Friday, September 11, 2026
Presenters:
Blazing Through the Wilderness in Historic Marietta
Erin Augenstein, Marietta-Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Discover the history and stories that connect Historic Marietta with the Buckeye Trail and the surrounding wilderness. Learn how Ohio’s first permanent settlement continues to serve as a gateway for outdoor recreation and heritage tourism.
Erin Augenstein serves as Executive Director of the Northwest Territory Museum Society, the site manager of Campus Martius Museum and the Ohio River Museum in historic Marietta, Ohio. Erin and her husband Mark are members of the BTA Wilderness Chapter, and recent empty-nesters looking forward to more time on the trail.
The Buckeye Trail before it was cool
Larry Budd
Long before long-distance hiking became mainstream, dedicated volunteers were building and maintaining the Buckeye Trail. Join Larry Budd as he shares stories from the early days of the trail, its pioneers, and the people who helped shape its history.
Larry Budd is a longtime Buckeye Trail volunteer and historian with decades of experience preserving and sharing the history of Ohio’s State Trail.
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail
Randall Roberts, BTA Awards Committee Chair & former BTA Trustee
Take a journey through New York’s premier long-distance hiking trail. Learn about the Finger Lakes Trail system, its unique landscapes, volunteer stewardship, and what hikers can expect when exploring this remarkable footpath.
Randall hiked the Buckeye Trail (BT) from November 2008 to May 20, 2017. From there he went on to complete the North Country National Scenic Trail in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He is currently working on Michigan and New York. He has also hiked all of the American Discovery Trail (ADT) in Ohio and Kentucky. He completed the Finger Lakes Trail in 2024 and the all the FLT Branches in 2025.
The Baileys and Beyond: Building a Regional Outdoor Recreation Network
ORCA Panel – Building a Regional Outdoor Recreation Network
Learn how regional partners are collaborating to grow outdoor recreation throughout Appalachian Ohio, strengthen local communities, and create connected opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
Panel includes representatives from ORCA and regional partners. The original submission was provided by Jessie Powers of Outdoor Recreation Council Of Appalachia.
Growing Ohio Tourism along the Buckeye Trail
Aidan Reagh, TourismOhio
Discover how the Buckeye Trail can strengthen Ohio’s tourism economy by connecting communities, supporting local businesses, and encouraging travelers to explore the state’s diverse outdoor destinations.
Aidan Reagh is Executive Director of the Vinton County Department of Tourism, where he leads initiatives to establish Vinton County as a premier eco-tourism destination. He previously served as Communications and Development Director for the Buckeye Trail Association. He serves on the Montana Trail Association Board, focusing on political strategy. He also serves on the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia’s Advisory Committee, helping advance regional outdoor recreation economic development.
Morgan’s Raid
David Thompson, Salt Fork State Park
David Thompson is the Park Manager and historian at Salt Fork State Park. He enjoys researching local history and presenting that history to park visitors. David has been a part of the ODNR team since 1997, beginning his career as a seasonal employee and progressing his way through the campground and maintenance operations at Salt Fork. Most recently he served as the park’s assistant manager. David is a 1995 graduate of Buckeye Trail High School and a 1999 graduate of Muskingum University.
Through the Lens: Documenting the Stories of the Buckeye Trail Corridor
Rick Santich, RJSPhotography
Learn how to use photography as a storytelling tool to document the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Buckeye Trail Corridor. This presentation covers composition techniques, identifying significant sites, and practical tips for capturing compelling images that preserve and share Ohio’s indigenous, colonial, and cultural history along the trail.
Rick Santich is a volunteer photographer for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where his images tell the park’s story. He owned MotoPhoto/ProEventPhoto in Northeast Ohio, providing photo printing, family portraits, and school pictures while gaining national recognition for sports photography and livestreaming. His landscape photography has been featured in numerous exhibitions.
More info to come! Additional speakers include:
- Mary Mertz, Director - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- John Hickenbottom, Salt Fork State Park Naturalist — Sasquatch around the campfire at group camp
- Meet and greet with BTA / NCTA / ORCA Board & Staff & Volunteers
Friday Hikes & Outdoor Activities
- ODNR Naturalist Hike (morning)
- Hosak’s Cave and Stone House (morning and afternoon options)
- ODNR Naturalist Paddle (afternoon)
- Trail Construction Demonstration (afternoon)
- BT/NCNST Hike (all-day)
Hike Salt Fork’s Newest Trail to Hosak’s Cave
Mark Allen, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Statewide Trails Administrator
Take a hike with ODNR Statewide Trails Administrator on the newly built Hosak’s Cave Trail. Participants will learn why the old trail was decommissioned and replaced with a new trail. We will discuss the five elements of sustainable trail design. What makes this new trail sustainable even if it doesn’t follow all the rules you have been taught.
