CYPRESS, Calif. – Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.’s, OHV Access Initiative – the industry leader in Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails (GRANTs)

– today announced a significant contribution to the nation’s OHV trail network with GRANTs funding five projects in the third quarter that support 4,500 miles of OHV trails across the country.  Further, the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative announces the schedule of submission and decision deadlines for 2012 with a call to the OHV community to identify quality projects for consideration of support from the GRANT fund.

“More than 160 Yamaha GRANTs have been awarded since the Initiative’s inception in 2008, but we want to do more,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and SxS marketing manager.  “The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative has grown into the number one industry resource for the OHV community in its support of riding areas across the country, and we encourage riders and public land managers to work together to identify and submit projects for consideration of a GRANT.”

Five organizations were awarded GRANTs totaling more than $40,000 in the third quarter 2011 funding cycle of the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative:

• 808 MX ATV Association – Hilo, Hawaii
• Forest County ATV Association – Laona, Wis.
• Long Island Recreational Trails Conservancy – Long Island, N.Y.
• North Country ATV Association – Greenville Center, N.Y.
• Shasta-Trinity National Forest – Redding, Calif.

Through this program, Yamaha has directly and indirectly supported thousands of miles of trails, maintained and rehabilitated countless riding areas, improved staging areas, built bridges over fish-bearing streams and partnered with local riding communities across the country to improve the OHV experience.  Yamaha is actively seeking qualified projects at local, state and federal levels.  The 2011 OHV Access Initiative GRANT application form and guidelines are available at www.yamaha-motor.com/ohvaccess.  The deadline to submit an application for consideration in the fourth quarter GRANT funding cycle is November 30, 2011.

The quarterly review calendar for 2012 is as follows:

About the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative

Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from non-profit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs and associations, national, state and local public land use agencies and other members of the OHV community in the United States. A committee then reviews each application and awards GRANTs to deserving projects.

Examples of appropriate projects for GRANTs include, but are not limited to:

• Trail development, restoration and maintenance
• Trail signage and map production
• Staging area construction, renovation and maintenance
• Land stewardship, trail safety and education

Updated guidelines, an application form and information on the OHV Access Initiative are available at: www.Yamaha-Motor.com/OHVAccess. For specific questions about the OHV Access Initiative, call Yamaha’s dedicated OHV Access Initiative Hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), email OHVAccess@yamaha-motor.com or write to: Yamaha OHV Access Initiative Review Committee, 6555 Katella Avenue, Cypress, CA 90630-5101.