

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — The Pine Log Wildlife Management Area in White, Ga. is fully closed to the public as of Thursday.

Since mid-May, the majority of entrances to the area, with the exception of the main entrance of Pine Log WMA, have been closed to the public, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

The DNR has been working on a deal to keep the WMA open to the public since the summer 2022, according to officials.

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“Since June 2022, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has worked to explore multiple options for retaining the property known as Pine Log Wildlife Management Area (WMA), including extending three written purchase offers,” a DNR spokeswoman told Channel 2 Action News. “Georgia DNR will continue to explore options that are fiscally responsible, allow public access, and protect the multiple federally and state-protected species of concern found on the WMA. However, under recent direction from the landowner, public access to the area will expire on June 1st.”

The management area, a 14,134-acre leased property, is described by DNR as “popular,” and having “great conservation and recreational value” for Georgians.

“The State has leased this property annually for more than 40 years. About a year ago, the landowners made the decision to sell the entire land holdings, including the property that is Pine Log WMA, with a purchase option extended to GA DNR,” a DNR spokeswoman said. “During the time of negotiations, the landowners extended the leased which is now coming up on its expiration date.”

As it currently stands, public access ended on June 1, with the main entrance locked as of Thursday, ending more than four decades of public access to the wildlife area.

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Due to the closure to the public, multiple petitions have been opened and signed since May 2022 in an effort to preserve access.

According to a petition with about 13,500 signatures, the land’s placement on the public market had “caused serious widespread concern,” to those trying to save the land.

The petition goes further, saying that Bartow residents “fear the potential industrial boom in their backyards,” while others are more worried about impacts on the natural habitat and history of the area that development would bring.

Owned by the Aubrey Corporation, a company owned by the Neel family and based in Cartersville, Ga., Pine Log WMA’s 14,000 acres were put on sale as part of a larger land offering.

Jim Ramseur, an attorney representing Aubrey Corp., told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution in March that the Neels just want a fair deal when it comes to buying the land.

“We are hopeful that the state will come forward and be in a position to pay fair market value for a large portion of greenspace that can remain the way it’s been for 50 years,” Ramseur told the AJC.

For the Pine Log WMA in White, starting Thursday, the 23 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, as well as trout streams and hunting areas for deer and turkey, will be closed to the public.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to Ramseur for information about the WMA’s status, and to request comment from the landowners, but have not yet gotten response.

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