Mark has over fifteen years of experience designing, building, and maintaining natural surface hiking, mountain biking, and bridle trails. With a background in Horticultural and Natural Resources Management, he understands the need to balance conservation while providing high quality recreation opportunities for park users to build a long-lasting relationship with the land we are all trying to protect. His goal is to provide high quality trail opportunities for all Ohioans and elevate Ohio’s status as a trail destination. To stay current with trail building industry trends, he follows his favorite trailbuilders on social media and listens to a variety of podcasts. An avid mountain biker, Mark travels with his family to visit new mountain bike trail destinations. He is a lifelong resident of Ohio and currently resides in Dayton.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Presenters:
Edge of Appalachia
Terry Seidel – The Nature Conservancy
Explore one of Ohio’s most biologically diverse landscapes and learn why the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System is recognized as a global conservation treasure. Discover its unique geology, rare species, and the collaborative efforts protecting this remarkable region.
Terry Seidel is the Director of Land Protection for the Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Ohio. Mr. Seidel has worked the conservation field for over 40 years. For the last 25 years he has helped protect thousands of acres of some of Ohio’s finest natural areas including the Edge of Appalachia preserve, Morgan Swamp Preserve and the Kitty Todd Preserve. Terry resides with his wife in central Ohio.
EnviroMENTAL Resources
Mark Heise, Suicide Prevention Jeep
The connection between mental health and getting outdoors has been linked by Japanese philosophers (forest bathing) and American authors like Richard Louv. Hiking the Buckeye Trail has been therapeutic for veterans trying to escape the horrors of war and members have used the trail to work through grief. Learn resources to help deal with suicide and help increase mental health.
Mark Heise and Victoria Lumsden travel with a little purple Jeep with a big mission, suicide awareness and prevention.
Ecology and Restoration of the American Chestnut
Brian McCarthy, The American Chestnut Foundation
The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) was established more than four decades ago to advance the ecology and genetics of the American chestnut — with the ultimate goal of restoring it to its native range — including Ohio, where it was once present on nearly half of the Buckeye Trail. Brian McCarthy, a long-time TACF collaborator, will review the science behind that restoration effort and where it stands today.
Brian McCarthy is a Professor of Forest Ecology at Ohio University. He has over 150 peer-reviewed publications on the ecology of Oak-Hickory ecosystems. He has held many volunteer positions, including Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Chestnut Foundation. Besides his academic pursuits, he has had a lifelong passion for outdoor activities including hiking and backpacking across the United States.
Buckeyes, Boots, and Bureaucracy: Navigating Ohio’s Buckeye Trail
Heather Stehle, Buckeye Trail Association
Discover why our beloved 1,444-mile trail can’t always dodge pavement as we explore the challenges of connecting public and private lands. Get an inside look at the Buckeye Trail Associations’ strategies for caring for the lands they directly oversee and own —from land management strategies to trail maintenance.
Heather Stehle is the Executive Director/Preserve Manager at Crane Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking County. Prior to this, she was a national park ranger, instructed undergraduates at Western Carolina University, and taught at Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum. Heather is a Life BTA member and serves on the Personnel and Trail Preservation committees.
Applying the Costa Rica Model for Ecotourism to Appalachian Ohio
Joe Brehm – Rural Action
Costa Rica has demonstrated that investing in environmental education and conservation can create lasting economic opportunities through ecotourism and sustainable resource management. Rural Action believes Appalachian Ohio has similar potential. This session explores how Rural Action, the Buckeye Trail Association, and regional partners are adapting these ideas to protect natural and cultural resources, strengthen local communities, and build a more sustainable future through stewardship and outdoor recreation.
Joe Brehm is Co-CEO of Rural Action, where he has served in a variety of leadership roles since 2010. He has spent more than 16 years advancing conservation, environmental education, and community development across Appalachian Ohio. Joe holds degrees from Ohio University and the University of Montana and is a longtime advocate for sustainable communities, outdoor education, and land stewardship.
How to Permanently Protect Your Trail (Two part workshop)
Paul Gagnon, North Country Trail Association
This presentation will provide the nuts and bolts of securing permanent protection for trail systems, from early strategic planning needs, through the acquisition of easements, conservation easements, and land. The focus will be on creative, out-of-the box thinking to meet modern challenges in securing access to private land in the face of competing land development pressures.
Paul Gagnon is Director of Trail Protection for the North Country National Scenic Trail. He has 20 years of experience with conservation land acquisition, stewardship, and defense and holds an MRP in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts where he focused on greenway planning and the legal aspects of land conservation.
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks - Trail Planning for a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Jerry Dannemiller, Ohio History Connection
The inscription of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (8 sites throughout Central, Southern, and Southeast Ohio) on to the UNESCO World Heritage List three years ago has brought many visitors and attention to these 2,000-year-old works of creative genius. Our goal is to develop a vision plan for connecting these sites so that more visitors and Ohioans can “witness ancient brilliance”
Jerry Dannemiller is a seasoned arts, tourism, and cultural marketing leader with a career in the non-profit and education environment, focused upon Digital Marketing, Fundraising, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Media, Shared Services, Organizational Culture, and Design Thinking. He was a journalist and critic early in his career, writing for publications big and small, mostly focused on telling stories of people, art, or places just off the beaten path. Previously experience at The Ohio State University, Wexner Center for the Arts, and United Way Worldwide.
