ODNR Offers Timber Sale on Brush Creek State Forest in Adams County

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry announced a timber sale covering compartments A-34 and A-38 of Brush Creek State Forest in Adams County, according to a public notice published in the People’s Defender public notices feed on Jan. 21 and again on Jan. 28, 2026. The brief legal notice identifies the forest and compartments but the excerpt made public contains no acreage, volumes, contract number or bid opening details.

Local loggers, trucking firms and residents who use Brush Creek for hunting, hiking and stream access will want clarity on timing, haul routes and environmental protections. The People’s Defender posting provides the formal announcement but not the usual sale prospectus data that buyers and neighbors use to plan and comment. Absent those specifics, questions remain about how much timber is included, what species are affected, whether streams or steep slopes will be buffered, and what the bid and performance terms will require.

Ohio’s Division of Forestry has issued full prospectuses for other state‑forest sales that illustrate the type of information typically supplied. A 2023 ODNR prospectus for a separate Pike State Forest sale included estimated volumes (237,194 board feet of hardwood sawtimber and 587 tons of hardwood pulpwood), acreage (47 acres), a contract number (2309) and a May 4, 2023 bid opening in Chillicothe. That document also lists a Chillicothe office address and a Division of Forestry contact: Jared Craig, 345 Allen Ave., Chillicothe, OH 45601; Jared.Craig@dnr.ohio.gov; 1-740-672-2305. The 2023 prospectus contains standardized contractual language such as: "Expect at least four (4) weeks from the date the Agreement is signed by the Chief until a notice to proceed is issued; however, the actual time may be less." It also warns that "Timber sale payments are non‑refundable and failure to complete logging operations and restoration by the Termination Date will result in the forfeiture of the payment and the right to cut the remaining portion of the timber subject to this Prospectus." The document further notes certification language: "Scientific Certification Systems registration number SCS‑FM/COC‑00130N indicates that the stumpage timber listed below comes from a forest that is Well‑managed according to strict environmental, social and economic [...]" Those quoted passages come from the 2023 prospectus for a different sale and should not be taken as the specific terms for Brush Creek without ODNR confirmation.

Timber sale procedures vary by state. For comparison, the Oregon Department of Forestry posts that "Exhibit 'A' Maps available 6 weeks prior to bid openings. All other Timber Sale information available 4 weeks prior to bid openings," a timetable that Ohio may or may not follow.

What this means for Adams County readers is straightforward: the legal notice signals an upcoming commercial operation on state forest land, but key details are not yet public. Residents and potential bidders should request the full Brush Creek prospectus and map attachments from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry and obtain the complete People’s Defender postings from Jan. 21 and Jan. 28, 2026. As a starting point for inquiries, the Chillicothe Division of Forestry contact listed in recent prospectuses is Jared Craig at Jared.Craig@dnr.ohio.gov or 1-740-672-2305, though readers should ask ODNR to confirm the responsible official for this Brush Creek sale and to provide the prospectus, Exhibit A maps, contract number, volumes, acreage, bid opening date, bid deposit and any site restrictions. The next update should clarify when work might begin, how long the contract runs, and what safeguards will be in place for local roads, waterways and recreation.