FAYETTEVILLE, AR -The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (NWALT) announced today that it has been awarded the Bronze Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) designation by the League of American Bicyclists.
NWALT joins a total of 1,582 current BFBs nationwide, including everything from government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, bike shops, and other employers, all united in a commitment to transform American workplaces to be more welcoming to both customers and employees who bike. The Bicycle Friendly Business award recognizes an organization’s contributions in shifting up and accelerating the movement to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.
“Businesses big and small see the benefit of making bicycling an easier, safer choice for more people,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists.
The Land Trust promotes biking for transportation and outdoor recreation by forever protecting properties that are open for public access including single track and paved bike trails at Kessler Mountain Regional Park in Fayetteville. Customers are allowed to use the parking lot at the NWALT offices for trail access. If needed, the public can use restrooms and showers located in the office.
NWALT’s largest public access project to date, the 830-acre Lake Frances Preserve located south of Siloam Springs, will feature 18 miles of natural surface multi-use trails, and a hard surface multi-use trail connecting Oklahoma Highway 59 north of the Waters of Oklahoma and Arkansas (WOKA) Whitewater Park to Arkansas Highway 59.
“The designation as a BFB for NWALT affirms our commitment to outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking, running, cycling and mountain biking. We are part of the NWA cycling community by protecting properties that encourage cycling and being located at the trailhead of one of the most popular destinations in the area. With the new trails at the Lake Frances Preserve, we further our commitment to access outdoor recreation and especially cycling,” said Grady Spann, CEO of NWALT.
“We want to engage people to better understand Northwest Arkansas' abundant natural beauty while also raising awareness of the need to protect these special places through access to outdoor recreation.”
About the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust
The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is the region's first local and accredited land trust dedicated to enhancing the quality of life through permanent land protection. By holding and managing donated land and providing conservation easement services, the Land Trust protects water quality, local farms, wildlife habitats, and places for outdoor recreation while enhancing the quality of life for today and future generations. The service area of the Land Trust includes 13 counties in Northwest Arkansas, with a core focus on Benton, Washington, Madison, and Carroll counties. For more information, visit the land trust's website at www.nwalandtrust.org.
About the Bicycle Friendly America Program
To learn more about building a Bicycle Friendly America, including the Bicycle Friendly Community® (BFC), Bicycle Friendly State® (BFS), Bicycle Friendly Business® (BFB), and Bicycle Friendly University® (BFU) programs, visit www.bikeleague.org/BFA.
Since 1880, the League of American Bicyclists has been people-powered, with a goal to make bicycling safer and easier as a means of transportation and recreation. Today, the League continues to improve lives and strengthen communities through bicycling. We are more than 200,0000 members and supporters strong with more than 1,000 state and local advocacy groups and bike clubs as well as thousands of businesses, universities, and communities together leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. Learn more at www.bikeleague.org.
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CONTACT:
Ryder Snell
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479.966.4666 (office)