Coastal Carolina University is hosting a daylong mountain biking trail building workshop on Saturday, March 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in collaboration with the International Mountain Bicycling Association's (IMBA) Trail Care Crew. The event is free and open to the public but participants must register in advance.

The IMBA trail crew will be in the area from March 25 to 28 discussing sustainable trails, teaching proper trail building techniques and creating a venue for mountain bikers to meet and exchange ideas. Genevieve Marchand, an outdoor recreation educator at CCU, is bringing the group to campus as a service learning project for students and to offer more local outdoor activity opportunities.

A trail will be built in the Cox Ferry Recreation Area, which is walking distance from University Place, a student apartment complex near the campus. "There are no other established mountain biking trails within 100 miles," says Marchand.

The IMBA crew includes two full-time professional teams of trail experts who travel North America year round, leading about 70 trail building schools and working to improve mountain biking opportunities. The crews teach sustainable trail building, emphasizing durability, environmental protection and minimal maintenance,

For more information, contact Marchand at 843-349-6673 or at marchand@coastal.edu. To register, go ob=nline to http://go.imba.com/conway.