COLUMBUS, OH -- Sixteen Ohio school districts will receive more than $500,000 from the sale of timber and other products on state forests, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced today. In addition, 13 county governments and 20 townships will also receive a total of more than $500,000 through the ODNR Division of Forestrys Trees to Textbooks program.
While providing increased forest health benefits, this program provides funding to local schools and governments to conduct programs they otherwise might not afford, said State Forester John Dorka. Local school superintendents have been highly supportive of this program.
Under state law, 40 percent of revenues generated from any timber management project on state forest land are distributed to local school districts in the county where the project took place. An additional 40 percent of revenues is allocated to the local county and township governments (20 percent each), while the remaining 20 percent is deposited in the state's General Revenue Fund. Of the 20 percent assigned to the General Revenue Fund, $100,000 is automatically allocated to pay local fire departments for forest fire suppression assistance.
In all, more than $1,000,000 will be distributed this year to schools and 31 local governments as a result of forest management activities on Ohio's state forests. Revenues generated from state forests also include royalties from the production of minerals, such as oil and gas, on state land.
Counties receiving the largest allocation of funding include Ross County ($398,824), Vinton County ($208,369) and Adams County ($111,621).
The ODNR Division of Forestry, originally formed in 1885, is responsible for managing more than 184,000 acres of 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.
Selective timber harvesting projects were conducted on approximately 1,726 acres of Ohios 184,000 acres of state forest land last year.
Today, Ohio is more than 30 percent forested, compared to just 12 percent in the early 1900s. In the past 80 years, the ODNR Division of Forestry has planted more than a half billion trees in Ohio, and continues to produce for planting more than 3,000,000 seedlings a year.
All timber management projects on state lands are carefully selected. State forestry experts use these projects to improve the forest's overall health and diversity, with an eye to its value for recreational opportunities, soil and water conservation and wildlife habitat. When it is determined that selected trees or limited areas of woodland should be harvested, projects are competitively bid with requirements for sound management practices. All work is conducted by certified companies under strict contract requirements and monitoring.
Virtually all properties acquired by the ODNR Division of Forestry over the years were either abused farmlands with no forest cover, abandoned strip mine lands or severely cut-over and neglected woodlands. Now restored by state foresters as productive forests, these lands are managed for a multitude of benefits, including watershed protection, back-country recreation, wildlife habitat and timber production.
EDITORS NOTE: ATTACHED IS A LIST OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVING FUNDS THROUGH TIMBER SALES ON STATE FOREST LAND BY COUNTY
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Forestry
2002 Trees to Textbooks Funds
Adams County
County Government
$27,905
Green Township
$27,905
Ohio Valley School District
$55,811
Total county allocation
$111,621
Ashland County
County Government
$869
Hanover Township
$869
Loudonville/Perrysville School District
$1,738
Total county allocation
$3,476
Athens County
County Government
$10,280
Waterloo Township
$10,080
York Township
$200
Alexander School District
$20,160
Athens School District
$400
Total county allocation
$41,120
Highland County
County Government
$13,355
Brushcreek Township
$13,355
Ohio Valley School District
$26,710
Total county allocation
$53,421
Hocking County
County Government
$4,080
Laurel Township
$4,080
Logan Hocking School District
$8,160
Total county allocation
$16,320
Lawrence County
County Government
$4,528
Decatur Township
$4,528
Rock Hill School District
$9,056
Total county allocation
$18,111
Lucas County
County Government
$6,126
Swanton Township
$6,126
Anthony Wayne School District
$12,251
Total county allocation
$24,502
Meigs County
County Government
$756
Olive Township
$756
Eastern School District
$1,512
Total county allocation
$3,024
Muskingum County
County Government
$3878
Blue Rock Township
$3,096
Salt Creek Township
$781
Franklin Local School District
$7,756
Total county allocation
$15,511
Pike County
County Government
$443
Benton Township
$443
Western Local School District
$886
Total county allocation
$1,771
Ross County
County Government
$99,706
Franklin Township
$31,791
Harrison Township
$448
Colerain Township
$67,467
Scioto Valley School District
$64,479
Zane Trace School District
$134,933
Total county allocation
$398,824
Scioto County
County Government
$34,447
Brush Creek Township
$32
Nile Township
$34,416
Northwest School District
$63
Washington-Nile School District
$68,831
Total county allocation
$137,789
Vinton County
County Government
$52,092
Brown Township
$21,023
Madison Township
$30,869
Swan Township
$200
Vinton School District
$104,185
Total county allocation
$208,369