Ohio natural resources director outlines agency operations, cites recreation and conservation gains

Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, told the House Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 12 that the agency operates 11 divisions and manages extensive land and water assets across the state.

Mertz said ODNR’s mission is to “ensure a balance between the wise use and the protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all,” and she outlined visitor, licensing and staffing statistics that she said underscore the agency’s scale and statewide reach.

The director told the committee ODNR employs “something over 2,500, 2,600 people at the height of our seasons,” manages 76 state parks, 24 state forests, 147 nature preserves and 189 wildlife areas, and recorded more than one million overnight stays on its properties in 2024. She noted 630,000 active watercraft registrations last year —…