Preservation

Preservation is at the core of our mission

Since 1959, our volunteers, partners, and staff have worked to secure and protect Ohio’s only statewide hiking trail. From building bridges to acquiring land, every action we take helps ensure the Buckeye Trail remains accessible, scenic, and resilient—for today’s users and for generations to come.

The Buckeye Trail Preservation Fund

Established in honor of legendary hiker Emma “Grandma” Gatewood and past BTA president Emily Gregor, the Buckeye Trail Preservation Fund supports:

• Securing the trail corridor through land purchases, easements, and agreements
• Protecting the trail from erosion, flooding, and overuse
• Maintaining and improving tread, bridges, signage, and reroutes
• Safeguarding habitats along the route, including wetlands, forests, and wildlife corridors
• Building strong partnerships with public land managers, private landowners, and conservation organizations
• Give to the Trail Preservation Fund →

What we’re protecting

The Buckeye Trail is a linear park and living corridor of nature, history, and community throughout Ohio.

• The Corridor: Ensuring permanent public access and rerouting away from roads
• The Trail: Maintaining tread, signage, bridges, and trail structures
• The Habitat: Safeguarding forests, waterways, and ecosystems
• The Experience: Connecting people to scenic views, cultural landmarks, and unique outdoor spaces

Our preservation approach

We preserve the Buckeye Trail through a combination of planning, stewardship, and relationships:

• Identify and prioritize: Pinpoint high-risk or high-impact trail segments
• Secure access: Work with landowners and agencies to formalize the trail corridor
• Protect and steward: Restore habitats and implement sustainable trail design
• Maintain and improve: Keep the trail safe and accessible with regular maintenance and thoughtful reroutes
• Partner locally: Engage communities, chapters, government agencies, and conservation groups to ensure long-term stewardship