On 15–16 January, the Trails for Change consortium met in Helsinki to officially launch the project and begin its 30-month implementation period. The kick-off meeting marked the start of a collaborative effort to strengthen the sustainability of outdoor sports across Europe.

Trails for Change is an Erasmus+ Sport Cooperation Partnership focused on balancing recreational outdoor activities with environmental conservation. The project addresses three key disciplines: mountain biking, including e-bikes, trail running, and hiking.

Over the course of the project, the consortium will work towards developing sustainable frameworks for outdoor sports, promoting responsible trail management and environmentally conscious event planning, and strengthening cross-border cooperation between national parks, advocacy organisations, and grassroots sports clubs.

A central objective of Trails for Change is to support sports organisations with practical and innovative tools that help reduce environmental impact, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas, while also ensuring social inclusion and accessibility.

The Helsinki kick-off set a strong foundation for the work ahead, and the consortium now looks forward to the next 30 months of coordinated action and collaboration.