FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
- Nicole DeJonghe, Project Manager, Sierra Business Council, 530-582-4800 ext. 25, ndejonghe@sbcouncil.org
- Nikki Streegan, Communications Director, Sierra Business Council, 530.582.4800, nstreegan@sbcouncil.org

Sierra Nevada’s Geotourism MapGuide awarded $205,000 from Federal Highway Administration Awards for Scenic Byways, nomination period closing for Central Sierra

Communities in 43 states will receive $40.7 million for 160 projects to improve and promote highways designated as scenic byways, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez announced Friday, October 9, 2009. The recently launched Sierra Nevada Geotourism Project was awarded $205,000 for its efforts in the Central Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada Geotourism project seeks to promote tourism for the 21st century; tourism that can conserve the region’s historic towns and heritage sites, restore and protect the landscape, and sustain local businesses and communities.

“This grant is going to allow the partnership in the Central Sierra to do very robust outreach and identification of assets for the Geotourism Website,” said Sierra Business Council’s President, Steven Frisch. “It will demonstrate to the rest of the Sierra Nevada how valuable this sort of project could be for building a long term constituency for land stewardship and community building.”

The grants are part of the Federal Highway Administration’s National Scenic Byways Program, which recognizes and provides funding for roads designated either locally or nationally as having outstanding scenic, historic, cultural, natural, recreational and archaeological qualities.

With the arrival of this great news (and some beautiful fall colors) also comes the closing deadline for the Central Sierra nomination period. The site has only received one nomination related to the harvest season – the Chappell Winery grape stomp that takes place during the Mariposa Agri-Nature Trail weekend every September.

Kris Casto is looking forward to a spring hike on the Hite Cove trail when the Merced River is running fast and the hillsides are awash in wildflowers. Every summer, migrating birds descend on Mono Lake, and the Mono Lake Committee sponsors its Bird Chautaqua, a three day festival combining art and music, natural history and field trips.

Make a nomination for the Sierra Geotourism mapguide today at www.SierraNevadaGeotourism.org, and consider not just place, but season.

The deadline for nominations in the Central Sierra is Saturday, October 31st. Hundreds of nominations at www.SierraNevadaGeotourism.org have been received over a three month nomination period including a swell of great restaurants and wineries, local volunteer opportunities, unique recreation opportunities, and niche stores and shops that help to maintain the character of rural towns throughout the Sierra Nevada.

One thing is for certain: people who live in the Sierra love it. They love it so much that balancing the protection of natural resources and economic viability is of utmost importance to them. And they’re convinced that if visitors can tap into the National Geographic mapguide their experience is sure to be one-of-a-kind.