The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), established in 1995, is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 124 state parks and 20 state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and working with communities to benefit local recreation and natural areas.[1] The agency has its headquarters in the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg.[2]
History
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The department was formed on July 1, 1995 when then-governor Tom Ridge split the Department of Environmental Resources (DER) into the DCNR and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Budget, staff
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Organization and leadership
Bureaus
The DCNR comprises the following subunits:[3][4][5]
Pennsylvania DCNR rangers act much like National Park Rangers do. They routinely check on cabins and campsites, offer insightful answers to visitors questions, and help to maintain calmness throughout the parks. They have full arrest powers while in park lands and carry side arms. However, they do not have primary jurisdiction over Pennsylvania State Game Lands, which are patrolled by Wildlife Conservation Officers employed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, but do have the authority to enforce all Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Game Commission laws and regulations while on Pennsylvania State Game Lands. French Creek State Park and State Game Lands #43 are examples, as DCNR rangers regularly enforce PGC regulations giving tickets to offenders at PGC's public shooting range. DCNR rangers enforce game laws as well as fishing and boating laws in state parks. However, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is completely independent of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Both agencies are independent of DCNR, but work in cooperation with each other.[citation needed]
DCNR ranger responsibilities have three primary elements:[10]
Public contact - Assisting visitors to make the outdoor experience safe, educational and enjoyable.
First responder - DCNR "forest" rangers are trained and certified Department of Health medical first responders capable of providing basic life support in an emergency. Some DCNR rangers have continued their education and training to be certified as emergency medical technicians.
Law enforcement - Rangers act as law enforcement officers the same way as typical police officers would, but also enforce game, fishing, and boating laws.
Education
The DCNR is host to many different environmental education programs throughout the summer months. These range from topics such as "Leave No Trace" hiking/camping policy to the different wildlife and plant species of many of the state parks.
^"Contact DCNRArchived 2011-05-01 at the Wayback Machine." Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on October 18, 2010. "Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Rachel Carson State Office Building PO Box 8767 400 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17105-8767."
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