Cypress, CA (5/27/2009) -Yamaha
Motor Corp., U.S.A., employees volunteered for
two important projects last month to support
the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern
California and its off-highway vehicle (OHV)
trails. Over two days, approximately 100 volunteers
including Yamaha employees and family members,
planted 1,200 trees and cleaned up miles of
ATV and Side-by-Side (SxS) OHV trails.
First, on Saturday, April 25, a group of Yamaha
employees along with staff from the non-profit,
volunteer-based San Bernardino National Forest
Association (SBNFA) scouted and worked on miles
of trails that Yamaha has sponsored and adopted
as part of the company’s OHV Access Initiative
(www.yamaha-motor.com/ohvaccess).
Over years, Yamaha and the SBNFA have formed
a strong partnership focused around the SBNFA’s
own OHV program (http://www.sbnfa.org/ohvprograms.php).
The San Bernardino National Forest is within
driving distance to more than 20 million people
in Southern California, contains the highest
concentration of threatened and endangered species
in the continental United States, and it is
the most visited national forest in the country.
The SBNFA manages a number of educational, recreation
and conservation programs complimenting the
mission of their U.S. Forest Service partners,
including its OHV program which is a model for
national forests across the country.
“It is critically important that we support
organizations like the SBNFA and their efforts
to promote safe, responsible riding and open,
sustainable OHV trails,” said Steve Nessl,
Yamaha’s ATV/SxS marketing manager who
participated in both events by cleaning up trails
and planting trees. “We hope that Yamaha’s
hand-on participation will inspire other OHV
enthusiasts to get involved and support their
own local riding areas and national forests.”
The SBNFA’s OHV patrol program has more
than 300 volunteers who give more than 27,000
hours each year to help patrol the trails, educate
riders, protect the public lands and help OHV
enthusiasts recreate safely. It is a nationally
known program for both its organization and
success in managing a vast network of multi-use
trails.
“The SBNFA sincerely appreciates the
example Yamaha sets with their commitment to
stewardship and public service,” said
Ben vonDielingen, SBNFA OHV Program Manager,
who helped lead both volunteer efforts. "Yamaha's
pro-active approach to helping maintain public
lands and encourage responsible OHV use is of
great help to the SBNFA. They help to show that
stewardship is something that everyone needs
to practice."
Another important program supported by the
SBNFA this spring was Forest Aid (www.forestaid.net),
a volunteer effort to replant and restore fire
damaged areas of the National Forest. On Sunday,
April 26, close to 100 Yamaha staff and family
volunteers planted 1,200 trees in support of
this program. Yamaha became involved through
its ongoing relationship with the SBNFA, and
Yamaha employees embraced the effort planting
the most trees of any group on a single day.
“The San Bernardino National Forest is
essentially in our corporate headquarters’
back yard, so it is important for employees
to get involved when it comes to taking care
of the riding trails and supporting other various
programs,” said Mike Martinez, Yamaha’s
General Manager of ATV/SxS operations who also
participated in both events and serves on the
SBNFA board of directors. “Through the
SBNFA’s leadership, other national forests
can learn how to maintain a sustainable and
prosperous OHV program in coordination with
many other recreational and environmental activities.”
