BNM’s activities in 2025 – the year in overview
In 2025, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT stepped up its activities and launched a series of mountain bike advocacy projects in Germany.
Legal framework and positions
Duty of care on MTB trails
According to studies by the Allensbach Institute, more than 16 million people in Germany enjoy mountain biking. Yet in many places, official MTB trails fail to get beyond the planning phase due to legal hurdles and differing interpretations of liability and duty of care among authorities and municipal and private forest owners. In its three-part webinar series on liability and duty of care for MTB trails, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT (BNM) discussed the legalities, possible solutions and approaches to volunteering in sport and nature conservation associations together with representatives from tourism organisations, rural districts and municipalities. At the same time, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT worked behind the scenes (with legal support) on a guide to liability and duty of care on MTB trails and on expanding its network of stakeholders involved in trail safety. The guide will be published in spring 2026.
Learn more about the webinars »
According to studies by the Allensbach Institute, more than 16 million people in Germany enjoy mountain biking. Yet in many places, official MTB trails fail to get beyond the planning phase due to legal hurdles and differing interpretations of liability and duty of care among authorities and municipal and private forest owners. In its three-part webinar series on liability and duty of care for MTB trails, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT (BNM) discussed the legalities, possible solutions and approaches to volunteering in sport and nature conservation associations together with representatives from tourism organisations, rural districts and municipalities. At the same time, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT worked behind the scenes (with legal support) on a guide to liability and duty of care on MTB trails and on expanding its network of stakeholders involved in trail safety. The guide will be published in spring 2026.
Learn more about the webinars »
Events, networking and PR
ADFC Cycle Tourism Congress
Mountain biking can offer our increasingly sedentary society appealing sports and leisure opportunities, while also enabling nature-based experiences and micro-adventures in an ever more digital world. In the process, it can heighten sports enthusiasts’ awareness of nature conservation and protection.
Like all human activities, mountain biking naturally also leaves its mark on the environment. Which is why sport, transport and nature organisations have a shared responsibility to contextualise these impacts within general forest use and ecosystem functions. The issue of mountain biking and nature conservation was addressed at the ADFC Cycle Tourism Congress. The BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT put the impact of mountain biking on nature into perspective and reported on the commitment of associations and the industry.
Learn more about the event »
BNM Expert Roundtable and Parliamentary Evening
At the second expert roundtable and subsequent Parliamentary Evening, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT once again successfully facilitated a valuable exchange between legal, industry and policy experts on key issues relating to mountain biking and nature conservation. Beside plenty of opportunities for networking, the agenda addressed the following topics:
2026 Bike Booklet campaign
In 2026, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT will work other associations to revise the existing Bike Booklet. The campaign seeks to make mountain biking more accessible, raise awareness for sustainable behaviour and encourage volunteering. Beside the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT, the ADFC, DAV, VSF and German Cycling will also be involved in the booklet’s revision. The new Bike Booklet will be launched in June 2026.
Mountain biking can offer our increasingly sedentary society appealing sports and leisure opportunities, while also enabling nature-based experiences and micro-adventures in an ever more digital world. In the process, it can heighten sports enthusiasts’ awareness of nature conservation and protection.
Like all human activities, mountain biking naturally also leaves its mark on the environment. Which is why sport, transport and nature organisations have a shared responsibility to contextualise these impacts within general forest use and ecosystem functions. The issue of mountain biking and nature conservation was addressed at the ADFC Cycle Tourism Congress. The BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT put the impact of mountain biking on nature into perspective and reported on the commitment of associations and the industry.
Learn more about the event »
BNM Expert Roundtable and Parliamentary Evening
At the second expert roundtable and subsequent Parliamentary Evening, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT once again successfully facilitated a valuable exchange between legal, industry and policy experts on key issues relating to mountain biking and nature conservation. Beside plenty of opportunities for networking, the agenda addressed the following topics:
- the health benefits of mountain biking
- the social value of volunteering
- volunteering and destination development in tourism
- financial and bureaucratic challenges to voluntary work
2026 Bike Booklet campaign
In 2026, the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT will work other associations to revise the existing Bike Booklet. The campaign seeks to make mountain biking more accessible, raise awareness for sustainable behaviour and encourage volunteering. Beside the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT, the ADFC, DAV, VSF and German Cycling will also be involved in the booklet’s revision. The new Bike Booklet will be launched in June 2026.
Regional development and advocacy on the national and state levels
The work of the DIMB:
Survey on volunteer involvement in trail construction
The DIMB conducted a survey of eight trail construction projects with a total of 60 km of trails to determine the extent of volunteer involvement, with the strategic aim of lending greater visibility to the work of volunteers and highlighting the need for public funding.
Regional trail construction
The DIMB supports pilot projects in which volunteers handle the approval and maintenance, thereby creating additional trail opportunities and easing pressure on sensitive natural habitats. The following projects were implemented in 2025:
1. DIMB Würmtal Trails
In 2025, the DIMB was able to offer a variety of training and advisory services:
Mountain Bike and Gravel Bike Monitors
The Mountain Bike and Gravel Bike Monitors are data-driven tools for decision-making in tourism, policymaking and regional development. In 2025, the work focused on benchmark analyses for 14 German and European destinations, in-depth special evaluations (including for Denmark, Luxembourg and Austria) and assessment of the economic and social potential of gravel biking.
