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VIRTUAL TIMES #26 December 2002 E-News Online IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Year End Note from Heather Clark, development director This year brought about new initiatives and tremendous achievements for the Access Fund on behalf of the American climbing community. In August, Steve Matous became the new executive director. We added eight new members of the board, Dave Rosenstein became the new president and four new volunteers were added to our national Action Network of Regional Coordinators. We hired a lobbying firm in Washington, DC to enhance our work on recreation fees and funding, natural resource-recreation conflicts, and fixed anchors in Wilderness. Our network of support is comprised of 10,600 individual members, 86 Corporate Partners, and over 200 Community Partners. The Access Fund remains the nation's largest and most effective climbers' advocacy organization and continues to be the leading voice for climbers in the political arena. We are at the forefront in our work on fixed anchors in Wilderness and efforts to limit the unfair and arbitrary application of recreation fees for climbers. We negotiated with land managers in Leavenworth, WA and the New River Gorge, WV to limit arbitrary raptor closures. We worked with cultural resource consultants to find positive solutions to protect archaeological and historical values at the Red River Gorge (KY), Hueco Tanks (TX), Cave Rock (NV), Happy Boulders (CA), Castle Rock Ranch (ID), and other climbing areas. We met with the BLM in Monticello, Utah to discuss interim management strategies and developed an informative and educational brochure for the Indian Creek area. The AF is currently in negotiations with the Navajo Nation regarding opening up limited portions of Monument Valley Tribal Park to permitted climbing. The AF maintains positive relationships and partners with local climbing organizations (LCOs) in our effort to restore or preserve access to climbing. The AF relies on the commitment and support from LCOs and our Action Network to accomplish extensive work across the country. Agency officials look to the AF to be the foremost authority on climbing management and planning. The AF is currently negotiating memorandums of understanding with the major federal land agencies that would increase the degree of cooperation and consultation. To that end, we provided expertise in the drafting of management plans in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Tennessee, California and Colorado in 2002. Our Climbing Preservation Grants program awarded nearly $116,000 in 2002 including our largest ever grant of $20,000 to the Castleton Tower Preservation Initiative in Utah. The AF remains committed to the conservation of the climbing environment. We support grassroots projects that invigorate and educate the climbing community and build effective frameworks for local organizing. This year, the AF provided money or support to land acquisitions in Castleton Tower, UT, Boat Rock, GA, Parley's Canyon, UT and Quartz Mountain, OK. These acquisitions ensure that climbing will remain in perpetuity for generations to enjoy. The AF organized its third annual Adopt-a-Crag Day with 86 conservation and stewardship events in 34 states. Climbers all across the country are united each fall to protect and give back to the climbing resources we cherish. As we enter 2003, the AF is poised to accomplish goals and surmount challenges on your behalf. YOU are the reason we exist and why the AF remains dedicated to our mission to preserve America's diverse climbing resources. Each membership dollar goes to support on the ground. We can't do it without you. In 2003 -- tell a friend...tell two, about the effectiveness of the Access Fund in preserving America's diverse climbing resources. We are your organization. YOUR CLIMBING FUTURE. To view our complete 2002 activity report, please visit http://www.accessfund.org/programs/programs_news_02-report.html 2. Forest Service Extends Its Comment Period For Cave Rock Closure Since 1995 the Access Fund has been working with the Forest Service at Lake Tahoe to develop a compromise that balances the interests of all users of Cave Rock. Last June when the Forest Service indicated it would close Cave Rock to climbing, the Access Fund aggressively stepped up its activism in Washington, DC to lobby for a more progressive and balanced management approach. In December, Jason Keith, Access Fund Policy Director, traveled to Washington and met with Congressional offices from the Nevada delegation the House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health. It seems this work is beginning to pay off. In early December, Senator Ensign (R-NV) called USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Mark Rey and the USFS Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Jack Blackwell requesting additional time for the public to comment on the Cave Rock Plan. Senator Ensign also asked the Forest Service why it had taken such a radical change in its management approach from balanced multiple use to exclusive single use. Other Congressional offices have offered their assistance as well. While this comment period extension is a small step towards convincing the Forest Service to reconsider its ill-advised climbing closure, there's much work still to be done. First, check out the Cave Rock Management Direction Environmental Impact Statement at http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/ltbmu/management/projects/cave_rock/. The summary section provides a good overview. Next, write the Forest Service and tell them (in your own words) that selecting Alternative 2 and allowing for a voluntary closure at Cave Rock is the best way to balance recreational and Native American interests. Some talking points: Alternative 2 would allow public