Today marks the beginning of a year long 50th anniversary celebration for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). At a ceremony in the rotunda of the Natural Resources Building in Olympia, State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland will be joined by former commissioners Jennifer Belcher and Brian Boyle (currently with the UW College of Forest Resources) as well as other local and state dignitaries to kick-off the 50th anniversary festivities.
The Department was created by the state legislature in 1957 to consolidate the work of nine state agencies and to preserve public land resources in perpetuity for the benefit of citizens and schools. DNR manages 5.3 million acres of state-owned forest, range, commercial, agricultural and aquatic lands. The agency also provides wildlfire protection for 12.7 million acres of private and state-owned forest lands, administers Forest Practices rules and surface mine reclamation on state and private lands.
Additional 50th anniversary celebrations will be held at regional events around the state during the coming year.