In this area, Merko focuses on creating exercise and sporting opportunities for everyone in Estonia, helping to increase the number of years lived in good health. Our largest sponsorship project continues to be the Estonian recreational trails project, Estonian Health Trails, which we launched back in 2005 with Swedbank and Enefit, with the aim of giving as many inhabitants of Estonia as possible year-round and free-of-charge use of outdoor trails and popularizing active lifestyle, resulting in increase of years lived in good health. Over 20 years, the three founders have contributed a total of 6.5 million euros into developing various trails. As a result of partnering with the national government, local municipalities, and EU funds, total investments into the trail infrastructure exceeds 65 million euros.

Estonia has a total of 130 recreational trails that are kept maintained and can be used year-round, totalling more than 1,100 km, serviced by maintenance crews of 200 people. Trail maps and signs aid in navigation and opportunities are further enriched by the addition of ropes courses, stretching and outdoor gym equipment, bike tracks and pump tracks. Visitor totals were 7.6 million in 2024. Visitor statistics are gathered by the trail foundation, SA Eesti Terviserajad, using motion detectors on 75 longer recreational trails. The ones that saw the most visitors last year were in Tallinn and the vicinity, as well as near other large, larger cities and towns: Pae Park trail in Tallinn (663,000 visitors), Harku trail (382,000), Keila trail (377,000), Nõmme trail (352,000), Pirita trail (251,000), Reiu-Raeküla trail in Pärnu (199,000), and Merimetsa (188,000) and Järve trails (184,000) in Tallinn.

In 2024, SA Eesti Terviserajad’s focus lay on raising the quality and multifunctional of the existing trails. Using co-financing from the foundation, six outdoor gym areas were installed on the Harku trail, strength-training area on Klooga trail, an outdoor gym on Äkkeküla trail and a ropes course on Vaela trail, the covered rest areas along the Kuremaa trails and a ski bridge at Valgehobusemäe were renovated and a new trail segment for Saku trail was added. Additionally, the foundation funded the design of a new segment of a trail and the construction of a new ski bridge in Keila, the design of a housekeeping and service building at Kuningamäe, replacement of the lighting solution at Tamsalu trail with energy-efficient LEDs, and construction of maintenance buildings for the trails at Pariisi and Antsla. Through co-financing from the foundation, summer and winter trail maintenance equipment was upgraded for the trails in Padise, Harju-Risti, Vasalemma, Klooga, Keila, Saku, Kuressaare, Kudjape, Tõrva, Kehra, Aegviidu, Nelijärve, Rakvere, Türi, Haapsalu, Kohtla-Järve and Kirikumäe. The foundation supported purchases of snow cannons for Järvakandi, Lähte and Kohila trails and establishment of a new pump-house for Kõrvemaa. Last year, new maintenance and service buildings were completed at Kadrina, Keila, Palivere and Paluküla trails; and a cornerstone was laid for service buildings at Hiiumaa, Tähtvere and Äkkeküla, all of which will be completed in 2025. Several new trails joined the foundation’s network: Kangru, Klooga, Kohtla-Järve and Vaela and a new segment of the Karulaugu trail along with lighting was opened.