Comment from Jeff Rose
AnonymousSupportAcademic
Summary: A professor at a state research institution supports the proposed guidance because it maintains access for outdoor recreation and education. They argue that artificial bolts and anchor materials are vital for student learning, safety, and the balance between recreation and resource protection.
I'm a professor at a large state research institution. I teach approximately 75 undergraduates every semester in issues of public land management, with a focus on visitor use management and outdoor recreation. For me, public lands serve as outdoor classrooms, and having appropriate access to them is vital for our education. Further, I personally witness the role of outdoor recreation in student learning and development. I see first-hand the importance of access to outdoor spaces for credit-bearing field courses. I teach my students about the need to balance recreation access with stewardship and resource protection. For all of these reasons and more, I support an approach to climbing management that maintains access, which means that artificial bolts and other anchor material is vital to these endeavors. They provide safety and access that is vital to this industry and vital to students' experiences in the outdoors.