Our Project Groups
We bring organizations from across Europe together in project groups to finance trail-related projects.
This is your opportunity to become a long-term member of the project group(s) that best fit your thematic focus. Each group will deal with the most important trail management issues. The most important goal is to submit funding applications and implement European projects as a consortium of project partners.
You can apply to join a project group at any time, provided you meet the following requirements:
- Experience in trail-related projects
- Proactive long-term involvement
- European Trails membership
- Select the project group(s) from the list below that best suit you and complete the application form
Additionally please JOIN the European Trails Funding Projects workshops to stay updated on the project groups activities and ongoing trail projects!
PG1: Culture & History
This project group wants to define a standardized method for intuitively conveying the culture and history of the landscapes through which a trail passes to trail users. The aim is to ensure that the uniqueness of the regions, people, and cultural heritage is more appreciated and promoted. At the same time, tourists on the trails will experience the diversity of the regions more intensely and immerse themselves more deeply in the regions and their products, traditions, and customs.
PG2: Community Building & Local Engagement (inc. Inclusion, Economy)
The project group aims to develop methods and a framework for strengthening local cooperation between all stakeholders with the help of well-managed trails. These include the region’s residents, municipalities, parks, clubs, and associations, as well as the regional economy. Trail management plays a special role in this, involving the various stakeholders for the benefit of all.
In particular, the added value generated by trails in a region should be identified and quantified. This should also encourage further investment in trail infrastructure and financial support for trail management organizations.
In particular, the added value generated by trails in a region should be identified and quantified. This should also encourage further investment in trail infrastructure and financial support for trail management organizations.
PG3: Education, Research & Knowledge
This project group aims to identify ways in which data and analytical methods can be used to analyze and quantify the significance of trails. This assessment should focus in particular on social value, health, leisure and recreation, enhancement of the region, jobs, tourism offerings, GHG emissions and overall financial value creation.
Another area of work in this field is to identify ways in which trails can be used for environmental education for users, but also for schools and training programs.
Another area of work in this field is to identify ways in which trails can be used for environmental education for users, but also for schools and training programs.
PG4: Climate Change
This project group will investigate how trails in different regions and climate zones are affected by climate change. Based on this, measures can be developed to adapt to the effects of climate change. Another consideration is the supraregional shift in trail use due to climate change (further north in summertime and no winter) and its effects on the regions, as well as what adjustments need to be made as a result.
PG5: Nature & Environment
This project group aims to identify ways in which trails can be used to protect nature and the environment. This includes, in particular, the environmentally friendly construction and maintenance of trails with good design and natural materials, as well as waste disposal and the provision of toilets.
It also includes visitor management through trails that keep users away from sensitive areas while still allowing them to enjoy nature.
In addition, trails can be used to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through environmentally friendly transportation on the trails and the use of public transportation to trailheads.
It also includes visitor management through trails that keep users away from sensitive areas while still allowing them to enjoy nature.
In addition, trails can be used to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through environmentally friendly transportation on the trails and the use of public transportation to trailheads.
PG6: Safety on Trails
This project group will investigate the greatest dangers associated with trail use and how these can be reduced. These include objective dangers such as storms, floods, forest fires, rockfalls, landslides, etc. However, the subjective dangers arising from insufficient information and incorrect self-assessment of their own abilities by trail users, which lead to avoidable accidents and rescue operations, will also be investigated.
PG7: Trail Standards
The aim of this project group is to create a basis on which all project organizations in all countries can carry out a uniform and consistent evaluation and description of the trails and the routes that run along them for the various activities.Based on these standards, trail managers will be given the opportunity to carry out continuous self-assessment. A knowledge platform will be created and a training program offered for trail managers. As a further option, certification by an official assessor in accordance with the international Green Flag Trails (GFT) standard will be made possible.
PG8: Digitalization & AI
The aim of this project group is to create a basis on which all project organizations in all countries can carry out uniform and consistent digitization of their trails—using the latest technical possibilities and AI. These structures initially include the geodata of the trails, including all attributes for trail types, surfaces, technical difficulties, risks, remoteness, exposure, steepness, cell phone reception, accommodations, water and food supplies, etc.