access, including rock climbing, on the National Forest at Cave Rock. However, climbing would be managed to decrease the current level of use by reducing the number of climbing routes. Thus, under Alternative 2, most existing routes will remain accessible, however no new routes or bolt installation would be permitted. Maintenance of existing routes by climbers would be conducted only with prior permission from the Forest Service. Alternative 6, on the other hand, would prohibit rock climbing yet allow continued access to all other user groups and is thus patently unfair. Moreover, Alternative 6 raises serious Constitutional questions because it seeks to exclude otherwise legitimate users public lands to accommodate the religious interests of one group. Furthermore, Alternative 6 employs a novel and unprecedented interpretation of the National Historic Preservation Act that could impact public land across the country by similarly excluding recreation use in favor of religious preference. Write John Maher, archaeologist for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit For more effect, copy the following USDA offices: Jack Blackwell Mark Rey 3. Mount Rainier National Park, WA Mountaineering Cost Recovery Fee Increase Proposed (From NPS website) An analysis of the current mountaineering program at Mount Rainier National Park and a new plan for operation of the program is now available for public comment. The analysis considers varying levels of service based on public expectation, protecting the upper mountain resource, and public and employee safety. It allows park managers to determine priorities and needs as they protect park values and provides for quality visitor experiences. The document, titled "Analysis of the Mount Rainier Climbing Program" is now available for public comment. It details specific operational and administrative information about the climbing program at Mount Rainier National Park. Safety, education, program administration, and human waste management as well as cost recovery fees, ranger functions and public expectations are all covered. Superintendent Dave Uberuaga noted that, "Climbers visiting Mount Rainier have come to expect quality visitor services and the preservation of this unique mountaineering resource. To keep pace with current trends, provide enhanced visitor services and protect the mountain for future use and enjoyment, it will be necessary to raise the special use fee to the preferred alternative of $30." This document presents, and analyzes four alternatives for managing the mountaineering program at Mount Rainier National Park. The analysis document can be found at: www.nps.gov/mora/climb/costrecovery.
Limited copies can also be obtained by calling 360/569-2211 ext.
2301. Comments can be sent to: mora_climbing_fees@nps.gov. The National
Park Service will accept comments on the analysis and proposed cost
increase through January 22, 2003. Written comments regarding the
proposed changes to the Mountaineering Program can be sent to the
attention of Chief Ranger Jill Hawk at: 4. Climbing Magazine Featured Partner When eckto-plasma ghosts and ghouls invaded New York City, who did Americans call upon to save the day? The Ghostbusters. When money-hungry developers and strong-arming bureaucrats try and broom climbers from cragging areas, who do climbers call? The Access Fund. Climbing Magazine is proud to sponsor the Access Fund in its fight to preserve and protect the interests of climbers across the nation. From Joshua Tree, California, to Rumney, New Hampshire, no other organization has done more to ensure continued climbers' rights than the Access Fund. If you're not a member, join now. If you are a member, make sure every climber you know joins as well. We are taking our commitment to the next level with an exclusive offer to fellow members. We'll donate $10 on behalf of every member who pays for a two-year subscription to Climbing and $5 for every paid one-year subscription. Link to the special Access Fund offer at https://store.primediamags.com/subscribe/climbing/1878. Jonathan Thesenga 5. Vertical Times Newsletter offered as PDF The Vertical Times newsletter, the Access Fund's bimonthly publication, provides up-to-date news on policy, area reports, events, action alerts, grants, and more. It is a benefit to members and non-members alike (if you are not a member, please join at https://www.accessfund.org/secure/joinnow/join_indiv.php) Indeed it is a benefit to the entire climbing community. By offering this unique publication electronically, the Access Fund will decrease printing and mailing costs and allocate more funds to protect YOUR CLIMBING FUTURE. If you choose to take part in this effort, and cease shipment of the Vertical Times to your home, please email your name/address to cindy@accessfund.org with "Remove Vertical Times" as the subject. Presently, over 200 members have requested not to receive their print copy of Vertical Times (a savings to the Access Fund of $600 per year to be utilized in protecting YOUR CLIMBING FUTURE). To view back issues of Vertical Times, visit http://www.accessfund.org/vertical_times/index.html VIRTUAL TIMES POLICIES: 1. The Access Fund office in Boulder is the only source of outgoing messages to the lists. 2. The AF will not sell or give away email addresses of V-Times subscribers. 3. V-Times is an announcement-only e-mail list; therefore, you cannot reply to any of the list members. 4. All e-mail addresses will remain confidential with every mail sent. Virtual Times Policies: 1. The Access Fund office in Boulder is the only source of outgoing messages to the lists. 2. The AF will not sell or give away email addresses for the V-Times. 3. V-Times is an announcement-only e-mail list; therefore, you cannot reply to any of the list members. 4. All e-mail addresses will remain confidential with every mail sent. |
