This project brings a professional partner organization to help with overmountain victory national historic trail s (ovvi) hurricane helene disaster recovery

The National Park Service (NPS) awarded $980,000 through a Cooperative Agreement under the National Trails System Projects program (CFDA 15.935) to Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, Inc., effective June 5, 2025 through June 30, 2027. This award supports Hurricane Helene disaster recovery efforts on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVVI), which spans four states. The professional partner organization will lead identification, planning, and execution of recovery projects across official certified trail sections, providing project management and technical expertise to support trail cooperators throughout the recovery process.

Specific deliverables include assessment and repair of approximately 75 miles of damaged trail, design of washout remediation, capture of storm imagery documentation, and replacement of three educational media exhibits. Additionally, the awardee will assess and replace damaged educational and identification signage throughout the trail system and address other trail infrastructure damage resulting from the hurricane. These products and services align with the National Trails System Projects program's emphasis on trail preservation, public access improvement, and interpretive programming within the national historic trail network.

The partner will help identify, plan and execute projects on official certified trails sections of ovvi across the four states of the trail. The partner selected has expertise in trail and site planning, project management and other assistance that will allow for support to flow to trail cooperators. Specific tasks include: (1) assess design and repair washouts and damage on 75 miles of trail (2) capture imagery of storm effects and replace three educational media exhibits (3) assess and replace damaged educational and identification signage and (4) address damaged trails.