A land commissioner or natural resources commissioner is a public official in the executive branch of a state or territory in the United States. While the duties of the position may vary, their general role is maintaining, protecting, and regulating public lands and natural resources; including state parks, forests, and recreation areas.[1] Every state except Wyoming has a natural resources commissioner.[2]
Five states – Arkansas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington – elect land commissioners in partisan elections, with Arkansas, South Dakota, and New Mexico additionally dividing the duties between a partisan elected office and a nonpartisan appointed office. In all other states, the position is nonpartisan and appointed, usually by the governor.[1]
The National Association of State Trust Lands is a nonprofit consortium of state land commissioners.[3]
, the various land commissioners are:[1]
| Office | Name | Elected/Appointed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources | Christopher Blankenship | Appointed | |
| Alaska Commissioner of Natural Resources | John Boyle | Appointed | |
| Arizona Commissioner of Lands | Robyn Sahid | Appointed | |
| Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands | Tommy Land | Elected | |
| Arkansas Executive Director of Natural Resources Commission | Chris Colclasure | Appointed | |
| California Secretary for Natural Resources | Wade Crowfoot | Appointed | |
| Colorado Executive Director of Natural Resources | Dan Gibbs | Appointed | |
| Connecticut Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection | Katie Scharf Dykes | Appointed | |
| Delaware Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Shawn Garvin | Appointed | |
| Florida Secretary of Environmental Protection | Shawn Hamilton | Appointed | |
| Georgia Commissioner of Natural Resources | Walter Rabon | Appointed | |
| Hawaii Chairperson of Land and Natural Resources | Dawn N. S. Chang | Appointed | |
| Idaho Director of Lands | Dustin Miller | Appointed | |
| Illinois Director of Natural Resources | Natalie Phelps Finnie | Appointed | |
| Indiana Director of Natural Resources | Dan Bortner | Appointed | |
| Iowa Director of Natural Resources | Kayla Lyon | Appointed | |
| Kansas Secretary of Wildlife and Parks | Chris Kennedy | Appointed | |
| Kentucky Commissioner of Natural Resources | Gordon Slone | Appointed | |
| Louisiana Secretary of Natural Resources | Tyler Gray | Appointed | |
| Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry | Amanda Beal | Appointed | |
| Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources | Josh Kurtz | Appointed | |
| Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs | Rebecca Tepper | Appointed | |
| Michigan Director of Natural Resources | Scott Bowen | Appointed | |
| Minnesota Commissioner of Natural Resources | Sarah Strommen | Appointed | |
| Mississippi Executive Director of Environmental Quality | Chris Wells | Appointed | |
| Missouri Director of Natural Resources | Dru Buntin | Appointed | |
| Montana Director of Natural Resources and Conservation | Amanda Kaster | Appointed | |
| Nebraska Director of Natural Resources | Vacant | Appointed | |
| Nevada Director of Conservation and Natural Resources | James A. Settelmeyer | Appointed | |
| New Hampshire Executive Director of Fish and Game | Vacant | Appointed | |
| New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands | Stephanie Garcia Richard | Elected | |
| New Mexico Secretary of Energy Minerals and Natural Resources | Melanie Kenderdine | Appointed | |
| New York Commissioner of Environmental Conservation | Sean Mahar | Appointed | |
| North Carolina Secretary of Environmental Quality | Elizabeth Biser | Appointed | |
| Ohio Director of Natural Resources | Mary Mertz | Appointed | |
| Oklahoma Director of Wildlife Conservation | Wade Free | Appointed | |
| Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources | Cindy Adams Dunn | Appointed | |
| South Carolina Director of Natural Resources | Robert Boyles | Appointed | |
| South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands | Brock Greenfield | Elected | |
| South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Hunter Roberts | Appointed | |
| South Dakota Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources | Vacant | Appointed | |
| Tennessee Commissioner of Environment and Conservation | David Salyers | Appointed | |
| Texas Land Commissioner | Dawn Buckingham | Elected | |
| Utah Director of Natural Resources | Joel Ferry | Appointed | |
| Vermont Secretary of Natural Resources | Julie Moore | Appointed | |
| Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources | Travis Voyles | Appointed | |
| Washington Commissioner of Public Lands | Hilary Franz | Elected | |
| West Virginia Director of Natural Resources | Brett McMillion | Appointed | |
| Wisconsin Secretary of Natural Resources | Vacant | Appointed |