It is important to understand the intricacies of local, regional and national policies and legislation. The more you know about these factors and their interplay with the mountain biking community, the better equipped you are to lobby the case for mountain biking and to understand the perspectives of the interests aligned with or against you.
At the same time, understanding the nature of national, regional and local policies, strategies and plans may open up opportunities for alliances, funding and capacity building for your organisation.
Online resources should be your first research stop: government websites, mapping services, EU resources are all valuable tools. But don’t hesitate to wander out into the real world! Both the environments used by mountain bikers themselves, the social settings affecting mountain biking and how it is perceived, and even local or regional archives may contain valuable information that will help you better understand the local conditions within which your work is engaged.