The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

state agency A government or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government The machinery of government (sometimes abbreviated as MoG) is the interconnected structures and proc ...

charged with regulating

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether Motorboat, powerboats, Sailing, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sp ...

duck stamp The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the United States federal government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and gee ...

orders, and the conservation efforts of the

state government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...

. It is directed by seven-member Board of Directors. The

governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

appoints a member from each of the state's

congressional districts Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...

, in addition to one

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

board member. The board or governor may appoint citizens advisory panels to provide recommendations on agency programs. The Department of Natural Resources also oversees the state's soil and water conservation districts, which are

special-purpose district Special districts (also known as special service districts, special district governments, limited purpose entities, or special-purpose districts) are independent, special-purpose governmental units that exist separately from local governments such ...

s contiguous with each of South Carolina's 46 counties. Each conservation district is managed by six-member boards. Three members of each board are appointed through the Department of Natural Resources, while the other half are directly elected.

DNR senior staff

*Director - Robert H. Boyles Jr. *Chief of Staff - Shannon F. Bobertz *DNR Divisions: **Ken Rentiers, Deputy Director (Land, Water and Conservation Division) **COL Chisolm Frampton, Deputy Director (Law Enforcement Division) **Blaik Keppler, Deputy Director (Marine Resources Division) **Angie Cassella, Deputy Director (Division of Administration) **Emily Cope, Deputy Director (Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division)

DNR board members

*Norman F. Pulliam, Chairman ( 4th congressional district) *Michael E. "Mike" Hutchins, Vice Chairman ( 2nd congressional district) *Dr. Mark F. Hartley ( 1st congressional district) *Jake Rasor, Jr. ( 3rd congressional district) *James Carlisle Oxner III ( 5th congressional district) *Duane Swygert ( 6th congressional district) *Keith C. Hinson ( 7th congressional district)

Law enforcement

The Division of Law Enforcement is responsible for enforcement of state and federal laws that govern hunting, recreational and commercial fishing, recreational boating, and other natural resources conservation concerns. The division conducts South Carolina’s hunter and boater education courses, as well as other outreach programs including the Take One Make One and Archery in the Schools programs aimed at introducing youth to the sport of hunting. The division is responsible for investigating boating and hunting accidents, and DNR officers regularly conduct search and rescue missions in outlying areas and assist other law enforcement agencies in investigations. The Division has officers trained in underwater diving that assist in law enforcement, search and rescue, and evidence recovery missions. The Division also utilizes aircraft for law enforcement patrol, search and rescue, and other department missions. The division and its officers are called upon to provide homeland security related to water borne activities including commercial ship escorts, and hydroelectric dam, nuclear facility, and energy plant security. South Carolina's corps of natural resources enforcement officers is organized into four regions covering groups of the state's 46 counties and coastal marine shoreline and waters out to 200 miles. A 24-hour toll-free number is maintained for emergencies requiring immediate law enforcement assistance from a natural resources officer. Any person may call this number anonymously to report a conservation law violation or information that could lead to the arrest of a violator and become eligible for a cash reward through the Operation Game Thief Program.

History and purpose

The department

The agency as organized on July 1, 1994, under the S.C. Restructuring Act is composed of the former Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Water Resources Commission (non-regulatory programs), Land Resources Commission (non-regulatory programs), State Geological Survey (State Geologist), and S.C. Migratory Waterfowl Committee. These have been combined into the present division structure. Robert H. Boyles Jr. is the current director of the agency.

The board

The SCDNR is governed by the seven-member S.C. Natural Resources Board, with one member representing each of the state's six Congressional Districts and one at large. The board meets monthly. Citizen advisory committees meet periodically. The public is invited to attend all meetings, and comment is encouraged. Upcoming meetings are announced through news releases, local newspapers, or the DNR News and Video Section. Also, SCDNR Board Meeting minutes are available as they are approved by the Board.

References

External links

* {{authority control

Natural Resources Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...

State environmental protection agencies of the United States Natural resources agencies in the United States Environment of South Carolina