CYPRESS, Calif. – Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., awarded more than $290,000 in 2013 through its Access Initiative providing critical funding to OHV communities, riding groups and land managers across the U.S. Yamaha is the industry’s leader in Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails (GRANTs), supporting the program’s mission of safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable OHV access to trails and riding areas nationwide since 2008.
Highlights from the 2013 GRANT year include:
· Yamaha’s Access Initiative was recognized for its achievements and contributions to the motorized recreation community with prestigious awards from American Trails and the National OHV Conservation Council.
· Twenty four projects were funded, bringing the OHV Access Initiative’s total to more than 215 and $2.3 million since its inception in 2008.
· To date, thirty eight states across the country boast GRANT-funded projects.
· Productive partnerships were forged and strengthened with national leadership in OHV recreation, land management and outdoor enthusiasts including Off Road Business Association, National FFA, Outdoor Life’s Open Country and Tread Lightly! to expand the message of responsible use and sustainable access for OHV riders.
· Yamaha employees personally took on the principles of the Access Initiative dedicating more than 300 man-hours in 2013 to trail and forest restoration efforts in the San Bernardino National Forest.
“The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative is expanding its vision to include conservation, land management and educational groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Future Farmers of America,” said Mike Martinez, Yamaha ATV and SxS vice president. “These organizations are focused heavily on public land access, volunteerism, leadership and education, and Yamaha is in a position to help them — alongside the core OHV enthusiasts — in a meaningful way.”
As in previous funding cycles, the second half of 2013 saw projects submitted from the spectrum of OHV concerns and opportunities on public and private lands. Issues mitigated with Yamaha OHV Access Initiative funding included creating legal access from trail systems to nearby facilities and amenities, dust and erosion control systems, building new or replacing inadequate bridges over environmentally sensitive areas or fish-bearing waterways, and ensuring land managers and trail volunteers had the tools and materials necessary to keep trails safe and open and expand the riding opportunities in their areas.
Yamaha GRANT recipients for the third and fourth quarters of 2013 include:
· Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan
· Egg Harbor Township Police Athletic League, New Jersey
· North Dakota Parks & Recreation Dept.
· Oregon Department of Forestry, Forest Grove District
· Oregon Department of Forestry, Tillamook District
· Ohio Motorized Trails Association
· San Juan Public Entry and Access Rights (SPEAR), Utah
· Straight Arrow Enduro Riders, Minnesota
· Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
· Thunder Mountain Wheelers, Colorado
· Tri-County ATV Recreation and Rescue, Pennsylvania
“Yamaha’s OHV Access Initiative made great strides in 2013 with two new states – Wyoming and North Dakota – receiving funding, and with that we are that much closer to having GRANT projects in all 50 states,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and SxS marketing manager. “We have taken a much more proactive stance in seeking out OHV access opportunities to fund and support and look forward to expanding our platform in 2014.”
The 2014 GRANT cycle calendar is available at www.yamahaohvaccess.com where riders, clubs and land managers can also find the current OHV Access Initiative GRANT application form and guidelines for submission. Yamaha continues to seek qualified projects and applications at local, state and federal levels. The next deadline to submit a GRANT application is Monday, March 31, 2014.