EU project launches to expand sustainable trail building skills across Europe

Access to nature has never been more popular, bringing proven benefits for health, community, tourism, and the vitality of both cities and rural areas. But the very trails that make outdoor recreation possible are under pressure — from climate change, from shortcomings in regulation, and from gaps in competence on how to plan, build, and manage them sustainably.

For the past six years, the trans-European DIRTT project (Developing Intereuropean Resources for Trailbuilder Training) has worked to change that, establishing a European benchmark for trail building skills. After piloting Europe’s first Trail Builder Manager study in Norway in 2022 and laying the foundation for a European trail builder certification scheme set to launch in 2026, DIRTT is now entering its third phase — supported by the European Union — with the goal of expanding access to quality-assured training, from the grassroots level to seasoned industry professionals.

Trails are part of the problem – and the solution 

Europe’s natural landscapes are facing unprecedented pressure from climate change and land-use conflicts. This threatens outdoor recreation, while at the same time recreational use itself adds pressure to sensitive habitats. Yet trails can also be part of the solution: well-designed, constructed, and maintained trails can guide user behaviour, reduce erosion, protect biodiversity, and safeguard the long-term sustainability of trail-based recreation.

Nevertheless, the trail building sector remains fragmented and under-resourced:

• 57% of European trail building companies report difficulties recruiting staff with the right competencies.
• Most businesses are small, often employing fewer than three people.
• Volunteers remain essential, but structured training opportunities are still lacking across the continent.

Over the past six years, DIRTT has built the foundations for a European trail building education system. DIRTT1.0 (2019–2022) defined competence needs and created Europe’s first Trail Builder Manager study programme. DIRTT2.0 (2022–2025) developed a certification framework for the professional roles of Trail Technicians and Trail Building Managers, laid the ICT foundation for a Europe-wide certification system, and concludes with piloting the first ever European trail builder certifications. DIRTT3.0 will now address sector gaps by improving access to quality-assured training and education.

 “DIRTT3.0 is not only about advancing trail building — it is also about advancing vocational education,” says Eirik Hågensen, Principal at Viken Higher Vocational College. “By combining digital learning with cross-border school cooperation, we can create affordable and accessible entry points into specialised vocational fields such as trail building. This project is a platform for innovation in vocational education, showing how European schools can strengthen quality and relevance by working closely together across borders”.

A long-term vision

DIRTT is not just another three-year project. It is part of a long-term initiative to raise competence across Europe, ensuring better trails, healthier ecosystems, and stronger communities for the future.

– “This project is about more than skills — it’s about resilience,” says Mark Torsius, General Manager at IMBA Europe. “Europe’s trail networks face enormous pressure. By building on previous DIRTT project phases and raising competence across the sector, from grassroots dig leaders to professional managers, DIRTT3.0 will help ensure that trails remain safe, sustainable, and accessible for future generations.”

Photo credit : JustbeFilms