Episode #22: Conservation Team East
This is part two of my conversation with the Access Fund–Jeep Conservation Teams. Today is Annie and Mat from the East Conservation Team. This dynamic duo is responsible for the crags and boulders throughout the Eastern United States. As a regional team, they spend extended amounts of time in one spot, completing major stewardship projects at popular areas such as Rumney and Cathedral Ledge, where they are currently working.
Annie and Mat bring extensive experience from working on a conservation corps in North Carolina prior to joining Access Fund. They are now taking their passion for stewardship and their newly found love of climbing to care for our treasured climbing resources across the Eastern United States.
Timestamps
0:27 – The day’s field work
1:48 – Annie’s intro
3:10 – Conservation before climbing
4:04 – Mat’s intro
4:54 – Conservation corps into Access Fund’s Conservation Team
7:26 – Cathedral Ledge and this year’s work
9:18 – Restore Rumney campaign
10:23 – Stewardship in a wet climate
12:30 – Best trail-building material
15:07 – Stewarding crags vs. bouldering areas
19:30 – The stewardship process
24:14 – What to expect at a stewardship day
27:04 – Volunteer coordination amidst COVID
30:47 – Project completion
32:18 – The team’s climbing experience
35:18 – Conservation team in your area