Ear to the Ground is the in-house blog for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With more than 2,200 employees managing more than 5.6 million acres of land, forests, aquatic and agricultural lands across the state, this agency is full of stories to tell—and this is our space to do it. Compiled and edited by members of DNR’s Communications team, Ear to the Ground is a creative space for employees to submit stories, journal articles, career retrospectives, poetry, photography, and more. We’ll be updating the blog monthly, so check in with us regularly to learn more about this agency and the incredible people who work here.

 

 

The Department of Natural Resources is led by Dave Upthegrove, Washington’s 15th Commissioner of Public Lands. In addition to leading DNR and its 2,200 employees, Commissioner Upthegrove oversees the management of 5.6 million acres of state-owned lands, supervises DNR’s wildfire protection on 13 million acres of state and private forest lands, and chairs the state’s Board of Natural Resources and Forest Practices Board. Each year, the forest, range, agricultural, aquatic, and commercial lands under DNR’s management generate some $200 million in revenues, much of it to support public schools, state institutions, and county services. DNR also manages these lands to provide fish and wildlife habitat, sources of clean and abundant water, and public access to outdoor recreation.