An eco-friendly mountain bike trail

The arrival of mountain biking at Mont-Orford is generating a lot of excitement! Sports enthusiasts are delighted to see a new network in the region. Located in the heart of Mont-Orford National Park, we have a duty to create these new trails while respecting our environment.

To answer your questions, we also ask ourselves: how do we build mountain bike trails in an eco-friendly way? Follow our experts, who will provide you with more details!

Mountain biking is a wonderful sport for exploring a natural environment, but you must be aware of its impact on the environment. This is why the characterization stage is essential.

This is work that our neighbors at the National Park also undertook before developing their own mountain biking network. "The goal is to have a complete picture of the territory and thus ask ourselves whether our project or our infrastructure additions can cohere in harmony with the ecosystem and ensure that it won't suffer," explains François-Xavier Regnault, Infrastructure Manager at Mont-Orford National Park.

For Sentiers de l'Est, this is also the first stage of the project. "Following the characterization, we can carry out the preliminary marking on the ground while considering the constraints raised. Once this first stage is approved, we then have some leeway on both sides of the markings to create our final routes. Our development zone is therefore clearly demarcated, which ensures that our planning and interventions fully respect the surrounding ecosystem,” explains Vincent Gauthier, project manager and co-owner of Sentiers de l’Est.

For all our stakeholders, water management is one of the most important elements to consider for the sustainability of trails and the ecosystem. We define a control plan with drainage ditches, culverts, and water barriers to prevent erosion and soil saturation.

We ensure a riparian protection strip of 10 to 20 meters around permanent or intermittent watercourses. "Well-known trail construction rules are followed, such as softening the angle of the bench cut with gentle slopes of approximately 45° on the excavated sides, rather than at right angles. All this while maintaining an outer slope of approximately 5% on the rolling portion of the trail, so that water runs off and flows away without remaining trapped within the trail," adds Vincent Gauthier. They also avoid building trails in a straight line into the slope to prevent long-term erosion, favoring low slope percentages, generally between 5% and 10% depending on the trail's difficulty (certain conditions apply, of course).

Generally speaking, watercourse crossings are avoided as much as possible, or if not, culverts are used in the narrowest areas. "A culvert is much more durable than a footbridge and allows water to drain properly. It's much more sustainable to work with nature rather than adding a new structure," explains Hugues Fournel.

The clearing and pruning phase is inevitable in trail development, although the teams try to keep it to a minimum, avoiding cutting down mature trees and even using existing elements to enhance the trail's aesthetics!

The advantage we have at Mont-Orford is that the bike trails are located within ski trails or glades, for which we already have approved pruning maintenance work done annually. Additional clearing will therefore be minimal.

"At Sentier de l'Est, we clear trees in sections rather than cutting in advance according to the drawn route," explains Vincent Gauthier. "This allows us to adapt to surprises in the terrain, such as hidden rock faces, and also to adapt to the actual speed of the trail, thus avoiding unnecessary clearing." »

"At the National Park, we don't do any large-scale deforestation between mid-June and the end of August, as this is a major nesting period. Also, our internal rule specifies that deforestation only targets small trees, meaning less than 12 cm in diameter at breast height," explains François-Xavier. A new standard within the Park even prevents the cutting of dead trees (snags), as they are considered important habitats for pileated woodpeckers and flying squirrels.

After careful deforestation, organic matter is often removed to reach the mineral soil, making the running surface less absorbent and providing better traction. When necessary, V-shaped ditches are located upstream of the trails, with a maximum depth of 300 mm. This is therefore a low-volume surface development that drains water quickly.

All ground and multi-purpose bridges and walkways are built with sustainable materials, favoring natural wood that is more resistant to rot (e.g., hemlock or cedar). "Engineered and treated wood are prohibited from landscaping practices! Most of our structural bases are made of aluminum; it's a material that offers greater durability than wood and is much lighter. This helps us considerably during the installation of bridges and walkways," adds Vincent Gauthier.

This even extends to the use of our machinery, where biodegradable hydraulic oil is used for heavy equipment and vegetable oil for chainsaws.

"In spring, it's important to analyze that the water is flowing at the right point and that the outlets aren't blocked by leaves, rocks, or sediment. Some flows can't be detected during construction in the summer or can change during the season. And in the fall, we always make sure to remove leaves from the trails. This allows the trails to dry more quickly in the spring and also ensures that the outlets are clear," says Vincent Gauthier.

Otherwise, users also have a role to play! They can be excellent indicators if there are anomalies on a trail, if something is broken, or if there is a hazard. Rather than making a quick comment on social media, write to us and our teams will be happy to hear what can be improved!

As users, we all have a role to play in the eco-responsible aspects of the places we frequent. Mont-Orford is a member of Leave No Trace Canada, which many are familiar with! Did you know that these seven principles also apply to mountain biking? We invite you to read this article for more information.

Also, from our partner Sépaq, this article provides information on eco-responsible codes of conduct for mountain biking. Vélo Québec is a very effective resource for providing good advice, such as this video showing you what to do when a trail is muddy or raining, or this one reminding you of the right actions to take on trails.

"Keep in mind that if a trail is designed a certain way, it's for a specific reason! It's essential to stick to the existing route." "Each section has been designed with respect for ecosystems, sustainability, and compliance with industry standards in mind," says Vincent Gauthier of Sentiers de l'Est.

Preserving natural environments is everyone's responsibility! So that we can continue to enjoy our beautiful mountain, we thank you for being part of this movement and for taking eco-responsible actions during your visit.