IMBA World Summit Day 2: Australian Expert Glen Jacobs Shares Trail Wisdom

For Immediate Release
06-20-08
Contact: Mark Eller, IMBA Communications Director

303-545-9011

Australian Glen Jacobs, owner of the World Trail design and construction firm, shared his expertise with an impassioned crowd of mountain bike enthusiasts at the IMBA World Summit in Park City, Utah. Through the story of Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra, Australia, Jacobs demonstrated how sustainable trail design helped transform a nearly ruined landscape into a top-notch recreation destination.

After a massive wildfire destroyed the Stromlo pine forest in 2003, the government decided to repurpose the land from forestry to outdoor recreation. The barren land, extensive drought conditions and nutrient-depleted soil offered a formidable challenge. "It was a trailbuilder's nightmare," said Jacobs of the conditions.

Bringing decades of experience designing World Cup racecourses to the project, Jacobs began construction on 7 miles of beginner cross-country trails. However, the scope of the work soon changed. "Once you start a project, everyone involves gets excited and somehow new funding appears," Jacobs said of the enthusiasm that would soon lead to the development of expert downhill trails, a four-cross course, and an additional 25 miles of cross-country trails.

Just a year after trail construction began, Stromlo hosted the Australian National Championships, testing the still-fresh trails against the wheels of 800 competitors. But the trails' biggest test would come a week later when a 100-year storm appeared. "The area was nearly underwater, but because we incorporated IMBA guidelines in the trail design, the damage was minimal," Jacobs added, "From then on, the land managers were sold on the durability of properly built mountain biking trails."

Jacobs advised incorporating multiple features into every trail, leaving the users the ability to choose the experience and keeping them coming back for more. Since opening in 2007, the park has seen 200,000 visitors, and 95 percent of them are mountain bikers. World Cup and World Championship races are scheduled to come to the park in the next few years. "Trees are starting to grow back at a staggering rate, wildlife is returning and users are flocking in," Jacobs observed of the bright future ahead.