Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - June 2023

The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) is excited to share the grant-supported efforts of The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee (TNC-Tenn) to improve and expand upon OHV trail system at Tackett Creek in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. To date, $78,000 in OAI grants have been provided to TNC-Tenn to support its goal of adding 150 miles of legal OHV trails to this incredible outdoor space.

could not only be enjoyed safely but also protect the water quality and wildlife habitat of the area. Funds also covered signage and labor costs to provide clear direction for riders. In addition to their main objectives, TNC-Tenn used some of the OAI funding to sponsor clean up days. These events play a major role in protecting the environmental resources the OHV trails are built around. TNC-Tenn’s last clean-up day brought out over 80 volunteers who removed 4,480 pounds of trash from 6 miles of OHV trails. TNC-Tenn has been dedicated to the creation, preservation, and maintenance of over 50 parks and public land conservations since 1978. The Northern Cumberland Plateau, where the Tackett Creek OHV trails are located, is the largest area of preservation in Tennessee consisting of 127,000 acres. The Tackett Creek trails currently span 50 miles over 43,000 acres of land and feature many sights including creek crossings, waterfalls, abandoned mines, and rock formations. Part of the overall goal of this project is for TNC-Tenn is the addition of 150 miles of OHV trails and to provide consistent maintenance and improvement to current trails. Some of these current roads have experienced poor maintenance and are not in the condition to provide a safe experience to riders and protection to the habitats they go through. With Yamaha’s support, TNC-Tenn has made huge strides so far in improving the Tackett Creek area. Learn more about the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative at YamahaOAI.com.

In 2021, OAI teamed up with TNC-Tenn to launch phase 1 of their project to improve current and create new OHV trails in the Tackett Creek area. With additional funding from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), TNC-Tenn had a great start to renewing the area so it could again become accessible and safe for riders. Phase 1 of the project included upgrading the current OHV trails. This was crucial in ensuring the trails could be used safely by off-roaders. This phase additionally combatted erosion and maintained and protected the integrity of Tackett Creek. After seeing the progress, Yamaha was more than happy to contribute. Phase 2 launched in 2022, again with OAI and TWRA funding. This stage created a new 1-mile-long OHV trail to connect the property’s current trails and eliminate trail dead ends. OAI’s funding contributed to the essential stabilization measures such as water bars, stream crossings, and sediment control. This work ensured the trails