DNR volunteers, by the numbers

Nearly 35,000 people did volunteer work for the DNR in 2008, working nearly 500,000 hours. That's the equivalent of about 238 full-time employees -- a savings to the state of about $9.6 million. Here's the breakdown:

10,990

STATE PARKS VOLUNTEERS

Including campground hosts and park partners.

8,400

ENFORCEMENT

Including 5,000 firearms safety instructors, 1,600 snowmobile instructors and 1,000 youth ATV safety instructors.

4,500

TRAILS AND WATERWAYS

Including 3,100 adopt-a-river volunteers and 800 people who work on snowmobile trails.

4,100

FORESTRY

Including 3,200 fire wardens, 470 advisers to local tree boards and 137 State Fair volunteers.

2,600

WATERS

Including 1,500 precipitation observers and 800 lake level monitors.

1,800

ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Including 900 for loon monitoring, 330 for a loon watch program and 200 for frog and toad monitoring.

962

FISHERIES

Including 360 at Bemidji fisheries and 160 aquatic management area volunteers.

657

WILDLIFE

Including 275 youth hunt volunteers, 100 area wildlife volunteers and 80 State Fair volunteers.

597

BUREAU OF INFORMATION AND EDUCATION

Including State Fair entertainers and volunteers.