Pictured is a section of the Eastside Overland Trail.

CHERRY CREEK – The effort to renovate a section of overland trails in eastern Chautauqua County has received a $35,000 grant.

The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth secured the grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to help fund Phase V of the Chautauqua County Overland Trails Revitalization Project. Phase V renovation work includes trail construction, trail improvements, and trail reroutes in Boutwell Hill State Forest in Cherry Creek, along Chautauqua County’s Earl Cardot Eastside Overland Trail.

CCPEG collaborated with the Chautauqua County Parks Department and the state Department of Environmental Conservation to plan and to organize the best way to approach Phase V. The collaboration is also being used to apply for additional funding to help ensure all aspects of the Phase V project can be completed.

If all funding is secured, the trail improvements and construction work will be done by experienced mechanized trail-builders from Trail Construction Associates, based in Chautauqua County. The team from TCA are familiar with the Overland Trails and are excited to apply their green design trail-building techniques to improve the sustainability of the Overland Trail in Boutwell Hill State Forest.

According to Jacob Bodway, Trail Coordinator for CCPEG, Phase V will update the Eastside Overland Trail to meet modern standards of trail sustainability and accessibility. Bodway said additional funding for Phase V has been applied for, with award announcements for all pending grants expected by mid to late summer. Once all funding is secured, the work is expected to begin by the end of summer or early fall.

“We will be rerouting chronic wet areas and improving sections of trail that have poor drainage and erosion issues. These improvements will benefit hikers and bikers of all skill levels and help keep the trail dry during the winter months for cross country skiing. Even better, this project dovetails with the recent improvements to the ‘Homestead Loop’ in Boutwell Hill State Forest,” Bodway said.