** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** MOUNTAIN BIKING (MTB) PARTICIPATION AND RELATED RURAL RECREATION AMENITIES DEVELOPMENT HAVE ACCELERATED IN RECENT YEARS AND SURGED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS HAS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTED RURAL PEOPLE AND PLACES, DEMONSTRATING MTB'S ABILITY TO INFLUENCE THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY. PERCEPTIONS ABOUT MTB IMPACTS CAN SHAPE A RURAL COMMUNITY'S DESIRE TO SUPPORT MTB AND BROADER OUTDOOR RECREATION AMENITIES DEVELOPMENT. THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT WILL EXAMINE PERCEIVED TOPICAL, SPATIAL, AND TEMPORAL MTB IMPACTS, AND THE PANDEMIC'S INFLUENCE ON THEM, TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS AND STRATEGIES TO RURAL FORESTED COMMUNITIES DEVELOPING OR CONSIDERING MTB AMENITIES. EXAMINING THESE IMPACTS; THEIR INTERSECTIONS AND PANDEMIC CHANGES; AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO RURAL COMMUNITIES' PLACE-MAKING, ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND WELL-BEING DIRECTLY RESPONDS TO AFRI PRIORITIES TO BENEFIT RURAL COMMUNITIES. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WILL SEEK TO UNDERSTAND HOW MTB IMPACTS RURAL COMMUNITIES AND CYCLISTS ACROSS THE NORTHERN FOREST AND HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED THESE IMPACTS. ACTIVITIES WILL BE GUIDED WITH PARTICIPATION FROM COLLABORATORS REPRESENTING A DIVERSITY OF IMPACT TYPES, ORGANIZATION TYPES, AND NORTHERN FOREST STATES. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MTB AMENITIES MAPPING, AMENITY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, USE PATTERN ASSESSMENTS, AND ON-SITE AND STATEWIDE CYCLIST SURVEYS. RESEARCH APPROACHES, RESULTS, AND NETWORKS WILL BE APPLIED TO EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING CROSS-UNIVERSITY INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMON CURRICULUM MODULES, TRAINING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS, AND MENTORING A POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW AND A MASTERS STUDENT. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO EXTEND APPLICATION OF THE RESEARCH, BY FRAMING CONTENT FOR A CONSORTIUM TO FOSTER A LEARNING PRACTITIONER COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED GUIDEBOOK ON SUSTAINABLY MANAGING MTB AND ITS ROLE IN RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.