Bicycle Management - Principles And Policies
Trail Issues
-- Written for professional land managers, volunteers, and recreation providers alike, this 256-page book offers an essential collection of best practices for planning, designing, and managing successful trail networks and bike parks.
-- Separate Trails Divide; Shared Trails Unite.
-- A presentation outline which covers aspects of relations between equestrians, their horses,
cyclists and their bikes.
-- Synthesis of the Literature and State of the Practice.
-- Understanding the legitimacy of bicycling on singletrack trails.
-- A national leader in shared-use trail management compares the impacts of different trail users.
-- By Andy Kulla, USDA Forest Service. From most preferable to least preferable.
-- Why mountain biking should be managed as a non-motorized form of recreation.
-- Executive Summary, Conflicts on Multiple-Use Trails.
-- 2002. Gordon Cessford, Science and Research Unit, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.
-- Presented at the Panel Trails and Communities: Connecting the American Spirit, National Trails Symposium.
-- A trail designation inventory, attempts to record all trails in a system and categorize them by use.
-- The advent of Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping is good news for trail advocates
-- An IMBA special report on user interaction on trails and how to improve it.
-- Land managers and trail advocates discuss an important issue.
-- An IMBA special report on unauthorized trails and how to solve the problem.
Tourism and Other Tips
-- (2007) This 30-page report includes mountain biking statistics, demographics, a participant survey, interviews, demand for biking facilities, key issues and solutions, partnership opportunities, best practices, and recommendations for managing mountain biking in the Kelowna area. It serves as an initial step in preparation of a Mountain Bike Strategy. Prepared by The City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan, and BC Parks.
-- Steps your community can take to promote mountain bike tourism .
-- Simple things you can do anytime to help mountain biking - that don't suck!
-- Bikes Belong's colorful booklet portrays bicycling and highlights its benefits to the economy, communities, health, families, and quality of life.
-- 14 tips to bring off-road cyclists to your area.
-- Six steps in the evolution of a mountain bike resort.
-- From the National Ski Area Association Journal, April/May 2006
-- Learn from other regions who are banking on mountain biking.
-- By Mitchell Scott and Bike Magazine. A great article about ski area bike parks, with a focus on the awesome Whistler Bike Park.
-- 2003 survey of IMBA members in order to gain an understanding of mountain bikers' travel patterns.
Night Riding
-- The basics from IMBA (2004).
-- Wakefield Park, Fairfax County, Virginia.
-- Use this sample agreement to draft your own proposal.
-- Sample volunteer application and orientation materials.
Mountain Bike Trails: Best Management Practices
-- Written for professional land managers, volunteers, and recreation providers alike, this 256-page book offers an essential collection of best practices for planning, designing, and managing successful trail networks and bike parks.
-- (2004) Created by the Black Rock Mountain Bike Club and the Oregon Department of Forestry, this plan outlines management of the Black Rock Trail System (.pdf)
-- (November 2002) The plan describes how the BLM will manage and support mountain biking for years to come on the 263 million acres of public land they manage.
-- (June 2002) A great resource that extols the virtues of multiple-use trails. Check out their great Trails Philosophy (p5) and smattering of visionary, forward-thinking goals (pp14-28).
-- A wonderful new policy that ensures trail users' questions and concerns are answered. Parks must now respond to requests for opening new trails to mountain biking or other uses.
-- A national leader in shared-use trail management compares the impacts of different trail users.
-- (2005) A plan for managing mountain biking at Wellington Park, a popular riding location just outside the city of Hobart, Tasmania.
-- (2005) Oregon's plan provides several terrific resources for those interested in promoting mountain biking and other non-motorized trail activities in their home state or region. Start at the executive summary on page 1 and then be sure to check out the introduction (p21), excellent summary of benefits of recreation (p24), region-by-region summary of issues (p34), the user survey (p41) and program ranking and evaluation criteria (p71).
-- (October 2001) A comprehensive mountain bike management plan for the Adelaide region of South Australia.
-- (January 2004) An outstanding example of a trail management plan with a shared-use philosophy, sustainable trail design, and volunteerism. The Trail Plan will become a component of the National Park Service's Blue Ridge Parkway General Management Plan.
-- (2004) Created by Kaingaroa Timberlands Management and other groups, this policy manages mountain biking access to commercial forest estates that also include conservation and recreation areas.
-- (2005) Created by the Townsville Rockwheelers Mountain Bike Club, this plan outlines the design, construction, maintenance, and management of a downhill mountain bike track for all skill levels.
-- (December 2004) This final draft version outlines a great list of desired conditions (p11) and provides a positive summary of mountain biking in the state (p105).
-- (February 2002) The entire first section of this monster plan has valuable information on recreation and shared use (pp8-70). There is also a user survey outlining the demand and need for outdoor recreation opportunities (p382) and a handy summary of land use planning tools and strategies for protecting open space and natural areas (p406). And don't miss the IMBA praise on page 91!
Responsible Riding
-- The skinny on low impact riding. Sponsored by REI. (Also available as a color brochure.)
-- A IMBA special report on user interaction on trails and how to improve it.
-- Hank Barlow, Mountain Bike magazine.
-- Trail courtesy is critical.
-- Theo Stein et.al.
-- From the New England Mountain Bicycling Association.
-- How race promoters can plan for the weather while preserving the race and the trails.
Bicycle Policies
-- Guidelines revised Jan. 31, 1998
-- Mid-Peninsula Open Space District, California
Elsewhere on the 'Net
--The purpose of this bulletin is to provide ideas for tracking local tourism activity. Arizona Cooperative Extension, University of Arizona, March 1999