SEE Project Webinar: Strengthening the partnership between Outdoor Sports and Protected Areas

Outdoor Sports effectively combine the positive outcomes of physical activity and being in nature, and make an important contribution to economic and social cohesion and more integrated societies. But at the same time, Outdoor Sports can have a high impact on the natural environment.

In this webinar, created within the Sustainability and Environmental Education in Outdoor Sports (SEE) project, we discussed how Outdoor Sports and Protected Areas can work together to eliminate negative impacts and build a healthy environment.

Webinar Programme

Welcome and Introduction to the webinar
By Sandra Grego – EUROPARC´s Project Officer and Communications Assistant.

SEE Project: an insight into the project’s goals and first results
By Teresa Pastor – EUROPARC´s Project Manager

Teresa Pastor

Teresa Pastor – EUROPARC ‘s Project & Development Manager
Teresa is Project and Development Manager at EUROPARC. She currently manages the European Charter of Sustainable Tourism, the Life Urban Greening Plans project, and she is involved in the SEE – Sustainability and Environmental Education in Outdoor Sports project.

The SEE Project aims to enhance the protection of natural landscapes through education in and through sport with a special focus on responsible outdoor behaviour and skills development for Outdoor Sports leaders, trainers, guides, or instructors.

Reports produced within this project focus on perceived issues from Outdoor Sports in Protected Areas, as well as broader sustainability issues for Outdoor Sports.

Learn more about the SEE project by downloading the presentation here:

Perception about Outdoor Sports_Survey_Teresa Pastor


Take Care of Your Trails campaign
By Mark Torsius – General Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Europe

Mark Torsius

Mark Torsius – General Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association Europe
Mark Torsius is the general manager of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Europe and a board member of the European Network of Outdoor Sports. He coordinates the advocacy and MTB development projects and programmes of IMBA Europe. Mark firmly believes that knowledge sharing, community building and a cross-sectoral approach are the best ways to promote responsible riding behaviour, develop sustainable trail systems and protect the natural places we love to ride.

Take Care of Your Trails is IMBA Europe’s (International Mountain Bicycling Association) annual campaign aiming to encourage and promote volunteer-based trail maintenance events across Europe & improve the image of Mountain Biking.
It offers a chance for people to give back to the environment through a series of actions like trail repair, clean-up and build efforts that help maintain and secure the sustainability and future of mountain biking. Last year, the campaign gathered more than 1000 volunteers contributing to 92 activities in 15 EU countries. This year, the campaign runs from April 22nd to June 4th

Learn more about the Take Care of Your Trails campaign by downloading the presentation here:

SEE WEBINAR_TCoYT_ Mark Torsius


Let’s talk about it!

During the webinar, our participants had the opportunity to express their opinion and share their experiences with the group in an interactive session. In three separate Breakout Groups, we focused on the following questions:

1. How can Outdoor Sports (OS) and Protected Areas (PA) representatives collaborate better? Do you have an example of a successful relationship between PA and OS?

2. How can we raise awareness about more responsible behaviour when practising Outdoor Sports in Protected Areas?

In addition, we shared our experiences concerning the most common perceived negative impacts caused by Outdoor Sports in Protected Areas.


Links and Resources:

During the webinar, our participants shared several links connected to different initiatives and useful information – check them out:

Resources in English:

The North York Moors National Park Authority: #ShareWithCare guide for Safe cycling

Die Deutsche Initiative Mountainbike e.V. : Trail Rules (in GE, EN, IT, FR, ES)

Resources in German:

Die Deutsche Initiative Mountainbike e.V. :

1.#Sauberwald for World Clean-Up Day 

2. DIMB Trail Rules/Wegregeln

BeWuestWild Initiative 


This webinar is created by EUROPARC within the scope of the SEE Project and is powered by:


Access here the recordings of all previous EUROPARC webinars.

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