Piloting the Green Trail Concept in European Trail Events
THE VISION
“In nature, one of the fundamental rules is balance. Balance between species, habitats, and ecosystems. Trail running is a sport practiced in nature that brings people together from all walks of life, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the races and competitions we organise maintain that balance for the communities and environments that welcome us.”
Kilian Jornet
Trail running is more than a race, it’s a celebration of nature, community, and passion. But as the sport has grown rapidly over the last 15 years, so has its impact on the environments and communities it traverses.
The Green Trail Concept (GTC) was born to help trail running events become more responsible stewards of the landscapes and communities they move through. It aims to build a bridge between race organizers and key local stakeholders, (including protected area managers, municipalities, farmers, landowners, runners, volunteers, and spectators), by providing a certification scheme that supports positive change in the three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, Social, and Economic.
GTC is not about gatekeeping. It’s about empowering organizers no matter their size or resources, to learn, improve, and share their efforts. Whether you’re a small local race or a large international event, the scheme offers a clear, accessible path to assess where you stand and how you can improve. This is a space to move from good intentions to real impact.
“The certification is not a stamp of perfection. It’s a recognition of progress, a tool to guide actions, and a platform to celebrate the work already being done, and the work still to come.”
GTC Consortium
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
The Green Trail Concept started as a shared vision:
“ What if trail running could not only respect the places it passes through,
but actually help protect and uplift them?”
Through this testing phase, we’ve been able to demonstrate how the Green Trail Concept can work on the ground, to monitor impact, guide improvement, and bring communities together around shared values.
PILOTING THE CERTIFICATION TOOL: FIELD TESTING IN SWEDEN AND SPAIN
To bring the Green Trail Concept to life, we knew we had to take it beyond theory and into the heart of the trail running experience. That’s why we set out to pilot the certification scheme and its digital platform in two real events, each deeply rooted in its local landscape and community:
Österlen Spring Trail in Sweden, 12-13 April, 2025.
ÖST and its founder have received multiple awards through the years for their work towards sustainability. By applying new methods, thinking outside the box, and working with all stakeholders, ÖST has inspired other organizers to follow the path towards better management of outdoor sport events. This year, the race celebrated its 10 year anniversary. GRID-Arendal was responsible for piloting the project during the event and managed dissemination activities through a dedicated booth.
Zegama-Aizkorri Maratoia in Spain , 25th May, 2025
Zegama is one of the most iconic trail running races, and stands out for its proactive approach to environmental, social, and economic commitment. It already has a dedicated environmental team, which has been key in minimizing its ecological footprint and promoting inclusion and accessibility. Their willingness to adopt significant changes demonstrates strong leadership in sustainable management. During the event, the Kilian Jornet Foundation carried out the piloting of the project and facilitated its dissemination by hosting a workshop for all audiences in a dedicated booth.
By applying the GTC Tool and certification process in both contexts, we were able to explore how the concept works on the ground, refine its usability, and ensure it’s adaptable to diverse race formats and environments.
How does the certification platform work?
The Green Trail Concept Web App Tool is a user-friendly digital platform designed to guide race organizers through the entire sustainability assessment process. Each organizer can create a personalized profile and register their trail running events within the system.
The Tool provides a comprehensive questionnaire covering 67 indicators related to the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability.
Each question is accompanied by clear explanations, practical guidance, and templates to help gather the information in an easier way, helping organizers understand why the indicator matters and how best to address it.
Organizers can save their progress as they go, and once the post-event section is completed, the Tool generates a detailed performance report. This report includes an overall sustainability score as well as breakdowns by category, offering valuable insights into where the event stands and where there are opportunities for improvement.
Overview of all indicators and strategic planning
Before the race, we held focused sessions with each organizing team to review the GTC indicators. This early assessment allowed organizers to answer most of the questions, and upload relevant documents like sustainability plans.
By doing this before the event, Zegama and Österlen gained a clear roadmap for planning, identified areas needing more information, and took proactive steps. During and after the race, they revisited the indicators to validate and complete any missing elements.
“By completing the questionnaire before the race, we were able to highlight several priorities across the three pillars of sustainability and take action accordingly. For instance, this year we worked with the local municipality to define no-fly zones for media drones in order to protect sensitive wildlife habitats.”
Zegama Environmental Team
On-Site Monitoring and Real-Time Evaluation
During each event, the GTC Tool’s during-race indicators were actively tested. This phase also allowed the team to observe real-time on-site best practices implementation, which helped validate several of the organizers’ initial responses.
Checking the indicators during the race also gave organizers a valuable opportunity to cross-check their own assessments and ensure that planned measures were effectively implemented.
Some indicators required further documentation or evidence that could be uploaded after the event to complete the evaluation.
“It did help to answer the questions about my specific race more than I thought it would (having helped develop the indicators)! I implemented a few new things that I would not have done without this tool.”
“The tool is a strong motivation for wanting to improve. It is well structured and can save the organizers lots of precious time when working on improving the event’s overall sustainability.”
Gael Joly, Osterlen Spring Trail Race Director
Engagement and Project Dissemination
The pilot events offered more than just an opportunity to test the GTC Tool, they also served as important platforms to engage with the wider trail running community, raise awareness, and share the vision behind the Green Trail Concept.
At the Österlen Spring Trail, we hosted an information stand where participants, volunteers, and spectators could learn about the project’s goals, values, and practical benefits. This direct interaction helped raise awareness, inspire commitment, and foster a sense of shared responsibility among all involved.
In Zegama, we took the engagement even further by setting up a stand during the athletes’ presentation, a high-attendance moment packed with excited spectators. Here, we activated interactive games designed to communicate good sustainability practices and the project’s objectives in a fun and accessible way. Over 50 people visited the stand, showing strong interest and enthusiasm for the GTC initiative.
“Trail running has increased considerably over the last years, so tools like the GTC Certification are very relevant to frame this sector that is growing every year, addressing the impact of these events celebrated in natural areas.”
Participant at Zegama
The results from this first piloting phase will guide improvements in several areas, including providing additional resources, templates to help plan for success, indicator phrasing and scoring, threshold definitions, and minor adjustments to the tool’s design and user experience.
The Green Trail Certification Scheme will be finalized and ready for use by January 2026. From that point, it will be available as an open-access tool for race organizers to track, assess, and improve their sustainability performance.
We invite race organizers to join the certification scheme early and be part of a growing community committed to sustainable trail running.