In addition, there is structured data for infrastructure such as signage, markings, waste systems, toilets, overview boards, trailheads, public transportation, etc.Furthermore, there is data from trail use, which includes feedback from the community, responsibilities, tasks, reports, inspections, etc.
In addition, there is structured data for infrastructure such as signage, markings, waste systems, toilets, overview boards, trailheads, public transportation, etc.Furthermore, there is data from trail use, which includes feedback from the community, responsibilities, tasks, reports, inspections, etc.
PG9: Trail Management & Organization
The project group aims to create a platform for the education of all trail managers in Europe. A knowledge hub will be created with all existing information and best practices about responsible trail management. The structure of the Green Flag Trails (GFT by WTN) standard will be implemented in an online scheme. Based on this scheme an auto-didactic guided online course will be developed in which trail managers will be guided through a series of lessons to learn how to manage trails responsibly.
The trail managers can assess their current quality of their management and their trail in an online self-assessment tool. This tool is linked with the knowledge hub and the respective lessons of the online course to gain the missing knowledge on demand to improve the insufficient parts of their management or their trail.
The trail managers can assess their current quality of their management and their trail in an online self-assessment tool. This tool is linked with the knowledge hub and the respective lessons of the online course to gain the missing knowledge on demand to improve the insufficient parts of their management or their trail.
PG10: Financing
The goal of this project group is to develop a holistic view of financing options. To this end, all existing models will be researched and evaluated.
Furthermore, additional financing models will be researched and developed and tested through pilot projects. Scientific studies and user surveys will also be conducted to explore the willingness of trail users and businesses along the trails to voluntarily contribute to financing.
Furthermore, additional financing models will be researched and developed and tested through pilot projects. Scientific studies and user surveys will also be conducted to explore the willingness of trail users and businesses along the trails to voluntarily contribute to financing.
PG11: Trail Building & Design
The goal of this project group is to research which trail design and construction method is most sustainable in each region. This depends on how the trail fits into the natural landscape, how it behaves in the face of erosion, severe weather, natural events, and climate change, as well as throughout the seasons. It also depends on the intended use of the trail and how the different activities on a trail can be compatible, and how the different uses can be balanced and conflicts avoided. Existing guidelines, instructions and training programs will be reviewed and integrated in a consistent scheme covering all types of trail use to impart this important know-how for trail builders and trail managers.
PG12: Advocacy & Lobbying
The goal of this project group is to research and comprehensively document the legal framework in various countries and regions under which trails may exist and be used for various activities. It is also relevant whether the trails are based on old customary law or whether and under which approval procedures they may be newly constructed. This also depends on the use of public or private land or in nature conservation areas.
Concepts will also be developed for influencing the current legal framework to encourage increased trail use, for example, through lobbying and political influence.
Concepts will also be developed for influencing the current legal framework to encourage increased trail use, for example, through lobbying and political influence.
PG13: Communication to Trail Users
The goal of this project group is to bring more people onto the trails. To achieve this, concepts will be developed for how trail organizations can achieve greater reach and better public awareness.
This includes raising awareness among all tourism stakeholders that the trails are the most important infrastructure for tourism and local recreation.
This also includes concepts for direct communication with end users via online platforms and apps, as well as social media, as well as building a dedicated community that provides active feedback on the condition of the trails and promotes the beauty of the trail experiences.
This includes raising awareness among all tourism stakeholders that the trails are the most important infrastructure for tourism and local recreation.
This also includes concepts for direct communication with end users via online platforms and apps, as well as social media, as well as building a dedicated community that provides active feedback on the condition of the trails and promotes the beauty of the trail experiences.
PG14: Health Benefits of Trail Use
The goal of this project group is to highlight the inestimable value of trails for the mental and physical health of the population. To this end, existing studies on health promotion through physical exercise will be researched and prepared. In addition, further studies will be conducted in collaboration with medical professionals and research institutes.
Furthermore, the goal is to determine the minimum amount of exercise on trails that should be established to maintain physical and mental fitness. Health insurance bonus programs can build on this. For political communications work, studies will be conducted to identify and quantify the economic value of maintaining the health of trail users.
Furthermore, the goal is to determine the minimum amount of exercise on trails that should be established to maintain physical and mental fitness. Health insurance bonus programs can build on this. For political communications work, studies will be conducted to identify and quantify the economic value of maintaining the health of trail users.