Fwd: [BOD] Press Release: Mountain Bikers Succeed in Buying Open
Space {01}
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LLmt-@webtv.net
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Oct 21, 2003 11:45 PDT
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Hi all,
Hope you're enjoying the fall...
This just came across the NEMBA Board of Directors listserve,
thought you all might be interested... just in case you're ever in
Milford, MA. with your bike on the roof of your car....
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From: "Philip Keyes" <p-@nemba.org>
To: "BOD List Member" <LLmt-@webtv.net>
Subject: [BOD] Press Release: Mountain Bikers Succeed in Buying Open Space
{01}
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 12:42:12 -0400
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PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Philip Keyes
800-57-NEMBA
p-@nemba.org
New England Mountain Bike Association
PO Box 2221
Acton MA 01720
www.nemba.org
THE NEW ENGLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION BUYS LAND
TO PRESERVE TRAILS IN MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS
Cycling Organization Becomes the First in the Country to Buy Land for
Open Space Protection and Recreation
Milford, MA -- (October 21, 2003) -- The New England Mountain Bike
Association (NEMBA) announced today that they have taken title to 47 acres
of open space in Milford, Massachusetts in an area known as the Upper
Charles River Headwaters. This campaign marks the first time that a mountain
bike advocacy organization will purchase, own, and manage its own trail
system, and the project marks the largest single investment undertaken by
mountain bikers to preserve open space. NEMBA successfully raised the
$210,000 needed to purchase the popular riding area two months before the
option that was purchased in the fall of 2002 would run out.
"We are thrilled to have raised the money ahead of schedule," says Executive
Director Philip Keyes. "When this historic project started a year ago, we
had no idea of the ground swelling of support that we'd receive from
mountain bikers and the cycling industry. We believe that outdoors
organizations should not only help public efforts to conserve open space,
but that they should also undertake private measures to protect our
landscapes from development and provide more outdoor recreational
opportunities. The notion that a relatively small group such as NEMBA has
the ability to preserve land has captured the imagination of individuals who
would not normally donate to a land conservation project."
The land acquisition is part of a complex partnership between numerous
organizations trying to protect a patchwork of privately-owned open space
totaling over 500 acres in the Upper Charles Headwaters area of Milford and
Holliston. Some of the organizations that have been involved are The
Trustees of Reservations, the towns of Holliston and Milford, Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs, the Upper Charles Conservation Inc., and
the Department of Environmental Management (now the Department of
Conservation and Recreation). In addition to protecting the open space from
development, there are plans to develop a rail trail near to the property.
"I congratulate NEMBA on successfully raising the funds to protect key open
space in Milford, Massachusetts," says Ellen Roy Herzfelder, Secretary of
Environmental Affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "This project is
a great example of how non-governmental organizations can play an important
role in preserving Massachusetts landscapes for the benefit of the public
and the environment."
While the majority of donations came from New England mountain bikers,
individuals from all around the country contributed: Arizona, California,
Colorado, Washington DC, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and
Wyoming. The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) challenged
mountain bikers from around the country to support the cause by issuing a
match for all individual donors outside of New England. IMBA's Executive
Director, Tim Blumenthal, said, "By raising a quarter million dollars to buy
and preserve an important piece of land for our sport, NEMBA has again
raised the bar for other mountain bike advocacy groups."
The cycling industry also played a significant role. Local bicycle
dealers --such as Wheelworks, Landry's, Cycle Loft, Bicycle Alley and Gear
Works-- not only donated to the cause, but also worked with their suppliers
and manufacturers to generate total donations of over $50,000.
Clint Paige, president of Wheelworks, worked closely with the group to
garner industry support. "I am very grateful to the key dealers in eastern
Massachusetts and numerous regional and national suppliers that have helped
us reach our $50K industry goal for this project," says Paige, "but none of
this could have happened without the incredible commitment of NEMBA and its
tireless leadership."
NEMBA met its goal two months ahead of schedule; last year the organization
purchased an option on the land for $15,000, an option that gave the
organization until the end of this year to raise the money. Now that the
deed is transferred, NEMBA plans to place a conservation restriction on the
land to protect it from development and will implement its trail management
plan to allow all non-motorized users free access to this popular area.
NEMBA hopes that the site will become a model for the an environmentally
sound trail system, a laboratory for trail building techniques, and an
inspiration to other non-profit groups to preserve open space for
conservation and recreation and to build their own trail systems. NEMBA will
install a bronze plaque on the property to acknowledge the support of major
individual and industry supporters, to be unveiled next spring.
The New England Mountain Bike Association is the largest regional non-profit
advocacy organization in the US, with over 4300 members and 17 chapters
throughout the New England states. For more information, visit
www.nemba.org.
