The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) and partners have announced that Pine Log WMA (Wildlife Management Area) will be re-established and open to the public in Spring 2027. This reopens and protects over 14,000 acres of land in northwest Georgia for outdoor recreation and conservation efforts for rare wildlife and imperiled habitats. Pine Log WMA was initially established back in 1977 by the Georgia DNR on 14,640 acres in Bartow and Cherokee counties, as a year-to-year lease of the land from the Neel Family. This went on for 46 years until 2023, when the Georgia DNR was informed that the Neel family was changing its plans and wanted to sell the property outright instead of continuing the lease. Unfortunately, talks stalled with no deal being made until this year.