June 3-5 Access Fund stewardship training in Yosemite

[Paul Minault]

I went last year and learned trail building using large rocks and  hand tools at the base of EL Cap.  A good group of Access Fund stewardship leaders, climbers and park  trainers.  Free camping at Yellow Pine campground in the Valley.  Pretty cool!

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject:	April Beta
Date:	Fri, 15 Apr 2016 07:20:44 -0600
From:	Access Fund <in...@accessfund.org>
To:	pmin...@earthlink.net

The latest in national climbing advocacy news

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April 2016 Action Alert: Protect Southeast Utah Climbing We need your help to protect climbing in southeastern Utah. Right now, lawmakers are considering two initiatives that may impact access to our unique sandstone cliffs and remote desert towers--including Indian Creek, Castle Valley, Fisher Towers, San Rafael Swell, Valley of the Gods, Texas and Arch Canyons, Lockhart Basin, Comb Ridge, and countless remote climbing objectives both known and yet to be discovered. The Public Lands Initiative (PLI) outlines an extensive plan to manage state and federal lands in southeastern Utah. It threatens designated Wilderness, supports the transfer of federal land to the state, and for the majority of the lands in question it prioritizes resource extraction over both recreation and conservation. Unhappy with the PLI, an Inter-Tribal Coalition proposed the Bears Ears National Monument to the Obama administration, with a focus on preserving Native American traditional values. If the President proclaims Bears Ears National Monument, the climbing community needs to ensure that the proclamation acknowledges and protects the world-class climbing in the area. Please take 5 minutes today to write President Obama (using our easy letter-writing tool) and encourage him to consider climbing and other recreational values. Take Action $1 Million Revolved through Climbing Conservation Loan Program The Access Fund Climbing Conservation Loan Program--the program that provides local communities with fast cash and transaction expertise to purchase at-risk climbing areas--hit a big milestone this month. Over $1 Million has revolved since the program's inception in 2009. That is one million dollars that has been loaned out to protect climbing areas and repaid by local communities to be reinvested into other at-risk climbing areas. By providing bridge financing, Access Fund gives locals time to raise money for long-term protection and stewardship. To date, the Climbing Conservation Loan Program has helped protect 19 climbing areas across 15 states using $1,492,000 in short-term capital. Today, $1,032,000 has revolved back into the fund, $459,000 is currently out on loan to local communities, and $556,000 is available for new and pending projects. A huge thanks to all of the sponsors and donors who helped build this fund into the powerful conservation tool it is today--those dollars will be used over and over again to save threatened climbing areas well into the future. Learn More This Land is Our Land Almost 60% of the peaks, crags, and boulders in this country are on America's public, federally managed lands. These public lands are our birthright and are a cornerstone of the uniquely American climbing experience. And right now a battle is underway in Congress over whether the federal government should continue to manage these lands for the public or hand them over to state governments, which could sell them to private entities. The federal government safeguards, manages, and protects our iconic landscapes for future generations. And while federal land agencies are far from perfect, they steward our lands through public process. Access Fund is deeply engaged in the legislative and administrative processes that determine our ability to access and climb on public lands. And twenty-five years of experience has shown us that climbers experience much greater uncertainty when attempting to maintain access to land that is not federally managed. While the debate in Congress is currently focused on public lands in the west, any federal land transfer legislation could set a dangerous precedent across the nation. Learn More 2016 Stewardship Training Series Dates It's no secret that our climbing areas are feeling the impact of more climbers and increased use. Last year, Access Fund launched a new Climbing Stewardship Training Series to give local volunteer leaders and land managers a sophisticated set of tools to evaluate and mitigate impacts across the entire climbing system--from parking areas, to approach trails, to staging areas, and descent routes. We are excited to bring this training series back this year, with an increased focus on regional conservation topics and strategies. The training series will be hosted in four climber-dense population centers and will focus on comprehensive resource planning, in-depth field work, and strategies for improving land manager relationships. June 3-5: Yosemite National Park, CA | Registration open August 12-14: Black Hills, SD | Registration opens in July October 14-16: New River Gorge, WV | Registration opens in Sept November 18-20: Chattanooga, TN | Registration opens in Oct Register for Yosemite The Homestead Sees Major Stewardship Improvements Less than a year after the Access Fund's purchase of a critical access point to The Homestead in central Arizona, we're pleased to report that we have completed significant access improvements. This past December, Access Fund, Climbing Association of Southern Arizona, and 50 volunteers built a half-mile of new trail, 10 new tent pads, 13 additional parking spots, a new educational kiosk, and 5 fire rings. Access Fund also obtained permission to repair the worst section of road on State Trust land, and thanks to the hard work of a volunteer backhoe operator, climbers can now drive standard sport utility vehicles up the road. This is a major improvement to the once nearly impassable section of road, and it shortens the approach considerably. We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the coalition of local climbing organizations, non-profits, and businesses that have raised $75,000 towards the $235,000 fundraising goal to permanently protect and steward The Homestead. There is a long road ahead to permanent protection, and Access Fund needs additional support from the climbing community to save this incredible climbing destination. Donate Today Join the Monthly Senders Club Monthly Senders are a special group of Access Fund supporters who send their donations monthly. These gifts guarantee regular and predictable funds so that we can sustain long-term campaigns and act quickly to save threatened climbing areas. Small monthly gifts of $50, $25, and even $5 have become more important than ever and have a big impact on our mission to protect America's climbing. Sign up today to join the Access Fund's fastest growing donor club! Sign-up is easy: Go to www.accessfund.org/senders. Tell us how much you want to donate each month. Set automatic donations from your credit card. You can start, change, or stop your giving at any time! Learn More Industry Buzz Access Fund announces first round grant recipients for 2016. Stay Local Tour talks with the Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition about responsible climbing at Red Rocks. The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Teams join the Front Range Climbing Stewards, Friends of Indian Creek, and the Rocky Mountain Field Institute for Work Week in the Creek. Upcoming Events Onsight Rock Gym Opening || Knoxville, TN || April 21-22 Learn More. ROCK Project Tour: Vegas || Las Vegas, NV || May 6-8 Register. ROCK Project Tour: Los Angeles || Los Angeles, CA || May 13-15 Register. Access Fund P.O. Box 17010 Boulder, Colorado 80308 303.545.6772 in...@accesfund.org Access Fund Website Join Renew Donate Shop Banner photo generously donated by: John Dickey This email was sent to: pmin...@earthlink.net This email was sent by: Access Fund 207 Canyon Blvd Suite 201S Boulder, CO 80302 US We respect your right to privacy - view our policy Manage Subscriptions | Update Profile | One-Click Unsubscribe