Yamaha Contributes More Than $300,000 in First Half of 2009 Towards Safe, Responsible OHV Riding and Access
CYPRESS, Calif. – July 23, 2009 – The Yamaha OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) Access Initiative GRANTed more than $110,000 in cash and equipment to ATV riding clubs, national forests, local land managers, recreational conservancy advocates and other members of the greater OHV community in the second quarter of this year. These GRANTs bring Yamaha’s total contributions for 2009 to $300,000, and the total contributions to date to more than $985,000, in support of the Access Initiative’s mission to promote safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable riding areas.
In addition to the financial support provided, Yamaha corporate employees, field staff and dealer partners have been directly involved in projects in their own respective areas this year. Yamaha corporate employees cleaned trails and planted more than 1,200 seedlings in the San Bernardino National Forest as part of important OHV trail and reforestation projects, and Yamaha’s regional and district managers nationwide have stepped in to help potential GRANT applicants identify appropriate projects and funding opportunities.
In this second quarter funding cycle, 12 Yamaha GRANTs (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails) were awarded to fund projects that directly impact the access, safety and sustainability of OHV riding areas across the country. GRANT recipients for Q2 2009 include:
· Black Hills National Forest (SD)
· Clark County Forestry and Parks Department (WI)
· Dayton Valley Events Center (NV)
· Florida Trail Riders (FL)
· Green County ATV Club (WI)
· Indian Creek Valley ATV Club (PA)
· Public Access Preservation Association (CO)
· Portage Lakers ATV Club (ME)
· San Diego Off-Road Coalition (CA)
· The Cascade Project (ID)
· Tri-County ATV Recreation and Rescue Association, INC. (PA)
· Van Buren Pine Runners ATV Club (ME)
“Yamaha’s commitment to the OHV community, demonstrated by the continued, aggressive GRANT funding and hands-on support, remains strong,” said Mike Martinez, Yamaha’s general manager of ATV and Side-by-Side Operations. “Yamaha considers it our duty as a leading OHV manufacturer to help support these efforts and ensure that OHV enthusiasts have open access to safe and sustainable riding areas.”
The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative funds OHV access-related projects that include, but are not limited to:
· Trail development, restoration and maintaince
· Trail signage, mapping and map production
· Staging area construction, renovation and maintenance
· Responsible OHV riding education and outreach
· Land stewardship and education
· Legislative lobbying efforts
About the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative
Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from non-profit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs, national forests and associations, and national, state and local government agencies. A committee then reviews each application and awards GRANTs to deserving projects. Applications for the third quarter of 2009 should be postmarked by August 31, 2009.
Updated guidelines, an application form and information on the OHV Access Initiative are available at the newly redesigned web site: 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.
Category: Access Issues, Land Access, Press Releases, Yamaha
