Maryland loves trails, and mountain biking-Marylanders are dedicated advocates, trail stewards, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. From purpose-built, multi-user trails for riders of every skill level in the Patapsco Valley State Park, to trails communities built via racing near Frederick: trails help to fuel the heartbeat of the “Old Line State.”

Trails contribute to Maryland’s culture, as well as its bottom line. Maryland’s outdoor recreation economy contributes $8.3 billion in gross domestic profit to the state annually, and $639.5 billion to the national outdoor recreation economy. And it does all this within a relatively compact space. The ninth smallest U.S. state in terms of land area, Maryland has over 2,300 miles of trails open to mountain bikes. This is just shy of one half the miles of mountain bike trails in the state of Texas, which is 21.5 times larger.

One of the programs that has supported the trail infrastructure in Maryland is Program Open Space (POS). Program Open Space preserves natural areas for public recreation and environmental protection. This is done through land acquisition and financial and technical assistance for the development of recreation or open space areas.

Since 1969, POS has protected approximately 400,000 acres of land, providing massive public benefit in the form of parks, trails, nature centers, and more. The program has funded over 7,500 conservation and outdoor recreation projects and provided public open space within 15 minutes of most Maryland residents: the essence of #MoreTrailsCloseToHome. And it needs your help.

Maryland's Program Open Space (POS) is in danger of being zeroed out in the next four years, and IMBA Chapter the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) needs you to speak up against proposed cuts. Read more from MORE.

Every locality in Maryland benefits from Program Open Space. Land managers and partners at all state and municipal levels rely on POS funding for trails. For mountain bikers, funding cuts will be felt in numerous trail projects including those in Patapsco Valley State Park, Patuxent River State Park, Little Gunpowder Falls State Park, Rosaryville State Park, and Susquehanna State Park, just to name a few.

Speak up by Friday, March 28th!