19 September 2006   jserfass@fs.fed.us (hard copy to follow) John J. Serfass District Ranger Ammo/Pemi District, White Mountain NF 1171 NH Route 175 Holderness, NH 03245   kcrevier@fs.fed.us (hard copy to follow) Ken Crevier Realty Specialist/Lands Program Manager White Mountain National Forest 719 North Main Street Laconia, New Hampshire 03246   Dear Ranger Serfass and Mr. Crevier,   We have been contacted by The Trust for Public Land and local activists Eric Jones and Tom Richardson and have offered our assistance in their efforts to permanently preserve the Oliverian Notch property, which contains Owl’s Head Cliff, as protected and open space. I am writing on behalf of the Access Fund, a national advocacy and conservation organization, to support the White Mountain National Forest’s (WMNF) participation in the Oliverian Notch acquisition near Benton, New Hampshire, and to offer our assistance with any climbing related issues. It is particularly appropriate that the Access Fund work closely with the USDA Forest Service (USFS) on any management decisions concerning rock climbing given the memoranda of understanding (MOU) that the Access Fund has with the USFS relating to any climbing management initiatives within the National Forest System.[1] It is our intent to work with the WMNF to preserve the high quality climbing opportunities and conserve the unique climbing environment at Owl’s Head Cliff for future generations.     The Access Fund The Access Fund is the only national advocacy organization whose mission keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. A 501(c)3 non-profit supporting and representing over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing—rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering—the Access Fund is the largest US climbing organization with over 15,000 members and affiliates.   The Access Fund promotes the responsible use and sound management of climbing resources by working in cooperation with climbers, other recreational users, public land managers and private land owners. We encourage an ethic of personal responsibility, self-regulation, strong conservation values and minimum impact practices among climbers.   Working towards a future in which climbing and access to climbing resources are viewed as legitimate, valued, and positive uses of the land, the Access Fund advocates to federal, state and local legislators concerning public lands legislation; works closely with federal and state land managers and other interest groups in planning and implementing public lands management and policy; provides funding for conservation and resource management projects; develops, produces and distributes climber education materials and programs; and assists in the acquisition and management of climbing resources. For more information about the Access Fund, visit www.accessfund.org.     Tradition of Rock Climbing in the White Mountain National Forest The East Coast, and particularly the White Mountains, has a strong tradition of rock climbing. In 1927, Appalachian Mountain Club members Robert Underhill, brother and sister Lincoln and Miriam O’Brien (later Underhill), Elizabeth Knowlton, Fritz Wiessner, and Bill House, and the cousins Bradley Gilman and Hassler Whitney all made belayed ascents of the steep rock faces of Cannon Cliff, Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges. And, soon after, climbers began flocking from around the world to test their skills and technique on the unique and varied geological formations that exist in the White Mountain National Forest.   The trend continues today. For example, by the mid-1990’s, Rumney, New Hampshire, was home to more difficult, hard routes than all the other New England climbing areas combined. Today, Rumney continues to host some of the best sport climbing and bouldering in the region. The importance of Rumney to the climbing community was not lost on the Access Fund. In 1994, the Access Fund worked in conjunction with the White Mountain National Forest to permanently preserve approximately 40 acres of land, then known as the “Herbert Property,” located on Buffalo Road, Rumney, New Hampshire. The Access Fund was presented with an opportunity to acquire the property from Mr. Herbert at a sum over appraised value. The Access Fund purchased the land pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding with the White Mountain National Forest, who then purchased the property at appraised value. It was the Access Fund’s belief then, as it is now, that through partnerships we can achieve shared common visions of conservation and recreation in perpetuity that are otherwise unattainable.   The climbing communities’ support of Rumney continues as local climbers have contributed significantly to the work of the White Mountain National Forest, as volunteers and concerned users of the land. Climbers are strong supporters of the environment, open space and conservation and like other outdoor recreationists, seek urban escape, nature appreciation, wildlife observation, exercise and a variety of other enriching outcomes when visiting our National Forests. Moreover, the permanent preservation of this ecologically-unique and recreationally-rich area will have a significant and positive overall effect on the local economy, as well as the health of the local citizenry.   In addition, I would like to make brief mention of the adoption of dual management objectives of both protecting raptor nesting habitat as well as maximizing climbing opportunities as the unique raptor habitat of Owl’s Head Cliff has been cited in much of the literature on the area. It is the Access Fund’s experience that virtually all potential threats or actual impacts to natural resources associated with climbing can be eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels through a combination of education, cooperation with the climbing community, and site-specific prescriptions, including temporary closures within a specific distance of a raptor’s nest. Should the WMNF acquire the Oliverian Notch property, the Access Fund would be happy to provide numerous examples of many USFS districts across the country that have developed and implemented flexible and thoughtful guidelines to successfully allow climbing while protecting the raptor population.   I sincerely hope that local activists, The Trust for Public Lands, and the Access Fund can address your concerns regarding the acquisition of the Oliverian Notch property and subsequence opening of the area to recreation, including rock climbing. To this end, the Access Fund and the local climbing community are prepared to assist the White Mountain National Forest with issues as they arise. If you have any questions or comments regarding the Access Fund or rock climbing in general, please don’t hesitate to contact me 1-888-863-6237, x112; deanne@accessfund.org. We very much appreciate your consideration of this matter.   Sincerely Yours,     Deanne Buck Programs Director     Cc:       Joshua Kelly, The Trust for Public Land Senior Project Associate
            Steve Matous, Access Fund Executive Director             Phil Powers, American Alpine Club Executive Director Heather Furman, Stowe Land Trust Executive Director, Access Fund Vice President Robert Parish, Access Fund Regional Coordinator-New Hampshire Richard Doucette, Access Fund Regional Coordinator- Massachusetts Tom Richardson Eric Jones             Jim Shimberg, Rock Barn and Rhinoceros Mountain Guides [1] See http://accessfund.org/pdf/AF-03-MOU-USFS.pdf.     The Access Fund   Tel 303-545-6772 x112 | Fax 303-545-6774 PO Box 17010 Boulder, CO 80308 www.accessfund.org  www.boulderProject.org     Since 1990, the Access Fund has been the only national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in ALL forms of climbing; Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: public policy, stewardship & conservation (including grants), grassroots activism, climber education, and land acquisition.mailto:jserfass@fs.fed.usmailto:kcrevier@fs.fed.ushttp://www.accessfund.org/mailto:deanne@accessfund.orghttp://accessfund.org/pdf/AF-03-MOU-USFS.pdfhttp://www.accessfund.org/http://www.boulderproject.org/shapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3shapeimage_1_link_4shapeimage_1_link_5shapeimage_1_link_6
Access Fund letter to the US Forest Service