A well-developed network of hiking trails, which often stretches over thousands of kilometers, forms the basis of the Alpine infrastructure and therefore also of mountain tourism. Hiking trails offer outdoor fans countless opportunities to enjoy the beauty of nature while practicing various sports. An important aspect of this is to ensure the safety of hikers and outdoor sports enthusiasts and to adequately mark and maintain hiking trails. In many cases, the maintenance of these trails is done by volunteers within alpine clubs, but unfortunately the number of people doing this work is decreasing. At the same time, trail maintenance is becoming more and more expensive, and the growing interest of the population in spending time outdoors is putting additional pressure on the trail infrastructure. This is a challenge not only in Austria, but also in many other European countries. 

Working together all over Europe!

Young people in particular are rare in this area, although this activity allows them to discover their connection with nature and at the same time gain valuable technical knowledge as part of a collaborative activity. Therefore, three European organizations have joined forces for the "TRAILS" project to induce the curiosity of young people in alpine trail maintenance. These include Naturefriends International (NFI), Outdoor, Tradition and Innovation from Slovakia (OTI) and the Mountaineering Association of Serbia (MAS). The “TRAILS” project is an exchange between the organizations and countries to share experiences in trail maintenance and find strategies for the future. The aim is to invite young people in particular to get involved in trail maintenance and share their experiences with the public. 

With TRAILS, we want to show young people that they can gain much more than just practical skills through trail maintenance, but also develop an appreciation for natural areas and make a valuable social contribution to alpine mountain tourism. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EU executive agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”