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help Vidalia and surrounding areas to recover from Hurricane Helene last year.

O’Connor joined the Georgia Forestry Commission in 2019, after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in forestry and currently serves as the Region 4 Lead Forester, overseeing forest management and conservation efforts, and a licensed prescribed burner, as he carries out many prescribed burns throughout the region. Having grown up on a local tree farm, O’Connor learned from an early age the hard work which goes into cultivating and harvesting trees and has since worked tirelessly to ensure excellence in forestry in the region.

After Hurricane Helene hit last year, O’Connor jumped into action to help clean up his community and help surrounding foresters, overseeing the survey of thousands of acres of forests and working to repair the damaged Georgia Forestry Commission facilities. According to the Commission, this work showcased O’Connor’s versatile skills and strong support of sustainable forest management.

“Matthew has been consistently raising the bar in every aspect of his work,” remarked Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo. “As a new supervisor, he helped the team complete 20-percent more landowner cases in the region and was an indispensable resource in evaluating Helene storm damage. To our agency and to landowners in his region, Matthew is a wellknown advocate for the forestry community.” O’Connor also reacted to the honor. “I’m truly grateful to receive this recognition from the Georgia Forestry Commission,” he emphasized. “Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to work with local forest landowners as they recover from the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Helene. It’s been an honor to support landowners in Toombs County and the surrounding areas as they pursue their land-management goals and continue recovering after the hurricane.”

He continued, “I also want to thank my family and colleagues for their constant support and mentorship over the years. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our landowners and agency partners in the future.”