CELEBRATING 75 YEARS AT ODNR

In 2024 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) celebrates 75 years of protecting the great outdoors and Ohio’s natural wonders through conservation, growth, and recreation while also looking to the future of stewardship.

The state of Ohio features a diverse landscape—with rolling hills, winding streams, and a Great Lake—and for 75 years ODNR has been charged with the protection and conservation of that landscape. This year, the department will celebrate this milestone with special programming, a look back at the agency's history, and special events.

Throughout its history, ODNR has served to safeguard Ohio’s trees, native plants, geological features, mineral resources, wildlife, and waters. The department has also worked to capture the joy of the great outdoors through many recreational endeavors such as blossoming our Ohio State Parks and nature preserves, growing state wildlife areas, and blazing new trails in Ohio’s forests.

This feat has been accomplished through the dedication of hardworking people in the department and its many divisions: Engineering, Forestry, Geological Survey, Mineral Resources Management, Natural Areas and Preserves, Oil and Gas Resources, Parks and Watercraft, Water Resources, and Wildlife; along with ODNR’s offices of Coastal Management, Law Enforcement, and Real Estate and Land Management.

Celebrate 75 years with us by participating in this special 75th Anniversary State Parks Challenge!