Jackson Hole, Wyoming (NAPSI) - When you get down to it, the pristine beauty and educational advantages ofAmerica’s national parks depend on a lot of vehicles and their tires.

In fact, one such park runs some 466 vehicles, including 267 light trucks, 63 passenger cars, 75 heavy trucks, three agricultural vehicles and 58 earthmovers.

Fortunately for the park (and the taxpayers), Michelin North America, Inc. donates tires for the majority of its fleet. This also supports critical environmental goals and fiscal savings. The tire company is a corporate partner of the Yellowstone Park Foundation, the official and only fundraising organization for the park.

The tires help Yellowstone cut both costs and its use of raw materials and lower fuel consumption through industry-leading green tire technology. This is significant considering that, on average, Yellowstone vehicles travel 3.75 million miles per year on the park’s more than 420 miles of roadways.

In addition, the company regularly sends field engineers to help the park optimize tire use for better fuel economy and performance. The training it provides on handling specialized tires has led to improved performance, efficiency and safety, and a considerable reduction in maintenance costs.

“By saving Yellowstone over a quarter million dollars each year, Michelin’s exceptional generosity allows the park to divert the funds it saves to other important projects, and maximize its resources,” says Karen Bates Kress, Yellowstone Park Foundation president.

For example:

• A new tread design that gives the park year-round use of just one tire for snow, ice, mud and bare pavement. The reduction (estimated at 60 percent) in tires that need to be “chained up” in winter saves tire wear, labor and fleet downtime.

• In keeping with its 113-year history of creating maps and travel guides, the tire company publishes “The Yellowstone Park Foundation’s Official Guide to Yellowstone National Park.” This 106-page book represents one of the most in-depth guides to the park. It’s sold at Yellowstone and at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Proceeds go to the Yellowstone Park Foundation.

All together, through its donations and work, the tire company helps Yellowstone save some $275,000 to $300,000 a year.

Learn More

You can find further facts at www.michelin-us.com and www.ypf.org.