Our goal
This project group wants trails to be one of the most effective tools for protecting nature in Europe. A well-managed trail guides visitors along suitable routes, keeps them away from sensitive habitats and still allows them to enjoy the landscape.
Why this matters
We see the same problem in many regions. Where trails are poorly planned or under-resourced, people create their own paths. The result is erosion, trampled vegetation, disturbed wildlife and crowded hotspots. In most cases this does not happen because of bad intentions. It happens because the information on site is missing, the routing is unclear and the trail organization has neither the staff nor the data to see where problems are developing.
Trail management organizations are therefore doing nature conservation work every day, but this work is rarely recognized or funded as such. We want to change that.
Why now
The pressure on nature areas keeps growing. More people are looking for time outdoors, and visitor numbers in popular areas are rising faster than the capacity to manage them. At the same time, dry summers, heavy rain and storms are damaging trails more often.
On the political side, EU Member States have just submitted their national plans for restoring nature under the EU Nature Restoration Law. These plans decide where and how nature will be restored in the coming years. Trails belong in this discussion. A trail that steers visitors well protects habitats more effectively than a closure that nobody follows.
Goals of the Project Group
- Promote the environmentally friendly construction and maintenance of trails with good design and natural materials.
- Improve waste disposal and the provision of toilets along trails.
- Use trails for visitor management that keeps users away from sensitive areas.
- Reduce GHG emissions through low-carbon mobility on the trails and public transportation to trailheads.
- Make the environmental impact of trails measurable, so that trail organizations can show what their work achieves for nature.
Granted Funding Projects
Submitted Funding Projects, pending approval
Funding Ideas
Funding Project
Open Climate Trails Europe
Targeted funding sources: Stiftung Mercator
Rejected Projects
Do you want to join the Project Group?
Just fill the form and we will get in touch with you!
Project Group status
Project Ideas
Do you have a trail project idea?
Fill in the project outline and find like-minded project partners!