Mountain biking is a key part of BC's economy and outdoor culture.
As demands for trail access and outdoor recreation opportunities continue to grow across the province, Dr. Farhad Moghimehfar is aiming to fill the gap in information about trail use, maintenance and community impacts.
Moghimehfar is VIU's Regional Innovation Chair for Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development. He is researching how to improve mountain bike trail network management in BC. The province's Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport is supporting the project.
Data collection began this past spring. The project aims to create a sustainable, data-driven system to manage mountain bike trails and information.
We caught up with him recently to find out more about the project, what he's discovered so far and what comes next.
What have you been up to so far?
We've had enthusiastic participation from more than 20 communities across British Columbia, including on Vancouver Island and select mainland locations. Trail managers, volunteers and riders have contributed their perspectives through focus groups and a comprehensive survey. The level of engagement speaks to how deeply people care about the future of mountain biking in their communities, whether it's about trail stewardship, infrastructure, or broader economic and social impacts.
What have you learned so far?
While we are still in the data analysis phase, several themes are already taking shape through conversations with communities and surveys. Communities are consistently talking about the importance of volunteerism, the challenges of long-term trail maintenance and the need for better coordination between local governments, tourism operators and trail organizations.
One recurring and somewhat surprising insight is just how much informal knowledge exists. Long-time riders and builders often hold vital insights that aren't always captured through formal planning. Our initial report, to be released soon, will begin to outline these findings more clearly.
Why is this research important?
This research helps communities, governments and trail organizations make informed decisions about the planning, maintenance and promotion of trail networks. Mountain biking isn't just a recreational activity. It's tied to rural economic development, health and wellness, environmental stewardship and youth engagement. By documenting and analyzing the lived experiences of trail users and managers, we aim to support more sustainable and coordinated trail development across the province.
Can people and communities still get involved in the project?
Communities can continue to support the project by helping us distribute our survey as widely as possible, both to local mountain biking community members and to visitors who ride in their area. Sharing the survey through local clubs, bike shops, trailhead signage, newsletters, social media and tourism networks can make a big difference in reaching a broad and diverse range of riders.
Although our focus groups are now closed, we're still welcoming new conversations, particularly from communities and organizations interested in participating in the next phase of the project. As we move into the reporting and knowledge-sharing stages, we'll be actively engaging with participants and partners to ensure findings are accessible and useful for local planning, advocacy and trail management efforts.
When does the project finish and what comes next?
We're currently in the data collection phase, with surveys open across participating communities until the end of September. In Fall 2025, we'll begin analyzing both the survey and focus group data. We will also be working with Mobile Location Analytics (MLA) data in selected communities to gain additional insights into trail use patterns, visitor flows and spatial behaviour.
The next phase of the project will focus on sharing findings with participating communities, presenting at relevant conferences and developing practical tools such as interactive dashboards, summary reports and policy briefs that can support trail managers, planners and decision-makers. We hope this research strengthens local capacity, informs sustainable trail planning, and lays the foundation for future collaboration and applied research in outdoor recreation and trail management across British Columbia.
