National Park Foundation and Nature Valley Help Restore Access to 10,000 Miles of National Park Trails
MINNEAPOLIS – Nature Valley and the National Park Foundation (NPF) announced today the completion of a three-year project to restore access to 10,000 miles of national park trails, which is equivalent to flying from New York City to Sydney. To celebrate the occasion, Nature Valley has remade the undeniably infectious 80’s hit song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers and partnered with Grammy and Tony Award-winning music talent Daveed Diggs to perform the anthem.
The 2021 remake of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” pays homage to Nature Valley’s impact by rewriting the lyrics to proudly exclaim: But we restored 10,000 miles, and we’ll restore 10,000 more. Nature Valley made these trails accessible so go explore. The remake is meant to encourage people to get outdoors and explore while also serving as Nature Valley’s rallying call to restore access to more miles.
“I love spending time in the outdoors so when Nature Valley approached me to remake this catchy tune as a fun way to encourage people go outside, I jumped at the chance,” said Daveed Diggs. “I love to visit our national parks, so I hope this leads to more people safely hitting the trails this year.”
Nature Valley believes that nature brings out the best in all of us and everyone should be able to access and enjoy the rejuvenating benefits of nature, which is why the brand is extending its partnership with the National Park Foundation for an additional three years. With the first chapter complete, Nature Valley has committed an additional $3 million to restore access to 10,000 more miles of trails and to support outdoor exploration grants.
“Connecting people to nature is at the heart of the Nature Valley brand,” said Kristin Atherton, brand experience director, Snacks & Natural/Organic. “We are delighted that these restored trails will enable more people to find solace or recharge in America’s treasured national parks and we hope the catchy remake of ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ inspires more people to visit a park, get outside and explore.”
Over the last several years, Nature Valley and the National Park Foundation have together supported service corps crews that are removing invasive species, clearing corridors, repairing structures, building boardwalks, and managing other repair projects to make these iconic and beloved places more accessible to visitors. To date, this partnership has helped restore trails in 19 parks across 16 states.
“From admiring wildlife and landscapes, to connecting with history and culture, trails are such important and memorable elements of a national park experience for the 330 million people that visit each year,” said Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “Thanks to Nature Valley’s support, we’re making it possible for visitors to explore even more as we continue our work together for the benefit of parks and people.”
To view the “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)" remake music video and to access the complete list of national park locations with restored trails please visit www.naturevalley.com/nationalparks or @Nature_Valley on Instagram.
ABOUT GENERAL MILLS
General Mills is a leading global food company whose purpose is to make food the world loves. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Häagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, BLUE, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2020 net sales of U.S. $17.6 billion. In addition, General Mills’ share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.0 billion.
ABOUT NATURE VALLEY
Nature Valley believes that nature brings out the best in all of us. That’s why the brand continually strives to connect people to nature not only through Nature Valley vars, but also outdoor experiences. Nature Valley bars offer wholesome, real ingredients like whole grain oats and power-packed peanuts, almonds and nut butters that deliver energy fueled by nature. Nature Valley is a proud partner of the National Park Foundation and The National Park Conservation Association. As creator of the granola bar category in 1975, Nature Valley offers a wide variety of products across bars, snacks and granola selling 3.6 billion granola bars worldwide each year.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts and connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.