Campaign raises more than $5,000 to build 4 miles of trails!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our April Trail-Building Campaign. Thanks to your generosity, we exceeded our $4,000 goal to build 4 miles of new trails, by raising over $5,000 Your donations are already funding the construction of the new trails in three of our nature preserves, adding to our trail network and giving visitors new spaces to explore. The additional funds will go to more trail development and trail management.
The new trails are all nearing completion. They include:
New shady understory trail at Lindy Roosenburg Preserve
Lindy’s Preserve is a 71-acre peaceful forest and one of our most popular preserves, with grand old oaks and bountiful spring wildflowers. The new trail leads hikers through a woodland on the north slope of the ridge, with a cool, dewy atmosphere and lush understory under a canopy of towering tulip poplars. The trail will link with existing trails and provide a brand-new loop to explore.
New entry trail and extension of Grand Oaks Trail at Winner Woods Nature Preserve
A new entrance trail provides a more practical and scenic gateway into the 106-acre preserve from the parking area, eliminating the need to walk on a narrow, eroding path and letting visitors more safely enter the majestic forest. A more-extensive construction project is lengthening the Grand Oaks Trail, converting the trail from a “there-and-back” hike to a scenic loop.
New Woodlands Trail at Joy Valley Nature Preserve
The nearly-3,000 acre Joy Valley Nature Preserve was established in 2025. The Woodlands Trail is a 2-mile loop trail that winds through a peaceful pine forest to a lush deciduous forest of towering white oak, beech, tulip poplar, and hickory trees. The trail climbs up a steep ridge past imposing rock outcroppings and vernal pools to a high clearing offering impressive views of the valley below.
Thank you to all who donated to the April Trail-Building Campaign:
Edward Aderer, Sandy Anderson, John Brennan, Philip Cantino, Carol Cowles, Michael & Paige Crane, David Daams, Aimee & Rob Delach, Victoria Ellwood, Barbara Flowers, David Gedeon, Ashe Groeneveld, Cherri Hendricks, Chris Henry, Suzanne Knauerhase, Mary & Butch Mitchell, Heidi Mowrey Shaw, Chris O’Bara, Dana Poling, Mary Lynn Readey, Gracelyn Rivera, Franklin Sauder, Janet Tysko, Susan Williams, Petra Williams, John Winner.
Below, volunteers from an Ohio University course in environmental geography lend a hand (and a lot of hard work) to trail construction, led by AmeriCorps worker Andrew Champagne.
