By blending theory with action, Trails for Change proves that high-impact outdoor recreation and nature conservation are not mutually exclusive. This project sets a new standard for European sports governance, ensuring that the trails we use today remain resilient and accessible for the generations of tomorrow.
Trails for Change is a forward-thinking European initiative designed to transform outdoor sports into a driver for environmental and social change. Operating under the ERASMUS-SPORT framework, the project officially launched on 1 December 2025 for a 30-month journey. Led by Suomen Latu – The Finnish Outdoor Association, the project unites a diverse consortium from eight countries to move beyond identifying challenges toward implementing scalable, real-world solutions.
Trails for Change is a transnational initiative tackling a growing gap in Europe’s outdoor sports sector: while activities like mountain biking, hiking, and trail running are booming, sustainability frameworks are lagging behind.
Initiated by VELO SCHOOLS (Macedonia), the project emerged from a clear pattern observed across partner countries — degraded trails, weak maintenance systems, conflicts between user groups, fragmented policies, and mounting pressure on natural areas. In Macedonia alone, 96% of the territory is erosion-prone, making sustainable trail design not just useful, but essential.
Rather than addressing these issues in isolation, Trails for Change brings together a strategic consortium — including National Parks, Suomen Latu (Finland), and IMBA Europe — with complementary expertise in trail management, environmental protection, and community engagement. Together, partners co-design practical solutions: training modules, policy frameworks, and real-life pilot actions adaptable across different national contexts.
The goal? To shift the paradigm — from fragmented, reactive management toward a coordinated, knowledge-based, and sustainability-driven approach where trail use, environmental conservation, and user coexistence go hand in hand.
The core concept of Trails for Change is rooted in maximizing opportunities. Rather than merely reacting to environmental pressures, the project equips sports organizations, national parks, and policymakers with the tools to proactively integrate sustainability into their DNA. By focusing on mountain biking, hiking, and trail running, the project establishes a standardized European framework for responsible trail governance and eco-conscious event planning.
The project employs a structured, four-phase methodology that ensures evidence-based policy development and practical application:
At the heart of the project’s methodology is a blended learning approach inspired by Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. By combining theoretical online modules with hands-on field sessions, the project ensures that knowledge is not just heard, but practiced.
The training curriculum features five specialized modules:
The Kick-Off ToT empowers staff from partner organizations to become “multipliers.” Experts from IMBA Europe, Mountain Bike Schladming, and the National Parks of Tara and Shar Mountain (among others) lead these sessions, ensuring a high-quality, standardized rollout across all participating countries.
Trails for Change is designed for scalability. By training over 80 professionals and engaging more than 480 athletes and organizers, the project ensures that sustainability becomes “second nature” in the outdoor sports sector.
The project’s legacy will be cemented through:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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Velo Schools is a North Macedonia–based initiative that promotes cycling among children as a safe, healthy, and sustainable mode of transport. Established in cooperation with primary schools, the programme integrates cycling into education through both classroom-based and practical outdoor activities.
Mountain Bike Forum Germany is working every day to make nature-friendly, easily accessible and economically viable mountain biking possible throughout Germany. Germany has the potential to become one of the TOP 5 mountain bike destinations worldwide.
IMBA Europe is the leader in mountain bike advocacy and trail development throughout Europe. Our vision is to get more people on bikes through sustainable mountain biking.
CONNECT International is a Brussels-based international network with the aim to serve as a hub for various stakeholders working on the digital rights and digital agenda, and consists of 34 NGO members and 18 stakeholders from 33 countries as well as over 50 individual experts gathered in our pool.
The Tara National Park includes a mountain area in the West of Serbia which has been under state protection since 1981. The protected area includes nearly 25 thousand hectares, covering the greatest part of the Tara and Zvijezda mountain ranges, which are boarded by the Drina river between the towns of Bajina Bašta in Serbia and Višegrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sar Mountain National Park is a large high-mountain massif that stretches along the border area between North Macedonia and Kosovo. The area of Sar Mountain is a European biodiversity hotspot with extraordinary natural values.
Suomen Latu is a national outdoor organization founded in 1938. We promote responsible and year-round outdoor activities. We have nearly 90,000 members and over 170 member associations. We want everyone to find a meaningful way to enjoy outdoor activities and nature.
