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 --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks