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On May 14, 2011, the then-director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, had a six-minute encounter with a chambermaid at the Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The brief interaction had momentous consequences. Before, DSK was widely believed to be cruising toward becoming the Socialist Party's candidate to challenge France's vulnerable incumbent president, Nicolas Sarkozy. After, DSK was forced to resign his IMF post and saw his political career go up in smoke, as the Manhattan district attorney brought criminal charges that characterized the hotel incident as a violent sexual assault. The case imploded when prosecutors lost faith in the credibility of the chambermaid, and gradually the case faded from the headlines.
Journalist Edward Jay Epstein doggedly pursued the story, however, and uncovered details that raise questions about the established narratives surrounding the case, and that are bound to be viewed as validation of DSK by his friends and supporters. Epstein's work, published in the New York Review of Books, meticulously reassembles the events of the day, drawing on hotel passcard data, as well as cell phone and video records that mark the comings and goings of DSK and some figures who have not yet been named in the affair. The account adds to the list of inconsistencies plaguing the version of events that the chambermaid and prosecutors initially put forward, and raises suspicions about a number of other players — some within the staff of the Sofitel Hotel and its parent company, others outside of it. Among the evidence that Epstein uncovered is videotape footage of a strange event:
At 1:31 — one hour after [chambermaid Nafissatou] Diallo had first told a supervisor that she had been assaulted by the client in the presidential suite — [Hotel Security Chief] Adrian Branch placed a 911 call to the police. Less than two minutes later, the footage from the two surveillance cameras shows [Hotel Chief Engineer Brian] Yearwood and an unidentified man walking from the security office to an adjacent area. This is the same unidentified man who had accompanied Diallo to the security office at 12:52 PM. There, the two men high-five each other, clap their hands, and do what looks like an extraordinary dance of celebration that lasts for three minutes.
Epstein also finds evidence that DSK was being targeted and that his email had been hacked; according to one source, it was being read by persons connected with Sarkozy's political party. DSK had been warned and was apparently planning to have his iPad and BlackBerry examined to see if their security had been compromised. Before he could do so, the BlackBerry disappeared in DSK's Sofitel suite. Records for the device show that it was disabled using fairly sophisticated procedures at 12:51 that day. DSK's calls and efforts to retrieve the BlackBerry led directly to his being arrested and hauled off an Air France flight that was about to leave for Paris.
Accor Hotels, which operates the Sofitel, responded clumsily to Epstein's disclosures: first by denying the existence of the video, and then by stating that the hotel's engineer and security chief had "categorically denied that their exchange had anything to do" with the DSK affair. But the sequence of events Epstein describes makes that explanation seem rather improbable. Epstein has since demanded that the entire video, which he clearly has viewed, be released.
These developments should be examined carefully by the Manhattan district attorney, because they reveal what may have been an elaborate effort to mislead law-enforcement officials about what happened that night. False police reports are rarely themselves the subject of a prosecution, but this effort involved enormous public attention and, in the end, considerable embarrassment to the prosecutors — perhaps enough to warrant making an exception. Epstein's disclosures don't reach far enough to establish a conspiracy, but they do suggest that the DSK affair has more moving parts than was previously recognized. They also provide reason to pause and express appreciation for the New York Review, which has offered serious investigative journalism where most major U.S. newspapers and broadcast media embarrassed themselves by rushing to conclusions that now appear to have been unwarranted. The Review is reaping the usual reward: while its report has unleashed a political firestorm in France, it is being largely ignored by major American news outlets.
More from Scott Horton:
From the April 2015 issue
Six Questions — October 18, 2014, 8:00 pm
Nathaniel Raymond on CIA interrogation techniques.
No Comment, Six Questions — June 4, 2014, 8:00 am
Mark Denbeaux on the NCIS cover-up of three "suicides" at Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp
Acreage of a Christian nudist colony under development in Florida:
Continuing Care, Inc. (Venice, Fla.)
Florida's wildlife officials decided to remove the manatee, which has a mild taste that readily adapts to recipes for beef, from the state's endangered-species list.
A 64-year-old mother and her 44-year-old son were arrested for running a gang that stole more than $100,000 worth of toothbrushes from Publix, Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS stores in Florida.
Subscribe to the Weekly Review newsletter. Don't worry, we won't sell your email address!
"He could be one of a million beach-bound, black-socked Florida retirees, not the man who, by some odd happenstance of life, possesses the brain of Albert Einstein — literally cut it out of the dead scientist's head."


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday that two Chinese companies are close to relocating to Arkansas following his trade mission to China.
Chinese companies look to Ark. after Beebe trip
The governor returned Monday from a 12-day trip aimed at promoting job growth in Arkansas and exports to China.
Beebe, during his Wednesday press conference, would not name the 11 companies he met with, but mentioned the types of jobs the companies would bring to Arkansas. He said one company is timber-related and interested in southern Arkansas. The other is retail-related and looking at the northwest corner of the state.
"Some we're very optimistic about," Beebe said. "... Some were way so preliminary that it's questionable as to if anything will happen anytime in the near future."
Beebe listed the types of businesses he met with; Alternative energy, automobile parts, IT/Telecommunications, consumer durable goods, consumer soft goods and heavy equipment. The governor traveled to three provinces and met with U.S. and Chinese government officials.
Increasing Arkansas exports primarily focused on retail giant Walmart and meat producer Tyson Foods, Beebe said.
Continue reading this story on the...

subset: commoncrawl


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Here are some mug shots of people who have been arrested in or close to the WPBF 25 News viewing area in 2015. It's important to note that a record of an arrest is not an indication of guilt.
Women make more than men in only nine of the 350 jobs tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here is a list of professions where women do financially better than men.
Come on, you ready to get happy again? The songs "C'mon, Get Happy" and "I Think I Love You" were among the hits spawned from the musical sitcom "The Partridge Family," which ran on ABC from 1970-1974. What are the show's stars up to today?
2011: Country music artist Mel McDaniel, best known for hit songs such as "Louisiana Saturday Night," "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" and "Big Ole Brew," dies of lung cancer at age 68 in Nashville, Tennessee.


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Last month the Bureau of Land Management in Idaho announced their proposal to close up to 600 acres at Massacre Rocks near American Falls. The closure is intended to protect sensitive cultural resources within the Cedar Field Archaeological District and will likely restrict access to several hundred bolt-protected basalt sport climbs.
According to the BLM, while grazing and off highway vehicle (OHV) use has been restricted for several years (although not enforced according to locals), until now climbing has been allowed to proceed unmanaged. The BLM will soon issue a scoping notice to the federal register outlining a 1-2 year process to amend the BLM's existing Resource Management Plan (RMP). This RMP amendment will propose climbing provisions for the recent 500-acre closure of BLM land at Castle Rocks near City of Rocks (note that Castle Rocks State Park remains open to climbing), and propose climbing restrictions for Massacre Rocks. Climbing on BLM lands outside the Archaeological District and on Bureau of Reclamation land adjacent to the Snake River at Massacre Rocks will remain unaffected by the new restrictions. The BLM intends to accept public comment and issue a decision later this summer.
The Access Fund has been working with Idaho climbers in Pocatello, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Boise, Ketchum and elsewhere to develop a plan for mobilizing climbers, requesting additional information from the BLM to justify the closure, and reaching out to Congress urging a more balanced management approach. Recently, local climbers have met at Massacre Rocks with the BLM manager and member of the Shoshone Bannock tribal council to propose alternative management to a closure, but the BLM is determined to ignore best management practices and close the entire 600 acres. Stay tuned to the Access Fund for an action alert with more information on the closure and directions for public comment. For more information, email firstname.lastname@example.com.
On July 1st the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation merged, becoming the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife (DPW). The merger was primarily a cost-saving measure introduced by Governor Hickenlooper. The new DPW Board is currently comprised of the eleven former Division of Wildlife Commissioners and the five former Board Members of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. Under the current DPW Board structure, the former Division of Wildlife Commissioners can dictate the direction of the new DPW Board.
