Yamaha names GRANT winners

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its OHV Access Initiative, the industry leader in Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails (GRANTs). Launched in January 2008, the program has funded the growing and diverse needs of the OHV community in support of its mission of promoting safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable access to riding areas. A few of the highlights of the past five years include:

200 GRANTs and more than $2 million in funding and equipment in pursuit of the program’s mission.

GRANT-funded projects in 37 states. The GRANT tracker map showcases the program’s cross-country appeal and highlights future opportunities for underrepresented areas.

Yamaha employees have personally embraced the tenets of OHV Access Initiative, putting in more than 1,500 volunteer hours planting trees, clearing trails and supporting restoration efforts on company-adopted trails in the San Bernardino National Forest.

A new address, www.yamahaohvaccess.com that allows visitors to download the application and submission guidelines.

“Yamaha is very proud of everything the OHV Access Initiative has accomplished throughout these five years, but the challenges before us remain,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and side-by-side marketing manager. “Yamaha will continue to focus on the OHV program’s mission and reach out to riding groups and other appropriate organizations to strengthen opportunities for motorized recreation today and in the future.”

As part of its on-going program, the OHV Access Initiative closed out the 2012 funding cycle awarding more than $76,000 in GRANTs in the fourth quarter, bringing the year’s total to $375,000. The following organizations received GRANTs in Q4 2012:

• Johnson County, Tennessee
• Egg Harbor Township Police Athletic League, New Jersey
• Great Falls Trail Bike Riders Association, Montana
• Straddleline ORV Park, Oregon
• Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT), New York
• Western Shasta Resource Conservation District (WSRCD), California

“New Jersey became the latest state with a GRANT-awarded project this quarter, bringing the OHV Access Initiative’s total to 37 states,” Nessl said. “This is a great achievement, but there’s more work to be done.”