The Great Outdoors Fund, USDA Forest Service and Yamaha Motor Corp USA were joined by dozens of Coloradans to celebrate the Rampart Range dispersed camping project – the first fully funded under The Great Outdoors Fund’s public-private partnership campaign.
The Great Outdoors Fund was established to help public agencies address the growing gap between needs and resources by unleashing private sector capital to update and improve outdoor recreation infrastructure and increase access to our public lands and waters. For the Rampart Range Recreation Area project, The Great Outdoors Fund secured funding from Yamaha’s Outdoors Access Initiative to leverage with federal funding from the Forest Service.
The project involves the installation of fire rings in 95 campsites dispersed throughout the Rampart Range Recreation Area on the Pike National Forest. The campfire rings meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They are being installed by the Mile High Youth Corps—a Colorado-based nonprofit that provides young people with real-world job skills and training through the pursuit of community service.
“We are excited for this project to serve as a springboard for many more projects just like this one to enhance camping experiences for people of all ages and abilities,” said Lori McCullough, Founder of The Great Outdoors Fund. “With an estimated $100 billion in backlog maintenance of recreation infrastructure nationwide, there is certainly no shortage of opportunities for the private sector to chip in and give back to nature for the greater good.”
“We are committed to providing easy access to this country’s national forests and grasslands. Success happens when shared stewardship with organizations like The Great Outdoors Fund is used to leverage our capability to accomplish work that benefits everyone,” said Diana Trujillo, Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. “National forests and grasslands are destinations of choice for world-class recreational opportunities and for families and friends to build memories that last a lifetime.”
The goals of the project are to work together to improve recreation settings and access and foster outdoor recreation experiences. This project and the Forest Service’s partnership between The Great Outdoors Fund complements the agency’s top national priorities:
- Being good neighbors and providing excellent customer service
- Promoting shared stewardship by increasing partnerships and volunteerism
- Improving the condition of forests and grasslands
- Enhancing recreation opportunities, improving access and sustaining infrastructure
For more information about The Great Outdoors Fund, please visit thegreatoutdoorsfund.org. For more information about the USDA Forest Service, please visit fs.fed.us. For more information about Yamaha Motor Corporation USA or Yamaha’s Outdoor Access initiative, please visit Yamaha-motor.com and Yamahaoia.com.
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About The Great Outdoors Fund
The Great Outdoors Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to generate voluntary funding from the private sector to assist America’s public agencies and their nonprofit partners in improving recreational opportunities for the benefit and enjoyment of people of all ages, abilities and socio-economic backgrounds. From city parks to national forests, The Great Outdoors Fund and its partners strive to make a difference and help keep the great outdoors great.
CONTACTS:
Lori McCullough, 202-484-0930, lori@thegreatoutdoorsfund.org
Lawrence Lujan, 303-815-9902, lawrence.lujan@usda.gov
