This Santa Cruz Group is Working to Unite Trail Users and Share Trail Impact Studies

Matt De Young is the executive director of the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship, a non-profit that “builds and maintains great trails for everyone, and connects communities to nature through responsible outdoor recreation.”

In this episode we ask:

• How is the SCMTS organized?
• How many miles of bike trails does SCMTS support?
• When and why did the SCMTS get its start?
• Why the name change from Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz to Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship?
• Are trail user conflicts a big issue in the Santa Cruz area?
• The SCMTS is one of the most vocal groups that’s promoting scientific studies showing the environmental impacts of mountain biking. How did the Mountain Biking Impact Review report come together?
• Tell us a bit about your professional trail building team. What types of projects do they work on, and how does that support the overall mission?
• What are some of the most popular trails your group helps support? Are any of the trails particularly popular with MTB tourists, or are most riders local residents?
• With big bike brands like Santa Cruz and Ibis located in the area, is your group able to benefit from corporate sponsorships? What’s the relationship like with UCSC?
• Are there many opportunities for new trail builds in Santa Cruz county?
• What does the current discussion around e-bike trail access look like for SCMTS?
• What’s the biggest constraint SCMTS faces in carrying out and growing the mission?
• What’s next for SCMTS in 2022 and beyond?

Connect with SCMTS at santacruztrails.org.

✏️ A written transcript of this conversation is available to Singletracks Pro supporters: singletracks.com/support

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