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Access article - Magic Wood. 2-Aug-2018 At 6:01:20 PM (removed)

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On 2-Aug-2018 kieranl wrote:
>And here's some research on something like the topic :
>
>Longitudinal variation in environmental impact at
>rock climbing areas in the Red River Gorge limits of
>acceptable change study area, Daniel Boone
>National Forest, Kentucky
>
>Nicholas Walendziak
>Eastern Kentucky University
>
>Tried to paste the link but getting the suspicious input message.
>
>Here's what may be a salient point :
>
>Research suggests that initial low to moderate levels of use generally
>cause most
>of the damage to recreation sites (Marion, 1998; Hammitt & Cole, 1998;
>Cole 2013).
>Furthermore, impacts to recreation sites develop quickly with “near-maximum
>levels of
>impact within the first couple of years and remain relatively consistent
>thereafter [and]
>recovery rates are always slower than deterioration rates” (Cole, 2013,
>p. 88).
>
>

This is significant.

It directly contravenes the view that "more areas = less impact because there's some kind of tolerance before an area gets affected".

Significant because it suggests that adding more areas, whether through better information, or creating and thereby giving people access to more easy / moderate sport climbing (since when was that a right BTW ?) is a road to ruin for the Gramp's.

Very concerning since that is precisely the path we're headed down. It might be better to just accept that areas of heavy use (like Trackside), are permafu(ked and give up.