The former Division of Wildlife Commissioners' policies focused on wildlife preservation and prioritized "wildlife oriented recreation," such as hunting and fishing, over all other forms of recreation. Examples of the former Division of Wildlife's bias against "non-wildlife oriented recreation" are found at Dome Rock near Colorado Springs and Rifle Fishing Unit near Rifle Colorado. Rock climbing is, and has been, completely banned at both locations without justification.
The transition plan allows two more opportunities for public input before the DPW Board's new mission and ultimate composition are officially declared. July 29, 2011 was the first deadline for the public to provide input regarding the new DPA. The Access Fund submitted a comment letter addressing climbers' concerns and will continue to be involved throughout the entire process. To get more information, visit the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
The Access Fund is pleased to announce new additions to the Programs Team to further assist the American climbing community with access issues and stewardship projects nationwide. After ten years as Policy Director, Jason Keith is transitioning to half time work for the Access Fund as Senior Policy Advisor and initiating his own LLC, Jason Keith Consulting. With additional support from major donors, the Access Fund is fortunate to retain Jason Keith for the next two years and welcome Robert Dennis ("R.D.") Pascoe to the team as a full-time Policy Analyst. Two other changes also mark the past month for the Access Fund: Zachary Lesch-Huie starts this fall as Affiliate Director, and Jenny Blackmore, previously Office Manager, is heading up new and ongoing stewardship programs as Stewardship Manager.
R.D. Pascoe graduated from Colorado State University in 1997 with a B.A. in Philosophy. He operated his own arboriculture business for several years before attending the University of Wyoming, College of Law, where he practiced criminal law as the Student Director of the Defender Aide Program. After law school, R.D. worked for a large civil litigation firm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 2010, R.D. started a general practice in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a founding member of the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition, he helped re-start the Horsetooth Hang in Ft. Collins. As Jason Keith focuses his efforts on major federal land initiatives and climbing policy, RD will expand on the Access Fund's capacity to tackle local, state, and regional access issues.
Zachary Lesch-Huie, who will start as Affiliate Director this August, is well-versed in outreach and communications due to his work at multiple land conservancies in North Carolina. Zachary will utilize his experience to strengthen the national affiliate network of local climbing organizations and volunteers. As Vice-President of the Carolina Climbers Association, his contributions to climbing access include spearheading the Rumbling Bald boulders acquisition and mobilizing support for greater climbing access in Chimney Rock State Park.
Within the office, Jenny Blackmore has taken on the position of Stewardship Manager. As the point-person for organizers and volunteers, Jenny coordinates all stewardship events and stewardship education programs, including Adopt a Crag and TeamWorks. In partnership with Jeep, Jenny will also oversee the newly launched Conservation Team as they host and attend stewardship and conservation events throughout the nation.
Joe Sambataro, Access Director, will continue to spearhead Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign projects and assist local communities with access issues on private lands. "As the Access Fund celebrates its 20th Anniversary, we are excited to build upon the organization's long history of success while taking critical steps to expand and launch new programs," says Executive Director Brady Robinson. "We are now even better positioned to assist local climbing communities with the challenges and opportunities facing local climbing areas.
The Access Fund, the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment, is excited to announce the Jeep® brand as the title sponsor of the Access Fund's new traveling Conservation Team, with REI, Outdoor Research, and CLIF BAR as the supporting sponsors of the program.
The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team will employ two, full-time conservation/trail building experts who will travel the country in a new 2011 Jeep Patriot to help maintain climbing areas throughout the United States. The team will work with local climbers to address conservation needs and will provide training on planning and stewardship best practices. Look for the team to hit the road later this summer.
This new program will extend the success of the Access Fund's existing Adopt a Crag and TeamWorks stewardship programs that help local climbers around the country take care of the places they play. The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team will provide climbing communities and volunteers with the training and resources they need to address conservation issues before they become dire.
The Access Fund is proud to have additional support from REI, Outdoor Research, and CLIF BAR on this important conservation initiative that will result in healthier climbing areas for everyone to enjoy. REI, Outdoor Research, and CLIF BAR are leaders in the outdoor industry dedicated to protecting the places we play outdoors through stewardship, volunteerism, and education.
