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BNSF Railway Co. recently donated lines in Kansas and Arkansas to local organizers who plan to turn the abandoned rails into nature trails.

The Class I donated a 2.9-mile line to a group in South Hutchinson, Kan. The unused rail right-of-way fell under the jurisdiction of the Surface Transportation Board, which authorized BNSF to “railbank” the line with the city of South Hutchinson.

“The line no longer served a useful purpose for freight transportation,” said Jerry Johnson, assistant vice president of BNSF’s network rationalization unit, in a prepared statement. “BNSF has a good record of making unused routes, such as this one, available to continue to serve a useful public purpose.”

The Class I also donated a 6.7-mile line in Hoxie and Walnut Ridge, Ark., to trail organizers. Working with local government officials, the organizers plan to create a trail from the line through downtown Walnut Ridge to an industrial park.