Managing Forests for Oaks and Folks
Dawn McCarthy, Wayne National Forest
This presentation will focus on cross-boundary efforts to manage forests to promote oak regeneration, benefits these forests provide to communities and visitors, and efforts to work with communities to develop sustainable recreation opportunities to boost local economies and improve quality of life.
Dawn is the Engagement Staff Officer for the Wayne National Forest. In her role, Dawn represents the Wayne National Forest on the Ohio Interagency Forestry Network (OIFN), collaborating to manage forests across public and private lands to promote oak-dominated ecosystems in southeastern Ohio. Dawn also represents the Wayne National Forest in sustainable recreation planning in Ohio’s Rolling Hills, collaborating with the Buckeye Trail Association, Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), and many other partner organizations.
The History of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the Buckeye Trail
Jonathan Winkler
The Buckeye Trail hiker in eastern Ohio passes through the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and its lakes. What is this and why is it here? What can we learn about Ohio’s history and culture from a closer look?
Jonathan Winkler is a professor and historian of the United States.
300 Miles of Opportunity: Creating a Regional Trail Destination Across MWCD Properties
Dylan Sayre, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) has realized it’s potential to help shape Ohio into a regional trail destination for hikers, biker and equestrian riders. MWCD has developed a 20-year strategy to create 297 miles of trails on MWCD property. The Trails Master Plan ensures that future generations can explore, connect, and thrive in the natural beauty of the watershed.
Dylan Sayre is the Trails Coordinator and Broughton Park Manager for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District- an organization that manages lakes, parks, marinas and over 60,000 acres of land in eastern and north central Ohio. Dylan has 14 years of experience in parks and recreation with 6 years being dedicated to managing the 70+ mile trail network located on MWCD properties.
Student Conservation Association on the Buckeye Trail
Lauryn Stalter, Student Conservation Association
This presentation will feature SCA staff talking about the history of the SCA-BTA partnership, successes, and what we’ve learned over the past few years in this partnership
*The mission of the Student Conservation Association (SCA) is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people through hands-on service projects.
The SCA has worked in close collaboration with the Buckeye Trail Association since 2024, fielding two teams of five young folks to build new sections of of Buckeye Trail near Athens, OH. Our third team will be in the field in the fall of 2026.*
Rustic Park Architecture of the CCC/WPA around the BT
Terry Seidel – The Nature Conservancy
Parkitecture, also known as rustic park architecture, is a style of architecture pioneered in the early 1900’s by the National Park Service to create buildings that harmonized with the natural environment. Mr. Seidel will illustrate the origins of this style and highlight many fine examples that can be found in parks along the Buckeye trail.
Mr. Seidel has been involved in conservation of Ohio’s natural areas for over 40 years. In addition to his interests in habitat conservation, Terry has a passion for the conservation Ohio’s Rustic park architecture (aka Parkitecture), having documented nearly every example in the state. Terry resides in Dublin with his wife and two cats, Gustifer and Mr. Pickles.
From Event to Story: Communications That Build Engagement
Jill Moorhead, BTA Trustee
A successful event can attract participants, strengthen partnerships, inspire volunteers and bring attention to a cause. In this practical session, communications strategist and 2026 Foundation for Appalachian Ohio Environmental Stewardship Fellow Jill Moorhead will share how to promote events on and off the trail. Participants will learn to identify audiences, shape messages, create a realistic communications timeline, capture stories and images, and earn media attention. Attendees will leave with adaptable tools for promoting the events—and causes—they care about.
Jill Moorhead is a seasoned marketing, communications, and advocacy strategist who helps mission-driven organizations build systems that clarify their voice, strengthen their brand, and connect with partners to support long-term growth.
More info to come! Additional speakers include:
- Rick Gardner, Chief Naturalist – Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Blue Blaze Society meeting (all are welcome)
- Hiker Recognition Celebration – Buckeye Trail Finishers
- Volunteer Awards and Recognition
- Silent Auction Results
- Salt Fork State Park America250 Drone Show
Saturday Hikes & Outdoor Activities
- Hosak’s Cave and Stone House hike (morning and afternoon options)
Forest Bathing
Lauren Kennedy-Little – North Country Trail Association & Certified Forest Therapy Guide
Forest Bathing is a simple practice of slowing down and noticing. How it is approached and what practitioners take away can vary greatly. In this guided walk, participants will be offered various sensory prompts that encourage focusing on the present and deepening connections with the more than human world. If you are looking to ground yourself a but this weekend, come join us! Bring an open mind and open heart.
Lauren Kennedy-Little is a certified Forest Therapy Guide who leads immersive experiences that help participants cultivate mindfulness and meaningful connections with forests and natural landscapes.