Look for the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team at a climbing area or climbing event near you. Stay tuned to www.accessfund.org for upcoming details about this new program, or to schedule a visit in your area.
July 19, 2011. Boulder, CO –The Access Fund, the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment, is excited to announce the release of its new smart phone application.
The free application serves up breaking news in the climbing world—including the latest access news—in one convenient location for smart phone users. The application is available on both the iPhone® and Android® platforms and allows users to browse news feeds from their favorite climbing media outlets, including Alpinist Magazine, Climbing Magazine, Rock & Ice Magazine, Dead Point Magazine, Urban Climber Magazine, the American Alpine Club, and other sources so users are always plugged in to the freshest content in the climbing world.
The applications also allow users to browse the latest in local and national climbing access news from the Access Fund. Optional push notifications allow the Access Fund to notify users when there is a critical access issue that they could help influence through one of the organization's advocacy programs.
The applications are available through the Apple Store and the Android Market. For more information, visit accessfund.org/apps. Comments and feedback may be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com.
The final Master Plan for Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina, which includes the Rumbling Bald area, was released earlier this month, containing revisions to the 2010 draft that better reflect the popularity of climbing in the Park and may allow access to more climbing areas in the future. Take a look at the new Master Plan here. The Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC) played an important role in the development of the revisions, working with the Division of Parks and Recreation to make sure climbers' needs were met.
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released the draft master plan for Chimney Rock State Park in late 2010. The park contains the highly popular Rumbling Bald area, site of an Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign project, as well as numerous other historic and potential climbing resources. The Master Plan, presented by the DENR as "a 100-year vision, 25-year master plan and 5-year action," acts as the blueprint for long-term park management and development, and guides future policy decisions.
The draft Master Plan contained misguided statements about climbing impacts and failed to adequately acknowledge climbers' previous park planning input. There was no discussion of creating a climbing management plan, an effective way to manage climbing and build cooperation between climbers and land managers. In addition, no mention was made of the possibility for future access to many of the desired climbing and bouldering areas.
CCC and the Access Fund immediately co-wrote a letter to N.C. State Parks and members of the N.C. legislature, outlining climbers' criticisms and suggesting specific revisions to the plan. Because of the mutual respect and desire to cooperate that both parties showed, the subsequent in-person meeting between the CCC and state park personnel proved very beneficial. Not only was the need for climber-specific revisions to the park's Master Plan well-received, the long history of cooperation and partnership between climbers and N.C. State Parks was reaffirmed.
Recently released, the final Master Plan is significantly improved, outlining an ongoing cooperative partnership between climbers and the state park, and the possibility of evaluating additional new climbing areas that meet park guidelines. According to the Master Plan, "N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will work with the climbing community to consider opening additional climbing areas through the development of a comprehensive climbing and bouldering management plan."
To learn more about the Carolina Climbers' Coalition, please visit their website.
You can find more information on Chimney Rock State Park, as well as their Master Plan, here.
The Climbing Resource Access Group of Vermont (CRAG-VT) and the Access Fund are pleased to announce that road repairs are now complete at the Bolton Quarry after an unprecedented flood washed out the road on April 26, 2011. A small loan through the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign (AFLCC) will assist with the cost and jumpstart CRAG-VT fundraising efforts to rebuild their financial reserves for ongoing land management and stewardship.
The damaged road is the main access point to three major crags in the Bolton, Vermont area, including Bolton Quarry, 82 Crag, and the recently acquired Carcass Crag. The severe rainstorm completely destroyed the road and blocked off climbing access to the area. To prevent further damage to neighboring lands, CRAG-VT took immediate action in June to restore the road. The cost of repairs nearly exhausted the climbing organization's endowment, leaving them with very little buffer for upcoming taxes and other expenses throughout the year.
CRAG-VT has a strong track record of success in land conservation: in the past eight years, the local climbing organization has successfully protected or assisted in efforts to protect climbing access to six different crags in the Bolton area. Their history of good stewardship and strong local support led the Access Fund to amend AFLCC loan guidelines to allow for "emergency stewardship action," such as flooding, fire, or legal disputes.
