History
The Department of Natural Resources was created as part of the Natural Resources Act, passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Roger Branigin in 1965.
Four agencies were placed under the department's umbrella:
- Department of Conservation (the forerunner to the Department of Natural Resources)
- Flood Control and Water Resources Commission
- State Soil and Water Conservation Committee
- Outdoor Recreation Council
In 1967, the Nature Preserves Act established the Division of Nature Preserves, also under the same departmental oversight. Since then, the department has been involved in numerous initiatives and legislative efforts, including the establishment of new state parks, new flood laws, hunter safety programs, forestry education and the general rejuvenation of Indiana's forestland. Today, the Department of Natural Resources claims that Indiana has 4.5 million acres (18,000 km²) of forestland, still far from the area's original 23 million acres (93,000 km²), but an improvement from the two million acres (8,000 km²) that remained intact by 1900.
Read more about this topic: Indiana Department Of Natural Resources
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