IMBA Europe says it will work on five Erasmus+ projects during 2026 that align with its refreshed 2026 to 2030 strategy, organised around three pillars: People, Places and Policy.

The update relates to Europe-wide work, with projects intended to support participation, trail sustainability and how mountain biking is recognised in protected areas.

What we know

• People: WildRISE is focused on engaging people, with an emphasis on young people and communities in rural and peri-urban areas, using outdoor sports and mountain biking activity such as schools, eco-volunteering and local events.
• Places: DIRTT 3.0 is described as strengthening trail-building education through an EQF Level 3 syllabus, digital learning tools, and research linked to environmental impact reduction and habitat restoration. IMBA Europe says DIRTT first launched in 2019 and is now in its third phase.
• Places: Trails for Change is described as building shared skills and standards for sustainable trail planning, construction and maintenance across borders.
• Places: ROUTES is described as developing a unified, evidence-based framework for trail information across hiking, mountain biking and horse riding, aimed at supporting safe, responsible and sustainable access.
• Policy: CONNECT is described as strengthening how mountain biking is recognised and managed in protected areas, bringing together riders, land managers and environmental organisations, and contributing to European-level research and guidance.

What we don’t know

• Which countries and delivery partners are involved in each project, and the project timelines within 2026.
• How riders and local trail groups can take part, and where opportunities will be published.
• What specific outputs will be released first (toolkits, training modules, guidance, events, or pilot sites).

If you are tracking European trail building standards, education programmes, or protected area access work, these five projects give a snapshot of what IMBA Europe is prioritising for 2026.

Source: IMBA Europe Facebook post

If you have relevant updates or links we should add, you can share them in the comments or get in touch directly via https://ibikeride.com/contact.