Ohio Revised Code Search

...s used in this chapter: (A) "Natural area" means an area of land or water which either retains to some degree or has re-established its natural character, although it need not be completely undisturbed, or has unusual flora, fauna, geological, archeological, scenic, or similar features of scientific or educational interest. (B) "Nature preserve" means an area which is formally dedicated under section 1517.05 of t...

...(A) There is hereby created in the department of natural resources the division of natural areas and preserves, which shall be administered by the chief of the division of natural areas and preserves. The chief shall take an oath of office and shall file in the office of the secretary of state a bond signed by the chief and by a surety approved by the governor for a sum fixed pursuant to section 121.11 of the Revised...

...No person shall violate any rule adopted pursuant to division (D)(6) of section 1517.02 of the Revised Code.

...ientific, and spiritual values of such areas by the people of the state; (H) For the preservation and protection of nature preserves against modification or encroachment resulting from occupation, development, or other use that would destroy their natural or aesthetic conditions. The director of natural resources shall accept natural areas by articles of dedication or gift, provided that funds and services are avai...

...No person shall violate any terms or conditions of the articles of dedication of a nature preserve accepted by the director and filed with the county recorder. The director may order any person to cease and desist from any such violation. No person shall violate any such order.

...y the chief of the division of natural areas and preserves. They shall not be taken for any other use except another public use after a finding by the department of natural resources of the existence of an imperative and unavoidable public necessity for such other public use and with the approval of the governor. Except as may otherwise be provided in the articles of dedication, the department may grant, upon such te...

...rsons desiring to be heard shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard prior to action by the department on the proposal.

...school districts, may dedicate natural areas under their jurisdiction in accordance with section 1517.05 of the Revised Code.

...st, preserve, wildlife refuge or other area or the proper management and development thereof, except that any agency administering an area dedicated as a nature preserve under section 1517.05 of the Revised Code shall be responsible for preserving the character of the area in accordance with the articles of dedication and the applicable rules with respect thereto established by the chief of the division of natural ar...

...There is hereby created in the state treasury the natural areas and preserves fund, which shall consist of moneys transferred into it under section 5747.113 of the Revised Code and of contributions made directly to it. Any person may contribute directly to the fund in addition to or independently of the income tax refund contribution system established in that section. Moneys in the fund shall be disbursed pursuan...

...There is hereby created the lake Katharine management trust fund, which shall be administered by the division of natural areas and preserves in the department of natural resources for preservation, management, land acquisition, and educational programs at the lake Katharine nature preserve. The moneys in the fund shall be derived from gifts, donations, bequests, and other moneys for the purposes for which the fund is...

...There is hereby created in the state treasury the lake Katharine management fund. All investment earnings of the lake Katharine management trust fund created in section 1517.12 of the Revised Code shall be credited to the fund created in this section and disbursed pursuant to vouchers approved by the director of natural resources for use by the division of natural areas and preserves in the department of natural reso...

... The director of natural resources may create wild, scenic, and recreational rivers. The chief of the division of natural areas and preserves shall supervise, operate, protect, and maintain wild, scenic, and recreational rivers so created. In creating wild, scenic, and recreational rivers, the director shall classify each such watercourse as either a wild river, a scenic river, or a recreational river. The chief may ...

... thousand feet of a wild, scenic, or recreational river outside the limits of a municipal corporation without first having obtained approval of the plans for the highway, road, or structure or channel modification from the director of natural resources or the director's representative. The state department, state agency, or political subdivision, with the approval of the director or the director's representative, may...

...) The chief of the division of natural areas and preserves may accept and administer state and federal financial assistance for the maintenance, protection, and administration of wild, scenic, and recreational rivers and scenic river lands and for construction of facilities on publicly owned lands that are administered by the division and are within the watersheds of those rivers. The chief, with the approval of t...

...The chief of the division of natural areas and preserves, with the approval of the director of natural resources, shall appoint an advisory council for each wild, scenic, or recreational river. Each advisory council shall be composed of not more than ten persons who are representative of local government and local organizations and interests in the wild, scenic, or recreational river watershed. Each person shall serv...

...The chief of the division of natural areas and preserves, with the approval of the director of natural resources, may participate in the federal program for the protection of certain selected rivers that are located within the boundaries of the state as provided in the "Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," 82 Stat. 906 (1968), 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq., as amended. The director may authorize the chief to participate in any othe...

...y the chief of the division of natural areas and preserves under sections 1517.14 to 1517.19 of the Revised Code shall not be deemed in conflict with certain powers and duties conferred on and delegated to federal agencies and to municipal corporations under Section 7 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, or as provided by sections 721.04 to 721.11 of the Revised Code.

...As used in sections 1517.21 to 1517.26 of the Revised Code: (A) "Cave" means a naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge, including, without limitation, a grotto, rock shelter, sinkhole, cavern, pit, natural well, pothole, or subsurface water and drainage system. (B) "Cave life" means any organism that naturally occurs...

...y be rare and occur in unique forms of great beauty that are irreplaceable if destroyed. Also irreplaceable are the archeological resources in caves, which are of great scientific and historic value. It is further found that species of cave life are unusual and of limited numbers; that many are rare, threatened, or endangered species; and that caves are a natural conduit for groundwater flow and are highly subject to...

...The chief of the division of natural areas and preserves shall do both of the following: (A) Formulate policies and plans and establish a program incorporating them for the identification and protection of the state's cave resources and adopt, amend, or rescind rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement that program; (B) Provide technical assistance and management advice to owners upon r...

...essee, no person shall knowingly: (1) Break, break off, crack, carve on, write on, mark on, burn, remove, or in any other manner destroy, deface, mark, or disturb the surfaces of any cave or any natural material found in any cave, whether attached or broken, including, without limitation, speleothems, speleogens, and sedimentary deposits; (2) Break, force, tamper with, or otherwise disturb any lock, door, gate, or ...

...No person shall sell or offer for sale speleothems collected from caves in this state.

...(A) Owners and, if the owner has leased the land, the lessee, are not liable for injuries, death, or loss sustained by any permittee on their land if no charge has been made. By granting permission for entry, the owner or lessee does not: (1) Extend to the permittee any assurance that the premises are safe for such purposes; (2) Confer on the permittee the legal status of an invitee or licensee to whom a duty of ca...

...(A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, whoever violates section 1517.021 of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. (2) Whoever violates section 1517.021 of the Revised Code with regard to a species of plant identified in a rule adopted under or included on a list prepared under section 1518.01 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree for a first offense. F...