One Lawrence County school district and two government entities are among those sharing more than $1.8 million this year through the ODNR Division of Forestry's Trees to Textbooks program.

The Rock Hill School District will get a total of $208,449.32, while Decatur Township and Lawrence County will each receive $104,224.65, part of

revenues generated from state forest management activities - including timber sales and royalties from the production of minerals, such as oil and gas, on state land.

"While providing increased forest health benefits, this program provides funding to local schools and governments to conduct programs they otherwise might not afford," said State Forester John Dorka. "Local school superintendents have been highly supportive of this program."

The ODNR Division of Forestry is responsible for managing more than 185,000 acres of state forests across Ohio. Through carefully selected timber management projects, foresters have been able to improve the health, vigor and productivity of state forest lands.

According to a prepared statement from ODNR, timber management projects on state lands are aimed at improving the forest's overall health and diversity, with an eye to its value for recreational opportunities, soil and water conservation and wildlife habitat.

When it is determined trees or limited areas of woodland should be harvested, projects are competitively bid with requirements for sound management practices. All work is conducted by certified companies under strict monitoring.

Today, Ohio is more than 30 percent forested, compared to just 12 percent in the early 1900s. In the past 80 years, the ODNR Division of Forestry has planted more than a half billion trees in Ohio, and continues to produce for planting more than 3,000,000 seedlings a year.