The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is pleased to announce an expansion of our partnership with Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) to improve trail conditions in our National Forests. Polaris’ $107,000 donation to the NFF will improve motorized recreation opportunities on two off-highway-vehicle (OHV) trails in Minnesota and Arizona.
The first project will target the Chippewa National Forest in Polaris’ home state of Minnesota. The 148-mile long Soo Line North Trail, which crosses approximately 52 miles of the Chippewa National Forest, is degraded in many areas and in need of restoration. With support from Polaris, the NFF is working with local partners to replace several water drainage structures, grade the trail surface and lay gravel along the trail. These activities will help improve a total of 22 miles of this popular OHV trail and help protect the watershed through which the trail runs.
Polaris will also support trail improvement activities in the Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona. This project improves Schnebely Hill Road, a popular OHV route near Sedona, Arizona. Because of its proximity to Sedona, Schnebely Hill Road experienced excessive recreational use that has exacerbated erosion and sedimentation into nearby streams. To address these issues, Polaris is supporting the restoration of trail drainage structures and resurfacing across 11 miles of the trail. The NFF will be completing this work in the 2016 and 2017 field seasons.
This partnership with the NFF is a great way for Polaris to improve the riding experiences on our shared public lands, while ensuring that ATV and OHV trails don’t impact the environment
Trail improvement projects help expand recreational opportunities for OHV users and ensure that they don’t adversely affect forest health. “Well maintained trails are an important venue for OHV enthusiasts to get out and enjoy our National Forests,” said Bill Possiel, NFF president. “We are proud to partner with Polaris to improve outdoor experiences for the American public who seek high quality recreational experiences on the 193-million acre National Forest System.”
This year’s projects mark the third year that Polaris has partnered with the NFF to improve OHV trails on our National Forests. These projects not only improve rider experiences, but also address forest health and watershed conditions.
