Ohio’s public forests and parklands deserve to grow. But these important landscapes face constant threats of exploitation — often from the fossil fuel industry and other extractive interests.
OEC’s Public Lands Program aims to ensure current and future generations of Ohio residents have equitable access to Ohio’s natural world. We work alongside policymakers, agencies, and advocates to expand Ohio’s public lands, protect wildlife and sensitive ecosystems, and defend these natural assets from degradation and destruction.
Public Lands Campaigns
Protect Our Land: Say NO to Fracking in Ohio’s only National Forest
On December 16, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a public comment period for 41 parcels—2,795 acres of the Wayne National Forest—that the agency plans to include in its September 2026 lease sale.
Learn MoreProtect Ohio’s State Public Lands
We must keep fracking out of Ohio’s beloved state parks and wildlife areas.
Learn MorePublic Lands Team
Nathan Johnson
Senior Attorney, Land and Water
Nathan Johnson
Senior Attorney, Land and Water
Molly Jo Stanley
Southeast Ohio Regional Director
Molly Jo Stanley
Southeast Ohio Regional Director
Chris Tavenor
General Counsel
