Four local government entities received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sale of timber from local state forests, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry.
“Investing in education is essential for our state,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Trees to Textbooks not only supports sound forest management, but helps our schools prepare Ohio students for the future.”
Through the ODNR Division of Forestry’s Trees to Textbooks program, a percentage of the revenue generated from state forest anagement activity goes to the county, township and school district in which the activity took place.
In Adams County, the County Commissioners received $50,807.41, Franklin Township received $26,441.56, Jefferson Township received $24,365.85 and the Adams County Ohio Valley School District received a check for $101,614.83.
“The future of conservation depends on education,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “ODNR is proud to support Ohio’s schools and their students.”
The ODNR Division of Forestry began distributing timber revenues to counties and townships in the early 1980s. Since the Trees to Textbooks program started in 1999, more than $32 million has been shared with Ohio school districts and local governments.
The ODNR Division of Forestry is responsible for the care of more than 200,000 acres of state forests. State forestry experts manage these woodlands for overall health and diversity, soil and water conservation, improved wildlife habitat and a variety of recreational opportunities. Selected trees or areas of woodland are harvested through a competitive bid process, which includes requirements for sound management practices. All work is conducted by certified master loggers under strict monitoring.
