Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) and MTB Atlanta formed a partnership to develop new hiking and mountain biking trails on properties owned by SCT, according to an announcement on Thursday.
The two organizations created a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to combine their respective expertise to expand access to trails that support recreation and community engagement on conserved land.
The agreement proposes both responsible land stewardship and sustainable trail building, beginning with evaluating SCT properties for trail development and involving local communities in the design and planning process.
SCT stewards more than 55,000 acres of conserved and public lands throughout the southeast, including five public nature areas in Fayette County and the Fayette Environmental Education Center.
“Trails are vital to building healthier communities and connecting people with the natural beauty of our region. Together, we can create spaces that will be enjoyed for generations to come,” Brett Davidson, Executive Director of MTB Atlanta, said in a press release.
MTB Atlanta is the metro Atlanta chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, which works on trail stewardship across seven states. The organization is partnering with the city to develop Atlanta’s first municipal bike park in a portion of the Westside Park along the Atlanta Beltline.
“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to connect people with nature and create opportunities for outdoor recreation that foster a love for the environment,” said Chris Doane, who is president and CEO of SCT and was recently named president of SORBA as well. “We are excited to work with MTB Atlanta to identify potential locations for trails that will serve hikers, bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike.”
Earlier this year, MTB Atlanta opened newly completed biking trails at Lakeshore Park in Carrollton and at Moore’s Bridge Park in Whitesburg.
The Atlanta Regional Commission estimates that completing a regional trail network outlined in the long-range plan for the region’s transportation will require a minimum of $3.9 billion in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure investments through 2050.
Actually, atlanta beltline is leading the design effort of the bike park and woodland trails.
Mountain biking is a sport enjoyed by many in this country, and the Atlanta area has been fortunate to have such a bike trail located at Sykes Park in surburban East Point. The 3.2 km. wooded loop trail provides quite a bit of changes in enervation for both experienced as well as novice biking enthusiasts.
East Point is also home to the Atlanta’s area’s only velodrome, located in that city’s Summner Park, about 8 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta. The professional bicycle racing facility was built 50 years ago by local citizens who had visited the Munich Olympics where they had witnessed racing in such a structure. The bicycle racing events at the Atlanta Olympics were held at Stone Mountain Park on a temporary racing track….now a bird watching site.