Ohio committee backs resolution urging national scenic designation for Buckeye Trail

The House Natural Resources Committee on a unanimous voice vote moved House Concurrent Resolution 13 forward, urging Congress to consider designating the Buckeye Trail as a National Scenic Trail.

Supporters told the committee the trail — a 1,454-mile loop that arcs from Lake Erie to the Ohio River — links nationally significant natural and cultural sites and is largely built and maintained by volunteers. Stephen Walker of the Buckeye Trail Association said he was asking the committee to “consider moving HCR 13 to the floor of the Ohio General Assembly for consideration” to show statewide support for federal designation.

Andrew Basha, also testifying for the Buckeye Trail Association, described the trail’s history and volunteer network, saying the organization currently fields roughly 1,200 members and that volunteers contribute an estimated 10,000–20,000 hours annually, with current volunteer time valued at more than three quarters of a million dollars. Basha said the trail already overlaps substantially with other national routes and meets criteria for a national scenic trail.

Spencer Derek of the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund also urged passage, calling designation “an investment in awareness, volunteerism and access” and noting the Buckeye Trail’s overlap with the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Vice Chair Fisher moved to favorably report HCR 13; the clerk called the roll and the resolution passed with 12 affirmative votes and 0 negative votes. The committee’s roll will remain open until 10 a.m., the chair said.

Next steps for HCR 13 include placement on the House floor calendar; the committee’s favorable report signals legislative support but does not itself enact a federal designation.