The Douglas County Forest was officially established in 1931 with the entry of 9,022 acres under the Forest Crop Law and the ensuing years showed large acreage entries. Growth has slowed in recent years to a stable land base. On May 10, 1973, a County Forest Ordinance was adopted that repealed all previous ordinances. It designated a County Forest boundary that encompassed a gross area of about 294,362 acres. As of 2017, the net area of land entered under the County Forest Law is 278,759 acres.