Scottish forests gear up for 2009 celebrations

No excuses about lack of notice. Here’s a heads up on the World Mountain Bike Conference on Sustainability 2009 which is coming to Scotland in May next year.

This is the first time this worldwide conference has ever been held outside Canada, and being hosted in Scotland underlines the growing esteem with which Scottish mountain biking is held in international circles.

Over 400 land managers, resort operators and trail managers are expected to attend the three-day event in Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries. They will be there to share best practice in ensuring the social, economic and environmental sustainability of mountain biking for the future. As well as the conference, there will be a series of local activities and events.

The conference will also act as the curtain raiser for a series of themed events and activities planned for Homecoming Scotland 2009. Based around ancestry and innovation, the programme will continue throughout the summer of 2009 with participation events to get visitors and locals of all levels on their bikes!

For ancestry, the focus is on discovering the secrets of Scotland’s forests; the Clearance villages, archaeological heritage and other built heritage hidden amongst the trees – and on Scotland’s incredible forestry stories and their links with overseas.

Innovation is celebrated, appropriately enough, with a salute to the invention of the bicycle in southwest Scotland during a number of Summer of Cycling events.

Meanwhile, a new business development pack has been produced to help further promote mountain biking in the Highlands and Moray. It contains ideas, contacts and case studies to help tourism and hospitality-related businesses maximise opportunities in the mountain biking market. Copies are available from HIE; Fiona Murray of Forest Tourism Initiative Scotland ( tel: 0131 314 6140 or email  fiona.murray@forestry.gsi.gov.uk); and 7stanes.gov.uk