H+I x IMBA EU: 1% for the Planet partners
TARGET PROGRAMMES
Through 1% for the Planet we are able to support – both financially and in-kind – key environmental and educational partnership programmes run by IMBA EU across Europe, such as Take Care of Your Trails, DIRTT, and the IMBA EU Summit.
SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE TRAIL BUILDING
The DIRTT (Developing InterEuropean Resources for Trail Builder Training) Project is an international partnership project, initiated by IMBA EU, which addresses the need for more skilled trail builders to plan, design, construct and maintain sustainable trail infrastructure across Europe.
In the first project phase DIRTT developed a mountain bike trail educational framework and study programme, leading to Europe’s first formal education for Mountain Bike Trail Planning, Construction and Maintenance at Fagskolen I Viken. The programme was launched in September 2022 with a total of 25 students from 12 different countries qualifying in 2023.
IMBA EU and its partners are working on a second phase of the DIRTT Project to expand the success of phase 1 to more countries and encourage more passionate trail builders to achieve a formal qualification which focuses on regenerative trail building.
IMPROVING ACCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Take Care of Your Trails is an annual, Europe-wide campaign during the month of May aimed at encouraging as many local trail crews as possible to get involved in trail maintenance and nature restoration. It also contributes to building more inclusive local communities around mountain biking and trail maintenance.
IMBA EU also runs a Women in Mountain Biking network to support female mountain bikers across Europe and the UK and to encourage more women to get involved in mountain biking and to pursue careers in the industry.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable rural development is another area where mountain biking can play a significant role, and one in which we have significant expertise to offer IMBA EU.
The development of small-scale tourism in rural areas helps to create sustainable livelihoods. The 2025 IMBA EU Summit, ‘Connected by Trails: Linking People, Nature, and Prosperity in Rural Areas’ is a direct action to disseminate and exchange the latest insights in this area.
Taking place in the town of Boltaña in the Spanish Pyrenees, the IMBA Summit brings together people from all over Europe and beyond for three days of discussions, knowledge exchange, networking, and exploring the local area on bikes. These in-person events are key to effecting positive change and we’re proud to be able to support this important work.
Commenting on our partnership, Mark Torsius General Manager of IMBA Europe said:
“Here at IMBA Europe, we are delighted with the support provided by H+I Adventures through the 1% for the Planet programme. This means that we can intensify our collaboration in 1% for the planet impact areas that are close to the hearts of both organisations.
“At the present time, when the focus and urgency to work on environmental protection and fair economies seems to be waning, it is particularly important to seek solutions that work locally. We are confident that, together with the creative and committed H+I Adventures team, we can initiate small scale, MTB related projects that make a difference at a local level.”
We’re very excited to be working more closely with IMBA Europe on their fantastic advocacy and environmental work. Everyone here at H+I Adventures can see the potential that this collaboration has to amplify IMBA’s existing projects and to build new projects that will have a positive impact at a more local level.
