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 maintenance
- 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