The months of May and June are traditionally busy with UIAA Commission meetings. Despite the restrictions placed on travel during Covid-19, the UIAA has been able to host a number of important online meetings throughout the past six weeks. In fact ma...
The UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation – has published its 2019 Annual Report. The digital report provides easier access to key resources – such as UIAA news articles, video content and multimedia assets. Co...
The impact of Covid-19 will be felt for many months, and even years to come. The climbing industry and outdoor world will be significantly affected. Cancellation of competitions, entire climbing seasons and expeditions; loss of sponsorship income and...
For the first time in the UIAA’s near 90-year history, and owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, its biannual Management Committee meeting was held online. The virtual format proved to be a success. All discussion topics and voting were successfully nego...
Setting up working groups to resolve access issues can be an issue by itself. Here are some access and conservation strategies for climbing areas which involve setting up good communication systems to public access agreements and good practices.
The late Stefano Tirinzoni, a member of the UIAA Management Committee and Italian Alpine Club (CAI), was instrumental in creating the Argeos Charter, a simple set of guidelines for sustainable mountain tourism in countries where mountain tourism is still in its infancy.
The UK is internationally recognized for its wintering, migratory and nesting birds and for over 30 years the BMC has worked with conservation bodies to produce this informative climbing restrictions leaflet. There is a general acceptance amongst conservation bodies and landowners. Restrictions can change during the breeding period, and the BMC’s Regional Access Database (RAD) plays an important role in providing up-to-date information for climbers. The RAD is a searchable database of all the crags with special access and conservation considerations, including all the agreed nesting restrictions for England & Wales – why not log-on and check it out?
A fun poster by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) which lists the 10 commandments to follow while bouldering. Includes “Leave vegetation in place – no gardening please.”
Canyoning is a sporting activity that consists of making your way by walking and/or swimming along a series of canyons or ravines, torrential rivers or mountain streams, using specific techniques and your own resources. Some useful guidelines from FEDME about canyoning in protected areas.
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-profi t 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.
Some sound advice from the Swedish Climbing Federation. They hope you have a great day in front of you but remind you that you climbing is an activity that comes with great responsibility. The ground rule is: don’t disturb – don’t destroy.
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has produced a series of policies such as the ones on Environmental Policy, Climate Change Policy while the Scottish Mountaineering Council has produced an explanation on how climbing is conducted in Scotland.
The work of the British Upland Footpath Trust is to provide the highest standard of footpath work. This booklet draws together the expertise of craftsmen skilled in footpath construction and restoration in many different mountain settings across Britain.
Experts from the UIAA member federation FEDME (Federación Española de Deportes de Montaña y Escalada) have collaborated with a number of bodies, notably Europarc-Spain, in producing a document which underlines the good practices for holding mountain running competitions in protected natural areas. The document is available to download in English here.
The UIAA Access Working Group, part of the Climbing & Mountaineering Development Commission, works with international associations, and supports UIAA member federations and others to facilitate access to areas while being sensitive to environmental, social, legal and other considerations.
The WG:
Juan JESUS IBANEZ MARTIN (President), Spain (FEDME)
Lode BECKERS, Belgium (CMBEL)
Hank HWANG, Chinese Taipei (CTMA)
Sudhir KRISHNANKUTTY, India (IMF)
Milosz JODLOWSKI, Poland (PZA)
Mehdi SOHEIL FARID, Iran (I.R.ISMF)
Hussein BAGIROV, Azerbaijan (FAIREX)
Jack BERGIN, Ireland (MI)
Nelson BRUGGER, Brazil (CBME)
Esteban DEGREGORI, Argentina (FASA)
Hamidreza IZADI, Iran (IMSCF)
Hitoshi ONODERA, Japan (JMSCA)
Boyan PETROV, Bulgaria (BCMF)
Joao Paulo QUEIROS, Portugal (FCMP)
Richard Grant SHERRY, South Africa (MCSA)
Brian STEPHENSON, New Zealand (NZAC)
Mahmout HASHEMI, Iran (IMSCF)
