ODNR Launches New Initiative Aimed at Promoting Outdoor Paddling Sports

COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) today launched the Paddle Ohio initiative to promote paddling on Ohio’s state-designated wild, scenic and recreational rivers and water trails.

“In the last decade, the number of Ohioans that own kayaks and canoes has increased 128 percent,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “The goal of the Paddle Ohio initiative is to encourage more people to explore Ohio’s hundreds of miles of scenic waterways that often go unnoticed.”

Four regional kick-off events will be held Sunday, June 22, on the Sandusky State Scenic River in northwest Ohio; the Grand River State Wild and Scenic River in northeast Ohio; the Stillwater State Scenic River in southwest Ohio; and the Kokosing State Scenic River and Water Trail in central Ohio.

The Paddle Ohio initiative will reward individuals who paddle four of Ohio’s wild, scenic and recreational rivers or water trails with a commemorative pin. Participants simply submit information about their four paddling trips on the Paddle Ohio registration form at paddle.ohiodnr.gov, and ODNR will mail the pin to qualifying individuals. Future plans include a series of pins paddlers will be able to collect for paddling up to 20 different segments of Ohio’s wild, scenic and recreational rivers or water trails.

Ohio pioneered the river preservation movement in 1968 with the passage of the nation’s first scenic rivers act. This legislation created a state movement to protect Ohio’s high quality streams for future generations. Maintaining Ohio’s scenic rivers and water trails requires the partnership of numerous volunteers, conservation groups, nonprofit organizations, local leadership, government agencies and private owners.

Maps and more information on Ohio’s scenic rivers and water trails, as well as information on volunteering to be a stream quality monitor, is available from the ODNR Division of Watercraft at watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/scenicrivers.

The ODNR Division of Watercraft is responsible for boating safety, education and law enforcement on all waters of the state. This statewide area includes the near-shore area along 451 miles of the Ohio River, approximately half the entire surface area of Lake Erie, more than 605 inland lakes and more than 60,000 miles of inland streams, rivers and other waterways.