Athens Conservancy
An all-volunteer 501(c)(3) land trust that protects natural areas, supports trails, and advances conservation in Athens County, Ohio.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Athens Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust based in Athens County, Ohio. Founded in 2002, it operates as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization focused on conserving forests, wetlands, open space, and recreational corridors in and around the Athens area. Its work combines direct ownership and management of nature preserves with conservation easements, assistance to public agencies, trail development, outdoor information services, and support for community access to protected land. The organization’s conservation portfolio includes a network of nature preserves distributed across Athens County. These properties protect forested hills, streams, wildflower habitats, trail corridors, and culturally significant landscapes. Among the preserves identified in reference material are Blair Preserve, Bluebell Preserve, Brookville Preserve, Canaan Preserve, the Mary Beth Zak Lohse Preserve, Morris Preserve, the Elias M. & Therese Erb Poston Preserve, Skunk Run Preserve, The Plains Preserve, and Tucker Run Preserve. The Conservancy also holds a conservation and trail-access easement on the 269-acre Baker Preserve near Strouds Run State Park. Several acquisitions were completed with support from Ohio’s Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, while other properties were donated, purchased privately, or acquired through arrangements with landowners and partner organizations. Trail and recreation initiatives are an important part of the Conservancy’s operating role. It sponsors the Athens-Belpre Rail-Trail, a multi-use route intended to connect Athens and Belpre along portions of a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor. The trail is designed for walking, bicycling, and horseback riding. The organization has also helped secure land and rights-of-way for the Moonville Rail-Trail and worked to connect that route with the Hockhocking-Adena Bikeway. A backpacking campsite on Blair Preserve extends the recreational value of the protected lands and was created with support from the Athens County Foundation. Athens Conservancy also acts as a facilitator for conservation projects led by public agencies. One of its notable efforts was initiating and coordinating the creation of Riddle State Nature Preserve, including protection of Hawk Woods, an important old-growth forest in Ohio. The preserve is owned by the City of Athens and is dedicated as a state nature preserve. In that project, the Conservancy helped raise public contributions and secure support from the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. It has also assisted the City of Athens and Athens County with acquisitions associated with the Strouds Ridge Preserve and the Chauncey Canal Trail and Wetland Preserve, and has made smaller contributions toward other agency-led land purchases. Beyond land transactions, the organization provides public-facing conservation information. Its online resources include the Athens Area Outdoor Guide, the Athens Outdoor Guide, the Southeast Ohio Mapping Center, and information concerning non-native invasive species. The guides are intended to help residents and visitors locate open-space lands, understand access arrangements, and explore trails and natural areas in southeast Ohio. The Conservancy has additionally negotiated private conservation easements, enabling landowners to preserve ecological values while retaining ownership of their properties. Athens Conservancy’s positioning is local, volunteer-led, and partnership-oriented. Rather than functioning as a conventional consumer brand, it serves as a community conservation institution: acquiring and stewarding land, coordinating public and private funding, supporting outdoor recreation, and helping government agencies and landowners protect ecologically or culturally significant places. Its work is concentrated geographically in Athens County and the surrounding southeast Ohio region.
History
Athens Conservancy was established in 2002 as an all-volunteer land trust serving Athens County, Ohio. Its basic operating model has been to protect land through a combination of ownership, acquisition partnerships, conservation easements, and assistance to public bodies. The organization’s work developed in a regional setting characterized by forested Appalachian terrain, existing state and municipal preserves, former railroad corridors, and community interest in connecting conservation with outdoor recreation. A major element of the Conservancy’s history is its use of public conservation funding to acquire and protect land. The Clean Ohio Conservation Fund supported multiple acquisitions, including portions of Blair Preserve, Bluebell Preserve, Brookville Preserve, Canaan Preserve, the Mary Beth Zak Lohse Preserve, Morris Preserve, the Elias M. & Therese Erb Poston Preserve, Skunk Run Preserve, The Plains Preserve, and the Baker Preserve easement. Some properties were assembled in phases, while others were donated or purchased from private owners. Agreements with American Electric Power contributed to the creation and expansion of Bluebell Preserve, including a donated tract in 2006 and a later acquisition in 2018. The organization has also developed a substantial role in corridor conservation. It sponsors the Athens-Belpre Rail-Trail, which uses portions of a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad grade and is intended for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians. The Conservancy has acquired or helped secure property for this project through several forms of transaction. It has separately worked on land and right-of-way needs associated with the Moonville Rail-Trail, including a connection with the Hockhocking-Adena Bikeway. These efforts extend the organization’s mission from isolated preserve protection to landscape-scale connectivity and public access. Partnerships with local and state agencies have been another continuing feature of its history. The Conservancy initiated and coordinated the project that resulted in Riddle State Nature Preserve, which includes Hawk Woods, described in the reference material as one of Ohio’s significant old-growth forests. Although the City of Athens owns the preserve and it carries state nature-preserve status, the Conservancy helped organize the project and raise financial support. It also assisted the City of Athens with acquisitions involving the Strouds Ridge Preserve in 2003 and 2004, and helped Athens County acquire land associated with a Strouds Ridge preserve and the Chauncey Canal Trail and Wetland Preserve in 2016. In addition to land protection, Athens Conservancy has broadened its public-service activities through outdoor guides, mapping, invasive-species information, and recreational facilities. Its online guide resources document open-space lands in southeast Ohio and provide maps and access information. A backpacking campsite on Blair Preserve, supported by the Athens County Foundation, reflects the organization’s effort to make protected properties useful for low-impact recreation. The Conservancy has also negotiated private conservation easements, allowing landowners to maintain ownership while placing long-term conservation protections on their properties. The available reference material does not identify individual founders, current officers, executive staff, annual budgets, revenue, or a change in organizational status. The organization is described as active and volunteer-led, with its identity centered on local conservation stewardship rather than commercial product sales.
