What happens when mountain bikers love nature too much? This question is raised in the video clip with which Swiss Cycling and Pro Natura present their new awareness-raising campaign. The main message: if you want to bike, you should also take responsibility for nature.

Promoting mutual understanding

With a humorous hook and a clear message, the campaign is aimed at the growing mountain bike community and all those who enjoy being out in nature - whether on foot or on a bike. The claim: "#NaturgemässBiken - freedom on wheels, nature in your heart." A key aim is to reach those sections of the population that still have little understanding of mountain biking or generally perceive it as hostile to nature.

The campaign aims to raise awareness, build bridges and arouse sympathy. The focus is on a short clip that has been broadcast on public transport and social media throughout Switzerland since June. At the end of the video, a link is provided to the specially created landing page velostainability.ch; it contains practical tips on how to behave, background information and videos on the Mountain Bike Code. The aim: to show that mountain biking and nature conservation are not opposites, but complement each other wonderfully. Because anyone who regularly rides in nature also has an interest in preserving it, according to the joint press release.

Thinking along - for nature

"With this campaign, we don't want to raise a warning finger, but rather convey a new, sympathetic image of mountain biking, one that combines consideration, environmental awareness and joie de vivre," says Paloma del Mar Kilchenmann, project manager at Swiss Cycling. Andreas Boldt from Pro Natura adds: "Nature conservation benefits when those seeking recreation think along with us. And mountain bikers are willing to do so - we want to make that visible."

The campaign will be launched in popular recreational areas for mountain bikers - for example in the cantons of Bern, Vaud, Aargau, Solothurn, Zug and St. Gallen. Wherever many people actively use nature, the campaign aims to contribute to respectful coexistence.

Swiss Cycling and Pro Natura cordially invite other partner organizations, companies and public bodies to get involved - whether as multipliers or promoters of a common vision: more consideration, more understanding and more closeness to nature in mountain biking.

velostainability.ch

swiss-cycling.ch