Sustainable outdoor recreation assets serve rural communities by improving and catalyzing economic opportunities and providing social, environmental, and health benefits to communities and their residents.
The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA),
a Council of Governments, was created to utilize outdoor recreation assets in Appalachian Ohio to deliver ORCA Member Communities those benefits and diversify rural economies.
We work to secure investments for sustainable development and management of outdoor recreation facilities and customize solutions to meet needs and expand access to economic opportunities.
Current ORCA members are within Athens County where we manage and develop the Baileys Trail System in partnership with the Wayne National Forest.
We utilize a multi-sector skilled advisory board, made up a regional coalition of 17 partner counties, and a dedicated nonprofit partner to sustainably plan, develop, manage, and promote outdoor recreation assets in Appalachian Ohio.
ORCA'S WORK
CATALYZING ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION
2021 $1.5 MILLION POWER GRANT AWARDED BY THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION TO:
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Establish the Region’s 1st Large Scale Recreation Development Plan
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Support Entrepreneurs
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Employ Local Youth
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Improve Trails and Increase Regional Tourism
TRAIL BUILDING
THE BAILEYS TRAIL SYSTEM: A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS
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58 Miles Built of the Baileys Trail System To Date
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2020: Baileys Trail System Project received USDA Forest Service Chief’s Award
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2021: $2 Million Investment in the Ohio State Legislative Budget; an Investment that Completed 18 Miles of Trail in 2022
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2021: $3.6 Million Direct Economic Impacts of Baileys Trail System; Total Impacts $5.3 Million (according to the 2021 Ohio University Voinovich School & Parks Recreation and Leisure Studies Program Economic Impact of the Baileys Trail System)
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Develop and Operate ORCA Nonprofit Partner Athens Wayne Outdoor Asset Development (AWOADC) 501(c)3 and public charity
TRANSFORMING RURAL SPACES
2022 $3 MILLION ABANDONED MINE LAND ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO:
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Develop an ≃5,000 square foot Baileys Trail System Visitor Hub To:
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Create Turn-key Commercial space in Chauncey, Ohio
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Improve Local Entrepreneur and Business Access to Markets
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Elevate Visitor Experience and Increase Visitation
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Catalyze and Support Business Expansion and Atrraction
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Retain Talent
DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING
CURRENT AND PLANNED PROJECTS
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Appalachian Community Grant Program Development Recipient- Round 1
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Fall 2024 Ohio Outdoor Recreation Conference, ARC POWER supported
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17 counties have resolved to join ORCA as limited partners to collaborate on regional strategies
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ORCA Partnered with the PA WIlds on an Appalachian Regional Commission ARISE planning grant with the Pennsylvania Wilds to strategically support rural destination development
