Fifteen counties, including Jackson and Jennings, will receive a share of $210,517.38 in timber sale net revenue from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to help support public safety efforts of rural and volunteer fire departments.

The department’s Division of Forestry allocates 15 percent of timber sale revenue from state forests to counties in which harvests occur, according to a news release from DNR Director Cameron Clark.

Each county has the option to share up to 50 percent of the funds it receives with rural and volunteer fire departments that maintain a cooperative agreement with the DNR’s fire control headquarters.

This year, 116 rural and volunteer fire departments will benefit from the shares. Fire departments are encouraged to use the funds to improve their wildland firefighting capability.

Jackson County will receive $23,735.52 with $9,000 being allotted to local fire departments, while Jennings County will receive $6,620.64 with $3,310.32 going to local fire departments.

Although timber sale revenue helps fund several DNR Division of Forestry programs, DNR’s forestry management focus is to improve and maintain forest health for long-term sustainability as required by state law.

DNR forestry management practices are based on the best science and nationally accepted standards and conducted in a certified sustainable manner that earns continued approval from both national and international sustainability standards. This is the 10th year DNR forestry has received that approval.