The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) manages 742 properties statewide, comprising more than 1 million acres (678,632 acres owned by the state and 483,797 acres owned by other entities, but managed by DFW). Because several state agencies purchase land for the purpose of habitat or wildlife protection, and management responsibilities for these properties are often transferred to the DFW, the amount of land under DFW control continues to increase. The properties managed by DFW include: 111 wildlife areas, 136 ecological reserves, 138 public access areas, and 20 fish hatcheries.