The Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) owns and manages more than 590,000 acres of land including 74 state parks, 21 state forests, 136 state nature preserves, and 117 wildlife areas. The department also has jurisdiction over more than 120,000 acres of inland waters; 7,000 miles of streams; 481 miles of Ohio River; and 2-1/4 million acres of Lake Erie.

In addition, ODNR licenses all hunting, fishing, and watercraft in the state and is responsible for overseeing and permitting all mineral extraction, monitoring dam safety, managing water resources, coordinating the activity of Ohio's 88 county soil and water conservation districts, mapping the state's major geologic structures and mineral resources, and promoting recycling and litter prevention through grant programs in local communities.