The development of the Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners (GOAL) has been a unified effort over a period of time.  Fire has always been an influence and threat in the Okefenokee Swamp area.  Every year wildfires burn countless acres of valuable commercial timberland.  However, these same type fires are of significant benefit to the Okefenokee Swamp.  Balancing these opposing needs in an efficient and cost effective manner was one of the driving forces in developing the GOAL organization.  The  Shorts Fire in 1989 stretched the resources of state and federal agencies, industry, and private landowners.  During the Gnatcatcher Fire in 1993, an effort was made to increase communications and coordinate all firefighting efforts.  After the Gnatcatcher Fire, informal meetings began in attempts to develop an organization.

Those involved, such as Skippy Reeves of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Bill Oettmeier of Superior Pine Products Company and Joe Hopkins of Toledo Manufacturing, envisioned a more formal gathering of landowners that could possibly deal with other issues related to the management of forest and wildlife resources in and around the Okefenokee Swamp.

On September 1, 1994, a steering committee met at the offices of Toledo Manufacturing in Folkston, Georgia to determine if a formal organization of landowners would be supported. Key landowner representatives were invited to this meeting from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia Forestry Commission, Florida Division of Forestry, Union Camp, Rayonier, Champion International, Superior Pine, Jefferson Smurfit and Toledo Manufacturing. It became apparent in the early part of this meeting that there were a number of issues that could be effectively dealt with by such a group, thus the beginning.

The vision of this group was to develop an organization of interested landowners to address land management issues of special concern to southeast Georgia and northeast Florida and produce a consolidated and influential position to deal with these issues.  It was decided that this group of steering committee members could effectively work to set direction and give needed organization.  Gary Howell, with International Paper, was selected as the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

This group determined that general meetings of all landowners would be held in the spring and fall of each year; additionally, steering committee meetings would be held between these meetings to plan and set agendas.  At this time, no name existed for the organization. After several steering committee meetings, the name GOAL (Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners) was recommended as our organization name.  

During one of the first steering committee meetings, a mission statement was developed to provide focus and direction to the organization.

The GOAL organization provides an excellent opportunity for landowners to share concerns and solve problems, that impact the daily decisions of land management.