News Release

COLUMBUS, OH -- A new guidebook detailing the management of Ohio's state forests is now available through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Developed by the Ohio Forestry Association and the ODNR Division of Forestry, the 36-page publication is aimed at informing the public on the professional management practices at Ohio's 20 state forests.

"We hope this guidebook will help inform Ohioans on how we manage our state forests for recreation, wildlife diversity and timber production," said Ron Abraham, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry. "Under our current management system we have been able to significantly reforest Ohio, while meeting the needs of Ohio's forest product industry."

The ODNR Division of Forestry, created in 1906, manages more than 180,000 acres at 20 state forests across Ohio. Through carefully selected timber management projects, foresters have been able to improve the health, vigor and productivity of state forest lands, while providing public outdoor recreational opportunities.

Included in the pocket-sized publication are chapters detailing why trees are harvested from state forest lands. "One of the major misconceptions in our industry is that responsible tree harvesting is bad for a forest, the environment and its ecosystem -- this is simply not the case," Abraham said.

Last year, a total of 1,508 acres of state forest land were managed through timber harvesting, comprising less than one percent of total state forest land. Today, Ohio is more than 30 percent forested, compared to just 12 percent in the early 1900s.

Copies of the Guide to the Management of Ohio's State Forests are available by calling the ODNR Division of Forestry at (614) 265-6694.