About Us

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Mission Statement 
It is the mission of the Forestry and Parks Department to establish, develop, protect, maintain, and manage county parks, campgrounds, dams, forests, fairgrounds, ski areas, and trail systems. We strive to provide dependable multi-season recreational opportunities for the public, while also providing a sustained yield of forest products and associated amenities. 

The main office is located in the courthouse, while most workers report to our maintenance shop located on County Highway B in Hewett Township. The department employs 13 full time workers and as many as 30 seasonal workers. 

Roles & Duties 
The department manages one of the largest county forests in the state (134,694 acres) as well as many diverse programs and facilities, a summary of which may be found within our annual report. In general, all department programs and facilities are funded and supported by three main revenue sources: timber revenues from the county forest, park and trail user fees, and state aid / grant programs. With the exception of the Clark County Fairgrounds, no direct tax levy is attributable to department operations at the present time. 

Management of the Forestry and Parks Department and its functions is governed by the county board rules and policies together with the Forestry and Parks Annual Work Plan, County Forest Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Outdoor Recreation Plan, county code, and related state and federal laws and regulations.

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