######
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT size=3D3><FONT size=3D2>PRESS=20
RELEASE</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT size=3D3><FONT size=3D2>Contact: Philip=20
Keyes</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> =20
800-57-NEMBA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT=20
size=3D2> &nbs=
p; =20
</FONT></FONT><A href=3D"mailto:p-@nemba.org"><FONT=20
size=3D3>p-@nemba.org</FONT></A></DIV><FONT size=3D3>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> =
=20
New England Mountain Bike Association</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> =
=20
PO Box 2221</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> =
=20
Acton MA 01720</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> <A></A> =20
<A></A> <A></A> <A></A><A=20
href=3D"http://www.nemba.org">www.nemba.org</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV></FONT><B></B> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><B>THE NEW ENGLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE =
ASSOCIATION BUYS=20
LAND <BR>TO PRESERVE TRAILS IN MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS</DIV><FONT =
size=3D3>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P align=3Dcenter>Cycling Organization Becomes the First in the Country =
to Buy=20
Land for <BR>Open Space Protection and Recreation</P>
<P align=3Dcenter></P>
<P align=3Dleft></B>Milford, MA -- (October 21, 2003) --<B> </B>The New =
England=20
Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) announced today that they have taken =
title to=20
47 acres of open space in Milford, Massachusetts in an area known as the =
Upper=20
Charles River Headwaters. This campaign marks the first time that a =
mountain=20
bike advocacy organization will purchase, own, and manage its own trail =
system,=20
and the project marks the largest single investment undertaken by =
mountain=20
bikers to preserve open space. NEMBA successfully raised the $210,000 =
needed to=20
purchase the popular riding area two months before the option that was =
purchased=20
in the fall of 2002 would run out.</P>
<P>"We are thrilled to have raised the money ahead of schedule," says =
Executive=20
Director Philip Keyes. "When this historic project started a year ago, =
we had no=20
idea of the ground swelling of support that we'd receive from mountain =
bikers=20
and the cycling industry. We believe that outdoors organizations should =
not only=20
help public efforts to conserve open space, but that they should also =
undertake=20
private measures to protect our landscapes from development and provide =
more=20
outdoor recreational opportunities. The notion that a relatively small =
group=20
such as NEMBA has the ability to preserve land has captured the =
imagination=20
of individuals who would not normally donate to a land=20
conservation project."</P>
<P>The land acquisition is part of a complex partnership between =
numerous=20
organizations trying to protect a patchwork of privately-owned open =
space=20
totaling over 500 acres in the Upper Charles Headwaters area of Milford =
and=20
Holliston. Some of the organizations that have been involved are The =
Trustees of=20
Reservations, the towns of Holliston and Milford, Executive Office of=20
Environmental Affairs, the Upper Charles Conservation Inc., and the =
Department=20
of Environmental Management (now the Department of Conservation and =
Recreation).=20
In addition to protecting the open space from development, there are =
plans to=20
develop a rail trail near to the property.</P>
<P>"I congratulate NEMBA on successfully raising the funds to protect =
key open=20
space in Milford, Massachusetts," says Ellen Roy Herzfelder, Secretary =
of=20
Environmental Affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "This =
project is a=20
great example of how non-governmental organizations can play an =
important role=20
in preserving Massachusetts landscapes for the benefit of the public and =
the=20
environment."</P>
<P>While the majority of donations came from New England mountain =
bikers,=20
individuals from all around the country contributed: Arizona, =
California,=20
Colorado, Washington DC, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, =
New=20
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, =
and=20
Wyoming. The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) challenged =
mountain=20
bikers from around the country to support the cause by issuing a match =
for all=20
individual donors outside of New England. IMBA=92s Executive Director, =
Tim=20
Blumenthal, said, "By raising a quarter million dollars to buy and =
preserve an=20
important piece of land for our sport, NEMBA has again raised the bar =
for other=20
mountain bike advocacy groups."</P>
<P>The cycling industry also played a significant role. Local bicycle =
dealers=20
--such as Wheelworks, Landry's, Cycle Loft, Bicycle Alley and Gear =
Works-- not=20
only donated to the cause, but also worked with their suppliers and=20
manufacturers to generate total donations of over $50,000.</P>
<P>Clint Paige, president of Wheelworks, worked closely with the group =
to garner=20
industry support. "I am very grateful to the key dealers in eastern=20
Massachusetts and numerous regional and national suppliers that have =
helped us=20
reach our $50K industry goal for this project," says Paige, "but none of =
this=20
could have happened without the incredible commitment of NEMBA and its =
tireless=20
leadership."</P>
<P>NEMBA met its goal two months ahead of schedule; last year the =
organization=20
purchased an option on the land for $15,000, an option that gave the=20
organization until the end of this year to raise the money. Now that the =
deed is=20
transferred, NEMBA plans to place a conservation restriction on the land =
to=20
protect it from development and will implement its trail management plan =
to=20
allow all non-motorized users free access to this popular area. NEMBA =
hopes that=20
the site will become a model for the an environmentally sound trail =
system, a=20
laboratory for trail building techniques, and an inspiration to other =
non-profit=20
groups to preserve open space for conservation and recreation and to =
build their=20
own trail systems. NEMBA will install a bronze plaque on the property to =
acknowledge the support of major individual and industry supporters, to =
be=20
unveiled next spring.</P>
<P>The New England Mountain Bike Association is the largest regional =
non-profit=20
advocacy organization in the US, with over 4300 members and 17 chapters=20
throughout the New England states. For more information, visit </FONT><A =
href=3D"http://www.nemba.org/"><FONT =
size=3D3>www.nemba.org</FONT></A><FONT=20
size=3D3>.</P><B>
<P> </P></B><I>
<P align=3Dcenter>######</P></I></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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