When mountain bikers shovel new trails into the forest on their own initiative, conflict is always inevitable. They don't care about land ownership, nature conservation or safety standards. Because they want to have fun, they grab a pick and shovel. For many, this is scandalous. If only everyone did that!

There are many legitimate reasons to criticize the uncontrolled and illegal construction of trails. In the general outrage, however, it is forgotten that the actual damage caused is usually minimal. The critics are not primarily bothered by the new trail itself, but by the fact that someone has grabbed a shovel without a permit and without consultation. Our regulated society does not provide for this. Yet everyone knows that anyone who goes through the official approval process for a new trail is immediately turned down by the authorities or gets entangled in endless approval processes. The euphoria for better bike trails then fizzles out at desks and in meeting rooms.

Uncontrolled trail construction can be prevented with good infrastructure

In the howls of scandal against illegal trail building, another aspect is being ignored: The trail builders' activism is based on a lack of infrastructure. Obviously, these activists want better, different or more mountain bike routes than the existing ones. Nobody picks up a shovel just for the sake of it. Uncontrolled trail construction is therefore not prevented by scandalization, but by an infrastructure that meets needs. Only better bike trails prevent uncontrolled growth.

It is not uncommon for young mountain bikers to be behind the illegal trail building activities, living out their youthful rebel phase in this way. We've all had that time, what's the problem? Other kids shoot their fingers to pieces while gaming in their free time, spend whole afternoons loitering in shopping centers or trying every imaginable intoxicant. And we are annoyed by young people who build their own infrastructure for their passion in the forest with pickaxes and shovels using muscle power and in all weathers? These young people are not destroying nature, they are learning how to deal with it. We should actually be supporting them in this instead of demonizing them.

Today, a lot of energy is invested in putting a stop to illegal trail building. Foresters are destroying one trail while another is being built nearby. It's a battle against windmills. It is therefore high time for a pragmatic U-turn on this issue. Instead of demonizing the shovelers, we should come up with concepts on how to make use of this almost limitless motivation, this selfless activism and this potential workforce. By demonizing them, we are fighting against a concentrated load of enthusiasm that could actually be used to advance the sport as a whole. Illegal trail building is positive if you know how to use it. Integration instead of confrontation! And then nobody would have to get upset anymore.

More blog posts by Thomas Giger

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