Stewards VISTA: Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia Y1

The mission of the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) is ¿to develop outdoor recreation opportunities across governmental boundaries that create sustainable and equitable economic development, inspiring communities throughout Appalachian Ohio¿ (www.orcaohio.com). ORCA uses a holistic approach to outdoor recreation development to enhance and leverage existing assets to secure public and private investment in the region. ORCA is the permitted manager of the Baileys Trail System (BTS) by the Wayne National Forest (WNF). The BTS is a planned 88-mile-long single-track trail system located within the Athens Unit of the WNF in Athens County, Ohio (www.baileystrailsystem.org). Currently, 58-miles of the trail system are open to the public, and the next phase of trail construction is underway. Athens County, located in the Appalachian foothills of southeast Ohio, is rich with natural beauty, outdoor opportunities, quaint small towns, history, local pride, and culture. The ORCA VISTA will also have excellent networking opportunities with professionals working for state, local, and federal public employers in southeast Ohio. These networking opportunities extend across 18 southeast Ohio counties, which are official ORCA Partners and appointed professionals to work with ORCA on strategic planning, branding, and other efforts to bolster the region¿s economy. VISTA member will be completing service tasks in relation to utilizing rural outdoor recreation and public land assets to deliver economic, social, health, and environmental benefits to communities, allowing ample opportunity to learn from practitioners of 21st century rural development models. Service will be mostly based in-person at the ORCA office but there will also be opportunities to participate in outdoor service. The ORCA VISTA will be welcomed as part of our small, but mighty team working to improve quality of life for Ohioans, especially those aiming to sustainably diversify rural economies.