Ever walk a forest trail, admiring the handiwork of the trail builders? If not, don't feel guilty-that's a sign they did their job well. A master trail builder looks at the topography, soil, vegetation and natural attractions of a parcel and designs a route that harmonizes these so thoroughly, the result seems inevitable.

The Michigan Mountain Biking Association (MMBA), an MEC and Active Michigan Initiative (AMI) member, has developed a three-course curriculum for its members to design, build and maintain such trails. The program is a response to a growing awareness by land managers that trails are an important quality-of-life issue to the community. Trail usage and the demand for new trails have soared in recent years. Land managers need citizen participation to help them meet these demands but worry about the quality of the work. Will it serve the users properly?
Will it be done on time? Will it last?

Since 1987, the MMBA and its affiliate, the International Mountain Bike Association, have dedicated themselves to keeping trails open and healthy. In 1997, IMBA began the Trail Care Crew program. Two-person teams, sponsored by Subaru, travel the country helping volunteers and managers make the best use of their resources. A hallmark of the program is the Trail Building School. Michigan has hosted such clinics from Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area to the Hiawatha National Forest near Munising.

But these visits are sporadic, and there are many trails in need of help. "I thought it would be a sad commentary on the IMBA/Subaru program if we in Michigan couldn't develop a grassroots version," says MMBA president Dan Harrison. He turned to MMBA's Trail Coordinators, volunteer liaisons representing nearly every trail that permits bikes. The Trail Coordinator works with the land manager in harnessing the energy of the membership. With nine chapters and nearly 2,000 members, the MMBA has placed over a hundred eager bodies in the field on a single day.

Beginning last year, Harrison began teaching a two-day course to train
Trail Coordinators in every phase of a project, from initial proposal to long-term maintenance. Its success has highlighted the need for skilled labor. "In the final analysis," Harrison puts it, "the person with the shovel is just as important as the one with the blueprint. Good plans need good workers to execute them."

To meet this need, MMBA chapters this spring debuted two new one-day courses. "Trails 101: Trail Worker" teaches the basic tools and techniques of trail building and maintenance. "Trails 102: Crew Chief" teaches the supervision of a half-dozen workers in such group efforts as clearing, grading and trail closure. The courses all feature a blend of theory and practice. After a classroom session, the group moves outdoors to "walk the talk." The fringe benefit to the host site is that their "laboratory" is transformed from a problem area to a pristine section of new trail and a model for future work. Emphasis is placed on safety and team-building. "Camaraderie is what keeps volunteers coming back," concludes Harrison. "And the pride of using a trail that you and your
buddies built-and built right."

For more on the Trail School program, contact Dan Harrison at president@mmba.org.