NEARLY $2,000,000 GOES TO OHIO SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH “TREES TO TEXTBOOKS” PROGRAM

COLUMBUS, OH - Eighteen Ohio school districts and their corresponding counties and townships will receive more than $1,891,500 this year from the sale of timber in Ohio’s state forests.

Through the “Trees to Textbooks” program, administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry, a percentage of the revenues generated from state forest management activities go to the county, township, and school district in which the activity took place.

“Schools and local governments benefit directly from these timber sales. At the same time, these projects create a diverse landscape for wildlife, provide university research opportunities and promote healthier forests,” said David Lytle, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry. “We are proud of the significant contribution forest management projects have made to local communities.”

This year, a total of $945,761 will be provided to 18 school districts and another $945,761 to local governments across 13 Ohio counties.

The Division of Forestry is responsible for managing more than 185,000 acres of state forests. State forestry experts manage these woodlands for overall health and diversity, soil and water conservation, improved wildlife habitat and expanded recreational opportunities. Selected trees or areas of woodland are harvested through a competitive bid process that includes requirements for sound management practices. All work is conducted by certified master loggers under strict monitoring.

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 more than 2,000,000 Ohio Conservation Seedlings a year for planting.

For Further Information Contact:
Andy Ware, Assistant Chief
ODNR Division of Forestry
(614) 265-1089