IMBA's Global Vision

IMBA Trail News
Volume 18, Number 2
Summer 2005

By Mike Van Abel, IMBA Executive Director

When Sri Lanka was decimated by the December 26 tsunami, IMBA reached out to our volunteer rep in the region. We were thrilled when he replied, "So much of thanks for your anxiousness about my family. We are safe, but lots of relatives and friends are missing and some of them are killed. Still, we are searching (for) them and engaging rescue programs."

The connection that bicycling builds between people is powerful, even in the face of a disaster. IMBA is a truly international association - early in its history IMBA leaders realized the opportunity to guide and shape a sport that was (and still is) seeing worldwide appeal. This vision led to one of IMBA's key organizational principles, "to support national and international advocacy efforts and community-based grassroots projects."

The international scope of IMBA's mission becomes apparent every time I peer into my e-mail inbox. Consider the IMBA member from Honduras who asked for permission to reprint an article on how to become politically savvy. He commented, "I have found excellent singletrack here, close to the La Tigra National Cloud Forest. It's sweet."

Here in the States, we are celebrating IMBA's breakthrough agreement with the National Park Service. Farther a field, Mountain Bike New Zealand had welcomed the decision last October by the New Zealand Conservation Authority to allow for mountain bike riding on selected tracks within their National Parks.

This edition of Trail Newsoffers a story about IMBA's establishment of a Canadian office (Pages 6-7). Staffed by former Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner, IMBA Canada is our first foray into establishing paid staff beyond U.S. borders. Trails and access issues in Canada are different from the U.S. or the U.K. or Asia or South America. Our increased level of connectivity in Canada is helping us capture new ideas, information, tools and partnerships that will in turn bolster IMBA's global role.

Connectivity is the key to advancing our mission. And the way to connect is to join. Join your local mountain bike organization. Join IMBA. Join in trailwork days. Add your advocacy voice to our chorus. The fact that IMBA connects communities of mountain bicyclists around the world strengthens the sport and gives power to our association.

Thanks for reading,
Mike Van Abel