Proposed Forest Service Land Exchange Involving the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia

GAO was asked to review a proposed Forest Service land exchange involving the Chattahoochee National Forest. The proposal called for the owners of private property in Chattooga, Walker, and Whitfield Counties to swap their land in exchange for Forest Service acreage within the National Forest.

The Forest Service land, after two appraisals, was valued at $328,000. Neither of the appraisals considered the added value to the land of a road which is being built on the Forest Service land by Whitfield County and the Department of Transportation. GAO was told that a contract had been signed with Whitfield County for the road and that the Department will contribute about $314,000 toward the construction. The appraiser has indicated that the highest and best use of the Forest Service land would be future residential development and that this portion of the land will be bisected by the road. GAO believes that, once the road is completed, the value of the Forest Service land will increase significantly. This will give the Forest Service an opportunity to acquire more private land for the National Forest system than would be obtained under the presently proposed exchange. GAO believes that the proposed exchange would not be prudent or in the best interests of the Government.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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