New nature fees threaten volunteer cycling club

A cycling club in northern Jutland has cancelled one race and fears new fees for events on state land could threaten its finances, DR reports. Saltum TRIM says the rules also create a significant administrative burden for volunteers.

The club recently sent 457 gravel and mountain bike riders off on the Saltum Klassikeren race, which passes through Blokhus Dune Plantation. Saltum TRIM chairman Kurt Bruun said the new rules and charges made events in nature more expensive and complicated to organise.

Under guidelines introduced by the Danish Nature Agency, organisers must pay to hold events on land managed by the agency. The charge depends in part on the number of participants and the length of the route, and the final amount is calculated after the event.

Saltum TRIM has 122 members and usually organises one or two mountain bike and gravel races a year. The income helps cover the club’s expenses for the rest of the year. It estimates this year’s bill could reach about 16,000 kroner.

“If we have to hand at least two-thirds of the surplus to the Nature Agency, we cannot run the club,” Bruun said. The club has already cancelled a gravel race planned for the spring, mainly because of the new rules.

Bruun said the paperwork was also a burden, describing a 12-page set of rules. He said the events’ proceeds went to the club and charitable purposes, rather than being used to generate commercial profit.

Several riders at the event said they hoped Saltum TRIM would continue organising races. Participant Jesper Hebsgaard said the events were driven by volunteers, while Peter Noritaka said they also gave young people a way to get involved in the sport.

The Nature Agency says the guidelines are intended to create a more consistent approach across the country and prevent unfair competition between commercial organisers and larger volunteer events on state land.

Six organisations, including DGI, DIF, the Danish Outdoor Council, DUF, Danish Company Sport and Dansk Live, have written jointly to the minister, asking for non-profit associations to be exempted. They argue that the rules fail to distinguish between commercial events and association activities whose surplus goes back to members and local communities.

DGI vice-chairman Mogens Kirkeby called the rules an unfair financial burden and unnecessary bureaucracy. Social Democrat nature spokesperson Birgitte Vind said the rules should not obstruct volunteer associations, but did not promise that the fee would be scrapped.