rcwild
03-24-2004, 09:17 PM
The ACA feels access is one of the most important issues facing the canyoneering community today. As more people visit canyon country, access issues become unavoidable. The ACA feels all canyoneers should take a proactive position regarding access, working with both access groups and land managers to insure recreational access to canyons.
We recognize that land managers have an incredibly tough job. They must protect and manage precious environmental resources while at the same time provide opportunities for recreation. These two things sometimes create conflict and when they do, recreational access takes a back seat to protection of the resource. We prefer to view land managers as allies rather than adversaries. They need our help and feedback to understand the needs of canyoneers to achieve a reasonable compromise that both protects the resource and provides recreational access. We need their feedback to understand the issues they must address and learn how we can help.
What the ACA is doing:
The ACA approaches this issue by striving to build positive relationships with land managers. We regularly organize public service projects such as trash clean-ups, trail and anchor maintenance. We also provide high-quality training for recreational canyoneers through our courses and workshops to encourage a higher level of competence, responsibility, safety and ethics among canyoneers. Additionally, we offer free training to rangers and SAR team members to improve their skills and help eliminate any anxiety they may have regarding the prospect of canyoneering's growth in popularity. Local ACA chapters are active on a grass roots level following the same principals and approach as the national organization.
Things to consider before you take action:
If you would like to take a proactive stance and address access issues, both in your local area and at the national level, please consider the following
1. Most importantly, don't look upon land management agencies as adversaries, but as partners in managing our precious natural resources. We can accomplish much more working with them than we ever could by working against them.
2. Keep in mind that they receive input from canyoneers, non-canyoneers and anti-canyoneers. As a user group, we are no more or less important than any other group. We are not being unfairly targeted.
3. Be aware of issues that the land manager must address and base your actions accordingly. If you focus your energy on helping land managers address the issues most important to them your efforts will be more effective than if you invest your energy addressing an issue that only represents a small part of their decision-making criteria.
4. Actions always speak louder than words. Participate in letter writing campaigns and service projects specifically aimed at the issues that will most positively affect access in the future.
5. If you decide to write a letter, be constructive. Letters with specific input and suggestions get more attention than those that merely rant and rave.
6. Follow your heart. Be honest with yourself and with land managers concerning your own vision of the future. What sort of place do you want to preserve for future generations? And what measures would you take to preserve it if you were in charge?
7. Behave. Poaching canyons in protest will only make matters worse. In the future, when land managers consider limiting access, we would rather be viewed as a responsible user group that obeys the rules and helps out with service projects; not as an inconsiderate, irresponsible group of rabble-rousers.
We recognize that land managers have an incredibly tough job. They must protect and manage precious environmental resources while at the same time provide opportunities for recreation. These two things sometimes create conflict and when they do, recreational access takes a back seat to protection of the resource. We prefer to view land managers as allies rather than adversaries. They need our help and feedback to understand the needs of canyoneers to achieve a reasonable compromise that both protects the resource and provides recreational access. We need their feedback to understand the issues they must address and learn how we can help.
What the ACA is doing:
The ACA approaches this issue by striving to build positive relationships with land managers. We regularly organize public service projects such as trash clean-ups, trail and anchor maintenance. We also provide high-quality training for recreational canyoneers through our courses and workshops to encourage a higher level of competence, responsibility, safety and ethics among canyoneers. Additionally, we offer free training to rangers and SAR team members to improve their skills and help eliminate any anxiety they may have regarding the prospect of canyoneering's growth in popularity. Local ACA chapters are active on a grass roots level following the same principals and approach as the national organization.
Things to consider before you take action:
If you would like to take a proactive stance and address access issues, both in your local area and at the national level, please consider the following
1. Most importantly, don't look upon land management agencies as adversaries, but as partners in managing our precious natural resources. We can accomplish much more working with them than we ever could by working against them.
2. Keep in mind that they receive input from canyoneers, non-canyoneers and anti-canyoneers. As a user group, we are no more or less important than any other group. We are not being unfairly targeted.
3. Be aware of issues that the land manager must address and base your actions accordingly. If you focus your energy on helping land managers address the issues most important to them your efforts will be more effective than if you invest your energy addressing an issue that only represents a small part of their decision-making criteria.
4. Actions always speak louder than words. Participate in letter writing campaigns and service projects specifically aimed at the issues that will most positively affect access in the future.
5. If you decide to write a letter, be constructive. Letters with specific input and suggestions get more attention than those that merely rant and rave.
6. Follow your heart. Be honest with yourself and with land managers concerning your own vision of the future. What sort of place do you want to preserve for future generations? And what measures would you take to preserve it if you were in charge?
7. Behave. Poaching canyons in protest will only make matters worse. In the future, when land managers consider limiting access, we would rather be viewed as a responsible user group that obeys the rules and helps out with service projects; not as an inconsiderate, irresponsible group of rabble-rousers.