IMBA World Summit Day 1: National Park Service Director Bomar Says IMBA and NPS Share 'Special Bond'
For Immediate Release
06-20-08
Contact: Mark Eller, IMBA Communications Director
303-545-9011
Speaking before hundreds of mountain bikers gathered in Park City, Utah, for the IMBA World Summit, National Park Service (NPS) director Mary Bomar gave a warmly received keynote address. "Bicycling can be a major element of visitor experiences at national parks," said Bomar. She said a "special bond" exists between IMBA and the NPS, that she was pleased to attend this biannual gathering of mountain bike enthusiasts, public land officials and members of the bicycle industry.
As leader of the National Park Service (NPS), Bomar is responsible for 391 sites and a team of 20,000 employees who work to preserve America's most cherished landscapes. IMBA and the National Park Service are in the fourth year of a formal partnership to consider new opportunities for mountain bicycling on NPS-managed lands.
"We feel very honored that director Bomar was able to make time in her schedule to speak at IMBA's summit," said IMBA executive director Mike Van Abel. "Our partnership with the NPS has become more productive each year since we signed a Memorandum of Agreement in 2005," said Van Abel. "It's exciting to hear that the NPS views mountain biking as an activity that can bring new visitors to parks and greatly enhance their experiences."
Bomar pointed to several examples of national parks that currently offer mountain biking, mentioning success stories from Big Bend in Texas, Fort Dupont in the District of Columbia and the Santa Monica Mountains in California, among others. Director Bomar praised Santa Monica's long-standing Mountain Bike Unit program and said that it embodies a "great balance of recreation and conservation goals."
She also spoke about IMBA's support of the NPS Centennial Initiative. IMBA is a vocal supporter of the campaign to boost funding for the agency's 100th anniversary in 2016. Over the next decade, the project would dedicate an additional $100 million a year for park operations, and $100 million annually to match donations to the National Park Service for centennial projects and programs.
Bomar's address followed one from Trek Bicycles president John Burke, and the NPS director earnestly suggested that Trek might one day design a special edition mountain bike for use in national parks. She also mentioned a family connection to the sport: her son David is an avid cyclist.
