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ORCA & The Baileys In the Press
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ORCA Announces Expansion
The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) is excited to
announce Washington, Monroe, Noble, Jackson, Ross, and Vinton Counties and the City of Jackson haveresolved to join ORCA as Partners.
announce Washington, Monroe, Noble, Jackson, Ross, and Vinton Counties and the City of Jackson haveresolved to join ORCA as Partners.
Ross County Asked to Join Southeast Ohio Trails Organization
Ross County – Ty McBee, president of “Chillicothe Trails,” spoke with the Ross County Commissioners Monday over having the county join a trails organization that is expanding from Athens County.
McBee said the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) has invited 16 Ohio counties to join with them as advisory members; four have accepted so far.
McBee said the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) has invited 16 Ohio counties to join with them as advisory members; four have accepted so far.
Jackson County partners with Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia
JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) - There are plenty of natural wonders to enjoy in Jackson County, Ohio. Local residents enjoy lakes and trails throughout the county. Public officials would like to see more attention brought to those areas, and they have partnered with the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) to develop and promote outdoor tourism.
New Development in Old Chauncey Schoolhouse
A new restaurant and brewery is opening next fall in Chauncey, but it will be in the old Dover Schoolhouse
NewsWatch reporter Morgan Anderson talks to the locals who are turning their dreams into a reality one vacant building at a time.
NewsWatch reporter Morgan Anderson talks to the locals who are turning their dreams into a reality one vacant building at a time.
ODNR CELEBRATES BAILEYS TRAIL SYSTEM'S NEW TRAILHEAD
CHAUNCEY, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) celebrated the opening of the Baileys Trail System’s new trailhead location with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the nearly $2.5 million project.
“We are proud to support this project in southeast Ohio and the positive experiences it will provide to the community and visitors,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “The improvements made to this trail and others in the Baileys Trail System will not only restore the health of abandoned mine lands but also improve recreation opportunities and provide an economic boost to the region.”
“We are proud to support this project in southeast Ohio and the positive experiences it will provide to the community and visitors,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “The improvements made to this trail and others in the Baileys Trail System will not only restore the health of abandoned mine lands but also improve recreation opportunities and provide an economic boost to the region.”
Recreation council plans Baileys Trails visitor center
CHAUNCEY, Ohio — The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia will begin construction of a visitors center for the Baileys Trail System in Chauncey once it receives the go-ahead from federal and state agencies. Executive Director Jessie Powers estimates that will occur this summer or fall.
ORCA responds to the Athens Messenger
Read Our Response
ODNR AWARDS $17 MILLION TO TRANSFORM ABANDONED MINE LANDS
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will grant $17 million to encourage economic and community development across Appalachian Ohio. Pending federal approval for the recommended Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program (AMLER) projects, the Division of Mineral Resources Management (MRM) will fund six projects that eliminate hazards left behind by historical mining activity and/or improve areas with abandoned mine lands in six counties.
OhioHealth Commits $100,000 to Baileys Trail System
“We are proud to further our mission ‘to improve the health of those we serve’ through this investment,” said LeeAnn Lucas-Helber, president of OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. “We know that outdoor recreation not only offers community members the opportunity to improve their physical health and wellness but, especially in the case of the Baileys Trail System, it is a key driver for the region’s economic growth.”
SDG 08: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
How to boost local economic, health and conservation outcomes through outdoor recreation
The wealth of natural resources in Southeast Ohio has supported industries and jobs dating back to the 1700s, including salt, timber, brick and coal mining. However, as the demand for these extractive resources declined, Southeast Ohio’s boom turned into a bust, having a significant economic impact on the most vulnerable counties in the state.
Turning to the present day, the Wayne National Forest – headquartered in Athens County – is the only national forest in Ohio. It encompasses thousands of acres of abandoned coal mines and in the 2000s, the community began to see these mines as underutilized assets rather than “scars.”
Turning to the present day, the Wayne National Forest – headquartered in Athens County – is the only national forest in Ohio. It encompasses thousands of acres of abandoned coal mines and in the 2000s, the community began to see these mines as underutilized assets rather than “scars.”
Relief funds spark new investments into outdoor recreation
Jessie Powers is the executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, the organization managing the development of the Baileys Trail System. Powers says that non-motorized trails have important economic benefits, particularly for rural areas.
