Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Department of Natural Resources

Department overview
Formed	1949 (1949)
Jurisdiction	Ohio
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio
Motto	To ensure a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all.
Department executive	Mary Mertz, Director
Website	ohiodnr.gov

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is the Ohio government agency charged with ensuring "a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all."

Functions

ODNR regulates Ohio's oil and gas industry, the mining industry, hunting and fishing, and dams while maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state nature preserves, state wildlife areas, state forests, and state waterways. It was created in 1949 by the Ohio Legislature.

ODNR owns and manages more than 640,000 acres (260,000 ha) of land, including 75 state parks, 23 state forests, 136 state nature preserves, and 150 wildlife areas. The department has jurisdiction over more than 61,500 mi (99,000 km) of inland rivers and streams, 451 mi (726 km) of the Ohio River, and 2.29 million acres (9,300 km²) of Lake Erie.

ODNR is responsible for overseeing and permitting all mineral extraction, monitoring dam safety, managing water resources, and mapping the state's major geologic structures and mineral resources. In addition, ODNR also oversees the registration of all of Ohio's watercraft and issues all of the state's hunting and fishing licenses. ODNR has two main focuses: Regulating the use of Ohio's reserve of natural resources and providing visitors with the recreational opportunities that these resources provide.

See also

• Department of Natural Resources (disambiguation)
• List of State Fish and Wildlife Management Agencies in the U.S.

External links

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Not available outside USA)
• ODNR Fishing License Online