The sport of mountain biking is booming and the call for bike trails is louder than ever before. However, the answers to the calls for new infrastructure do not follow so quickly until the permits for new buildings have been put through the official mill. But Valposchiavo shows that it doesn't always have to be new buildings. Although the tranquil mountain valley has first-class single trails, eight "new" bike trails have been added in the past four years, uncovered by the camp participants of the annual "Trail Care Week".

Recycling by arrangement

The model is simply called "trail recycling". It means that old trails that have been disused for many years, even decades, are opened up again and slightly optimized as part of the "Trail Care Week". In Valposchiavo, these are historic paths that were once used to ride hay from the hills down into the valley on a kind of wooden sledge.

With this trail recycling, the camp participants also created fresh bike infrastructure in the municipality of Poschiavo in mid-May 2022 without having to build new trails. Forestry and hunting are always involved in these renovation projects. Together, they look at which trails can be repaired.

Not only possible in Valposchiavo

Theoretically, trail recycling as it is done in Valposchiavo also works elsewhere. In many places, there are trails that are no longer maintained but could be restored as bike trails with little effort and careful intervention.

However, this should never be done without being asked, as certain trails are no longer maintained for reasons of nature conservation or wildlife protection. It is therefore highly advisable to ask the forestry and hunting authorities. However, the example of Valposchiavo also shows that foresters and hunters are not categorically against mountain biking, but are happy to communicate openly with each other.