“Outdoor recreation is a way to do sustainable economic development and diversification in rural communities,” she said. “That’s very important here, there’s a genuine lack of economic opportunity, a lack of access to what few opportunities there are for the most vulnerable.”
“Outdoor recreation is a way to do sustainable economic development and diversification in rural communities,” she said. “That’s very important here, there’s a genuine lack of economic opportunity, a lack of access to what few opportunities there are for the most vulnerable.”
New State Budget is a win for southeast Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine put taxpayer money where his mouth is. Ohio's $74 billion, two-year state budget, which invests hundreds of millions of dollars into infrastructure projects in southeast Ohio, is a huge win for Appalachia, regional leaders and local public officials said.
Newly approved state budget provides critical $2 million for Baileys Trail
Ohio’s state budget for 2022–24 includes $2 million for the Baileys Trail System — bringing the project closer to its goal of becoming the longest contiguous trail system east of the Mississippi River.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed the budget bill early Thursday morning. State Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) helped insert an earmark for the trail system into the Ohio House of Representatives version of the bill; the Ohio Senate removed it in its version of the legislation, but the earmark was restored in the conference committee that crafted the version sent to the governor.
"It will be a boon to Southeast Ohio tourism, and I am delighted to see such significant funds go towards this trail system," Edwards said in a statement. "Upon completion, the Baileys Trail System will be one of the longest in the eastern United States, and I am confident it will have positive regional impacts in Appalachian Ohio.”
Gov. Mike DeWine signed the budget bill early Thursday morning. State Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) helped insert an earmark for the trail system into the Ohio House of Representatives version of the bill; the Ohio Senate removed it in its version of the legislation, but the earmark was restored in the conference committee that crafted the version sent to the governor.
"It will be a boon to Southeast Ohio tourism, and I am delighted to see such significant funds go towards this trail system," Edwards said in a statement. "Upon completion, the Baileys Trail System will be one of the longest in the eastern United States, and I am confident it will have positive regional impacts in Appalachian Ohio.”
State of Ohio invests $2M to build out one of the largest mountain bike trail systems in the US.
The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), the council of governments managing and developing the world-class mountain bike optimized Baileys Trail System, is pleased to announce the State of Ohio will invest $2 million over the next two years to finish buildout of trails in northern Athens County.
ODNR celebrates abandoned mine land cleanup, new trailhead
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management celebrated the completion of a new trailhead and the elimination of abandoned mine land hazards in Nelsonville on June 21. The trailhead, part of the Baileys Trail System in Athens County, provides access to the new 88-mile single track mountain bike trail in the Wayne National Forest.
Hearing on Public Lands and Outdoor Recreation Legislation
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on several pending pieces of legislation intended to improve outdoor recreation opportunities and infrastructure. Senators heard testimony from five witnesses, including officials from the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.
The Mountain Bike Cure: Exercise, Fresh Air and Fellowship
Thanks to more trails, better bikes and a rise of high-school interest, mountain biking has experienced a meteoric rise of popularity in the past decade. The pandemic added fuel to the fire.
PEARL IZUMI: Go rejuvenated. – DIG EP3 – Baileys Trail System
What happens to a robust region when a once-thriving industry stops and leaves a community searching for a new identity? For the surrounding area of Chauncey, Ohio, it's growing from the Baileys Trail System. The Baileys Trail System's future is massive for riders, hikers, and runners of all abilities, with over 80 miles of trail in the plans. All thanks to this beautiful landscape full of welcoming people working to redefine its identity.
REI Uncommon Path
Pioneering a New Way to Pay for Trail Building in Rural America: Athens, Ohio, has ambitious plans to build 88 miles of singletrack in three years. To make it happen, they’re eyeing a new funding model that could make it easier to bring recreation to rural America.
Bailey's Trail System Chief's Award
The Baileys Trail System Project: Developing Economic Opportunities in Gateway Communities received recognition for their efforts working with gateway communities to improve local economies by developing opportunities for outdoor recreation through innovative financing and shared stewardship.
Baileys Trail System Vision
OHIO faculty, staff, students among community group developing trail committed to area's physical, economic, cultural well-being
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