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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 1, 1995 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Pennsylvania |
| Headquarters | Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street,Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. 40°15′45″N76°52′47″W / 40.26250°N 76.87972°W /40.26250; -76.87972 |
| Employees | 1,400 full-time 1,300 seasonal (2025)[1] |
| Annual budget | $630,000,000 (FY2024)[2] |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
ThePennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), established in 1995, is the agency in theU.S. state ofPennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 124state parks and 20state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and working with communities to benefit local recreation and natural areas.[3] The agency has its headquarters in theRachel Carson State Office Building inHarrisburg.[4]
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The department was formed on July 1, 1995 when then-governorTom Ridge split the Department of Environmental Resources (DER) into the DCNR andDepartment of Environmental Protection (DEP).
As of Fall 2025, the DCNR employed approximately 2,700 employees. 1,400 full-time employees work year round, and 1,300 employees work seasonally.[1] Seasonal employees are especially needed in the summer months, when visitor traffic to state parks increases significantly between May and September.[5]
The DCNR lists employment categories in multiple fields. The DCNR website contains the following list of employment categories within the agency:
DCNR positions are mostlycivil-service jobs, with over 90% of DCNR positions falling in this category. Positions that are not civil-service are primarily seasonal positions with hourly pay.[1]
The annual budget allocated towards the DCNR in FY 2024 was $630,000,000.[2]
The DCNR is led by the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, who is appointed by theGovernor of Pennsylvania. Three Deputy Secretaries oversee the Bureaus and Offices within the DCNR.[6]
The DCNR comprises the following subunits:[6][7]
Pennsylvania DCNR rangers act much likeNational 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 carryside arms. However, they do not have primary jurisdiction overPennsylvania State Game Lands, which are patrolled byWildlife Conservation Officers employed by thePennsylvania 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, thePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is completely independent of thePennsylvania Game Commission. Both agencies are independent of DCNR, but work in cooperation with each other.[citation needed]
DCNR ranger responsibilities have three primary elements:[8]
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.
