by Halle Roberts

Northwest Arkansas is home to many biking and hiking trails, such as the Razorback Regional Greenway, which runs from south Fayetteville all the way to north Bentonville. However, the state’s beauty has been the forefront of tourism in Arkansas, and there is still a need for more trails to accommodate the demand in the community.

To help maintain and grow the future of trails in the area, NorthWest Arkansas Community College has received an $8 million grant which will be put towards teaching the proper maintenance and ways to build trails.

“We are excited to offer Northwest Arkansas a unique trails trade program that will be the first of its kind because of how it uniquely builds upon the college’s bicycle technician, construction and general technology programs, offering graduates a range of professional pathways,” said Megan Bolinder, NWACC Dean of Workforce & Economic Development.

The grant will be used for a trails trade school where students will be given the opportunity to not only learn the process of building and maintaining trails, but also a bike technician certification. This will help standardize trade and workforce in trail skills and it will also adhere to the community’s need for more biking trails.

With the expansion of more trails, the goal is for the trade to help produce a workforce of certified trail technicians for NWA businesses, ensure access to regional bicycle trails, promote responsible environmental practices, and further the outdoor recreation collaboration among area organizations.

“Our region has an incredible opportunity to solidify Northwest Arkansas as a major hub for outdoor recreation and our academic institutions play a big role in that,” Steuart Walton, chairman of the Walton Charitable Support Foundation, said in a news release. “This new trade school will drive innovation in trail building here in the mountain biking capital of the world, throughout our state, and across the nation.”

Research and development for the curriculum for the new program has begun and renovation of the former physical plant into trail labs as well. The trails trade school is planned to open in the fall semester of 2024.

According to Arkansas.com, the Razorback Regional Greenway is a 36-mile, primarily off-road, shared-use trail connects the region’s downtown areas their arts and entertainment districts, shopping opportunities, the University of Arkansas campus, playgrounds and neighborhoods.