News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2001
"TREES TO TEXTBOOKS" -- LOCAL SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE NEARLY $750,000 THANKS TO FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON OHIO'S STATE FORESTS
COLUMBUS, OH -- Eighteen Ohio school districts will share a total of $743,420 this year from the sale of timber and other products on state forests, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry announced today.
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, nearly $1,500,000 will be distributed this year as a result of forest management activities on Ohio's 20 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 Scioto County ($181,000), Vinton County ($178,000) and Ross County ($169,000).
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 1,500 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 500,000,000 trees in Ohio, and continues to produce for planting more than 5,000,000 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 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
For Further Information Contact:
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882
Blue Rock State Forest
Muskingum County
$3,427
Blue Rock Township
$200
Salt Creek Township
$3,227
Franklin Local School District
$6,855
Dean State Forest
Lawrence County
$200
Decatur Township
$200
Rock Hill School District
$400
Hocking State Forest
Hocking County
$14,323
Laurel Township
$14,083
Benton Township
$240
Logan Hocking School District
$28,647
Maumee State Forest
Fulton County
$11,112
Swancreek Township
$11,112
Liberty Center School District
$13,768
Swanton School District
$3,994
Pike Delta York School District
$4,462
Maumee State Forest (continued)
Lucas County
$495
Swanton Township
$495
Anthony-Wayne School District
$991
Mohican-Memorial State Forest
Ashland County
$1,331
Hanover Township
1,331
Loudonville-Perrysville School District
$2,663
Perry State Forest
Perry County
$2,894
Clayton Township
$2,894
New Lexington School District
$5,788
Pike State Forest
Highland County
$200
Brushcreek Township
$200
Ohio Valley School District
$400
Pike State Forest (continued)
Pike County
$59,239
Benton Township
$35,527
Mifflin Township
$719
Perry Township
$22,993
Western Local School District
$118,479
Scioto Trail- Tar Hollow
Ross County
$84,850
Franklin Township
$24,827
Harrison Township
$50,323
Colerain Township
$9,700
Scioto Valley School District
$150,301
Zane-Trace School District
$19,400
Shade River State Forest
Meigs County
$969
Olive Township
$969
Eastern School District
$1,939
Shawnee State Forest
Adams County
$12,780
Franklin Township
$12,780
Ohio Valley School District
$25,560
Scioto County
$90,610
Brush Creek Township
$28,232
Morgan Township
$3,321
Nile Township
$41,628
Rarden Township
$16,720
Union Township
$707
Washington-Nile School District
$83,256
Northwest School District
$97,963
Zaleski State Forest
Vinton County
$89,273
Brown Township
$24,511
Madison Township
$64,762
Vinton School District
$178,547
Grand Total
$1,486,840
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