- 2019
Canaan Preserve acquired
[1]The organization acquired the 441-acre Canaan Preserve using Clean Ohio Conservation Fund support.
- 2018
Bluebell and Mary Beth Zak Lohse preserves expanded
[1]The Conservancy acquired 165 acres from AEP for Bluebell Preserve and purchased the 283-acre Mary Beth Zak Lohse Preserve.
- 2017
Morris Preserve and Skunk Run acquisitions
[1]Morris Preserve was acquired, and additional land was secured for Skunk Run Preserve.
- 2016
Poston and Skunk Run acquisitions continue
[1]The Conservancy continued acquiring land for the Poston and Skunk Run preserves and assisted Athens County with the Chauncey Canal Trail and Wetland Preserve.
- 2015
Poston Preserve acquisition begins
[1]The first of two portions of the Elias M. & Therese Erb Poston Preserve was acquired.
- 2013
Skunk Run Preserve acquisition begins
[1]The Conservancy began assembling Skunk Run Preserve through acquisitions supported by Clean Ohio funding.
- 2006
AEP donates land for Bluebell Preserve
[1]American Electric Power donated 65 acres that became part of Bluebell Preserve.
- 2004
Further Strouds Ridge Preserve support
[1]The organization helped the City of Athens acquire an additional tract associated with the Strouds Ridge Preserve.
- 2003
Assistance with Strouds Ridge Preserve acquisitions
[1]The Conservancy assisted the City of Athens with acquiring one tract associated with the Strouds Ridge Preserve.
- 2002
Athens Conservancy founded
[1]The nonprofit land trust was established to protect natural areas and open space in Athens County, Ohio.
Products and positioning
A local, volunteer-led land trust combining direct conservation ownership, public-agency assistance, trail development, and outdoor-access information in Athens County and southeast Ohio.
Conservation properties
Nature preserves
Athens Conservancy owns and manages a network of nature preserves in Athens County, including Blair, Bluebell, Brookville, Canaan, Mary Beth Zak Lohse, Morris, Elias M. & Therese Erb Poston, Skunk Run, The Plains, and Tucker Run preserves. The properties protect forests, streams, wildflower habitats, trail corridors, and open space. Several are adjacent to Strouds Run State Park, the Hockhocking-Adena Bikeway, the Wayne National Forest, or other public conservation lands.
Conservation easement
Baker Preserve conservation and trail-access easement
The Conservancy holds a conservation and trail-access easement on the 269-acre Baker Preserve near Strouds Run State Park. The property includes hiking and horse trails open to the public, combining long-term land protection with outdoor recreation access.
Multi-use trail program
Athens-Belpre Rail-Trail
The Athens-Belpre Rail-Trail is a multi-use trail initiative sponsored by the Conservancy. It is planned to connect Athens and Belpre, Ohio, in part along a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad grade. The route is intended for walking, bicycling, and horseback riding, with land secured through a combination of acquisitions and other property arrangements.
Public information service
Athens outdoor information resources
Through its website, the Conservancy provides the Athens Area Outdoor Guide, Athens Outdoor Guide, Southeast Ohio Mapping Center, and information on non-native invasive species. These resources help users identify open-space lands, understand access, view maps, and find outdoor recreation opportunities in southeast Ohio.
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