Yamaha OAI and RRC Partner for Public Land Awareness, Stewardship

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, recently announced that their Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) and the Recreate Responsibly Coalition (RRC) have teamed up to spread awareness of the need for land stewardship among all types of visitors to public lands.

By promoting responsible recreation practices and the safe and sustainable use of trails, the partnership works to further the missions of both organizations. A priority for the collaboration is to increase awareness of the availability of funding and support for public land access projects through the Yamaha OAI. The Yamaha OAI is an essential resource to grassroots efforts of riding clubs, land stewardship organizations, and public land managers across the country.

“Public lands are America’s gateway to fun and adventure in the great outdoors. Visitors play an important role in their protection and preservation. Recreate Responsibly and the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative are working together to educate and raise awareness of responsible use of trails and open spaces for motorized and outdoor recreation,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s Motorsports marketing manager. “The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative was created specifically to help those who see the need to protect or expand access to public land and need some support to get it done. By working with Recreate Responsibly, we hope more people take advantage of our resources by applying for a grant.”

The pandemic made getting outdoors a priority for more people than ever before, putting pressure on the maintenance of public land to ensure everyone’s safety. Without action, public lands can become unsustainable, and access limited. The Yamaha OAI and Recreate Responsibly believe everyone has a responsibility to sustain the outdoor spaces we enjoy and can contribute by understanding their potential impacts in natural spaces and surrounding communities.

“This campaign with the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative marks the first strategic partnership for the Recreate Responsibly Coalition, and it makes perfect sense; to work collaboratively to get grant resources to grassroots’ stewardship efforts, while reaching a broader audience with responsible recreation messaging; it aligns perfectly with everything the coalition has built towards since its inception early on in the pandemic,” said Eugenie Bostrom, founder of Embracing the Bear Consulting, managing agency, Recreate Responsibly Coalition.

Part of the collaborative effort will raise funds for the Recreate Responsibly Coalition to bolster its focus on safe, accessible, inclusive, and responsible outdoor recreation. Yamaha says that if you post pictures to social media platforms featuring your visits to public lands, you can tag @Recreate.Responsibly and @YamahaOutdoors on Instagram or @RecreateInfo and @YamahaOutdoors on Twitter, and the Yamaha OAI will donate $5, up to $50,000, to RRC and help maintain access for everyone.

Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs and associations, national, state, and local public land use agencies, outdoor enthusiast associations, and land conservation groups with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable public use. A committee then reviews each application and awards grants to deserving projects.

Submission guidelines, application form, information and news about the Outdoor Access Initiative are available at YamahaOAI.com.

Source: Yamaha Motor Corp., USA

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.