()Yellowstone National Park receives more than 4,000,000 visitors annually. The park’s high foot traffic, especially around Old Faithful’s geyser, has put strain on existing walkways.
Yellowstone was first served by Michelin tires three years ago. This partnership provided reliable tires for the park’s many maintenance and recreational vehicles. This partnership allowed the company to identify additional areas of assistance. It also solved the challenge of creating improved paths that could accommodate large crowds while not affecting the park’s ecosystem.
It is important to choose a durable, yet sustainable, paving material when upgrading the walkways in the park.
The Michelin Corporate Foundation plans to replace the Yellowstone’s asphalt roads with KBI Flexi Pave, a porous material that allows rainwater to flow through it. This promotes water flow, reduces erosion, and allows water supply to the Yellowstone Upper Geyser Basin.
Flexi-Pave also does not release any pollutants into the soil, wear away with wear, or cause storm-water runoff.
Flexi-Pave composite product is made from stone and rubber granules. It is chemically inert. These granules provide a non-slip, safe and durable walking surface that can be used by both wheelchairs and walkers. Flexi-Pave’s unique design and material resists freezing and thawing.
Other goals of the ongoing partnership between Michelin & Yellowstone include education of the public on the importance of conserving national parks, and inciting similar projects elsewhere.
“We hope that this eco-friendly park walkway will inspire other similar projects that help preserve natural systems,”Jeff Augustin, Senior Director of Park Projects at Yellowstone Forever (the official non-profit partner for Yellowstone National Park), said the following:
“Yellowstone shares Michelin’s commitment to being a global leader in sustainability for the future,”Leesa Owens is the director of community relations at Michelin North America. “Our partnership has created opportunities for visitors to enjoy the park’s wonders for years to come.”
See the entire video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6HwZfUGMK4