The monitors were presented at international industry events, including Velo-City in Gdańsk, Poland; the IMBA EU Summit in Boltaña, Spain; the MTB Talks in Molveno, Italy; the ADFC Cycling Tour CMT in Stuttgart; the ADFC Cycling Congress in Bremen and Brandenburg Tourism Day.
«Bike Basics» webinar series for Upper Bavaria Tourism Region
The MTF explored the following topics in its webinar series:
Biking in major European cities
The MTF supports the development of European standards to integrate outdoor sports into urban planning sustainably, inclusively and strategically, among others through:
The Top Bike Destinations project is a quality initiative for the development and safeguarding of first-rate mountain biking regions in Germany:
Highlighting topics strategically and raising awareness for the benefits of mountain biking through objective, factual communication.
Survey on volunteer involvement in trail construction
The DIMB conducted a survey of eight trail construction projects with a total of 60 km of trails to determine the extent of volunteer involvement, with the strategic aim of lending greater visibility to the work of volunteers and highlighting the need for public funding.
Regional trail construction
The DIMB supports pilot projects in which volunteers handle the approval and maintenance, thereby creating additional trail opportunities and easing pressure on sensitive natural habitats. The following projects were implemented in 2025:
1. DIMB Würmtal Trails
- Munich metropolitan area
- Trails also approved in forests protected by the Flora-Fauna-Habitat (FFH) Directive
- Usage agreement with the DIMB e. V.
- Time until approval approx. 1.5 years
- Cologne/Rhine-Erft metropolitan area
- Relocation of trails out of a nature reserve
- Usage agreement with the DIMB e. V.
- Time until approval approx. 1 year
In 2025, the DIMB was able to offer a variety of training and advisory services:
- trailbuilder congress with 50 participants from associations and companies focusing on financing and trail maintenance
- multi-module trailbuilding course attended by more than 30 people
- DIMB trailbuilder forum webinars on permission in FFH areas, duty of care, trail ratings, visitor monitoring and trail construction safety
- DIMB trailbuilding camp
- more than 50 new project inquiries processed
- The DIMB engages with legislative processes at the federal level through official statements and participation in dialogue events.
- As an interest group, the DIMB is involved in state-specific «roundtables» on forests and recreation in relevant federal states, representing mountain bikers’ interests directly vis-à-vis state legislators.
- In cases of possible regional or local trail closures, the DIMB works with its local interest groups to actively influence political decisions with official statements and advocacy campaigns.
- The DIMB influences regulations and guidelines directly through its membership in a broad network of outdoor sports organisations and its involvement in expert committees.
Mountain Bike and Gravel Bike Monitors
The Mountain Bike and Gravel Bike Monitors are data-driven tools for decision-making in tourism, policymaking and regional development. In 2025, the work focused on benchmark analyses for 14 German and European destinations, in-depth special evaluations (including for Denmark, Luxembourg and Austria) and assessment of the economic and social potential of gravel biking.
The monitors were presented at international industry events, including Velo-City in Gdańsk, Poland; the IMBA EU Summit in Boltaña, Spain; the MTB Talks in Molveno, Italy; the ADFC Cycling Tour CMT in Stuttgart; the ADFC Cycling Congress in Bremen and Brandenburg Tourism Day.
«Bike Basics» webinar series for Upper Bavaria Tourism Region
The MTF explored the following topics in its webinar series:
- target groups
- law and liability
- nature conservation
- visitor management
- infrastructure and operating models
- signage and trail maintenance
- stakeholder management
- development of bike tours and trails (interactive)
Biking in major European cities
The MTF supports the development of European standards to integrate outdoor sports into urban planning sustainably, inclusively and strategically, among others through:
- EU exchanges, compilation of best practices
- finalisation of quality criteria for outdoor cities
- social media training, preparation of a European Outdoor Cities website
The Top Bike Destinations project is a quality initiative for the development and safeguarding of first-rate mountain biking regions in Germany:
- assessment of the 5 quality criteria of infrastructure, accommodation, gastronomy, bike services, quality of life
- quality process in the region
- audit, awarding of seals and joint market approach
- completion of the digital assessment platform for DMOs and service providers
- support for the pilot regions
Highlighting topics strategically and raising awareness for the benefits of mountain biking through objective, factual communication.
About the BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT
In 2022, the ZIV led the launch of the «BIKE NATURE MOVEMENT» together with the German initiative for mountain biking (DIMB) and the Mountain Bike Forum Germany as well as its supporters active in the bicycle industry. The movement aims to establish a strong common voice for mountain biking and to lend greater visibility and political weight to cycling in forests and the great outdoors. The DIMB and MTF additionally receive financial support to enable them to intensify their work in regional development and at the state level, alongside their collaboration within the BNM.