COLUMBUS, Ohio — Twelve rural Ohio school districts, along with their counties and townships, will receive a combined $1,621,268 through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Trees to Textbooks program, which reinvests timber harvest revenue from state forests back into local communities.
The program directs a portion of the income generated from state forest management activities to the county, township, and school district where the timber harvest occurred.
“This program is all about giving back to local communities while spreading the message of conservation,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “By visiting schools and presenting the Trees to Textbooks checks, we have the opportunity to talk to young conservationists and inspire them to learn about our natural resources and what they can do to protect Ohio in the future.”
Director Mertz and ODNR Division of Forestry Chief Dan Balser recently visited Vinton County South Elementary School and Northwest Elementary School in Scioto County to deliver checks and speak with students about the value of Ohio’s forests and the importance of wildfire prevention.
“Trees to Textbooks is one of the most rewarding ways our work in state forests comes full circle,” Balser said. “By reinvesting timber revenue into local schools and communities, we’re helping ensure these forests continue to provide benefits that reach far beyond their boundaries.”
The Division of Forestry has shared timber revenues with counties and townships since the early 1980s. Since the official launch of the Trees to Textbooks program in 1999, more than $42 million has been distributed to Ohio schools and local governments.
ODNR manages more than 200,000 acres of state forests, overseeing them for long-term health, ecological diversity, wildlife habitat, soil and water conservation, and public recreation. Timber harvests are conducted selectively and only through competitive bidding procedures requiring responsible forest management practices. All harvesting is performed by certified master loggers under close supervision.
To learn more about Ohio’s forests, visit forestry.ohiodnr.gov, or follow the Division of Forestry on Facebook and Instagram @odnrforestry.
