Responding to the increasing popularity of outdoor sports, the lack of sports facilities in Danish parks and nature, and the sometimes-conflicting interests when accessing nature, the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) and the Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities (LOA), have developed a ‘trail centres’ pilot project. These centres for outdoor sports are located in, or near, nature, and provide individuals and sports associations with a space to meet, train, and access service facilities and information about outdoor activities.

The centres facilitate and encourage engagement with nature through outdoor sports, providing a physical space for informing people about the local natural environment and how to respect it. They aim to make people more aware of, and interested in, the nature that underpins their activities. The centres also aim to protect nature and avoid damage to habitats and species by drawing activities away from vulnerable natural areas.