The Access Fund realizes that unanticipated events and opportunities may require quick and efficient responses. The amendment to the loan policy will allow the Access Fund to better assist local climbing organizations with time-sensitive projects, especially small loans under $10,000. The emergency loan helps CRAG-VT regain public access and add improvements to reduce the likelihood of future damage, and it puts the organization in a more secure position to cover anticipated and unanticipated expenses. As outlined in national Land Trust Standards and Practices, the Access Fund encourages local climbing organizations to fundraise additional stewardship funds with land conservation projects. CRAG-VT has already initiated online fundraising and plans to repay the loan within one year through fundraising events, some of which will be jointly hosted by the group and the local climbing gym, Petra Cliffs.
About CRAG-VT
Since 1999, CRAG-VT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving access and conservation of Vermont's climbing resources. We serve the climbing community of Vermont through a variety of mechanisms: preserving and aiding in the protection of climbing opportunities in Vermont by building and maintaining long-term relationships with landowners; serving climbers, land managers, landowners, and the general public as an educational resource for responsible climbing, access status, historical information, species and habitat protection, and legal matters; and promoting responsible stewardship and reducing environmental impacts by conducting trail maintenance, volunteer clean-ups, and producing educational materials. For more information, visit www.cragvt.org.
We are pleased to announce that Xcel Energy has awarded the Access Fund $5000 as part of its Environmental Foundation Grants Program. The funds will be used to protect and improve climbing areas at Golden Cliffs Preserve in Golden, CO and Unaweep Canyon, near Grand Junction, CO.
In addition to the on-going maintenance for protecting these areas such as trash removal, toilet upkeep and insurance compliance, Access Fund will apply these funds to organize Adopt a Crag events in collaboration with the Western Colorado Climbers Coalition and the Colorado Mountain Club. Stay tuned for information on these upcoming events as we'll need help from our wonderful volunteers to make the most of these work days where we'll be removing invasive species, reseeding native plants, and removing graffiti at Golden Cliffs. And thanks again to Xcel for their generous support!
Your input needed on Recreation Management Plan for Vulture Peak in Arizona
The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department and the Bureau of Land Management are working together to develop a Recreation Management Plan for the Vulture Mountains. The proposed park includes Vulture Peak, a large rock formation near Wickenberg that has some historical climbing routes, dating back to 1967, with Bill Sewrey and Larry Treiber's ascent up the middle of the East Face. Vulture Peak has several long multi-pitch and aid routes, climbing types that are in short supply in Central Arizona.
The Parks and Recreation Department is requesting input from the public on the Management Plan. Currently, there are four proposed levels of development. None of these options, however, include rock climbing as an approved activity in the park. Maricopa County is getting close to finalizing the park plan: four stakeholder meetings and three public meetings have already been held to collect feedback, and the final public meeting to review the proposed options will take place Tuesday, June 28, in Wickenburg, Maricopa County, Arizona. We need your help to urge the County and BLM to allow climbing access to Vulture Peak.
For those unable to attend the local meetings, there is an online survey where potential park users can voice their opinions on the direction development should take, as well as what recreational activities should be allowed.
Vulture Peak is a raptor nesting site, which may present a potential roadblock to approval of climbing in the park. A possible solution is to restrict climbing during prime nesting months. Let the Parks and Recreation Department know that you would fully respect and abide by any seasonal closures. Demonstrating good stewardship increases the likelihood of incorporating climbing into the Management Plan.
Act now by taking the online survey, and voice your desire to allow climbing access to Vulture Peak!
On May 24th, Roadside, a popular crag in the Red River Gorge, was closed to public access until further notice. Landowners are concerned about climber impacts and activities at the well-travelled climbing area. The Access Fund is actively working with the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition to address these concerns and help make Roadside a sustainable climbing area for years to come. It is a privilege to climb on private land; please respect the closure and stay tuned for future updates.
The 80-acre Graining Fork Nature Preserve, commonly known as Roadside, was purchased in 2004 by two climbers, Grant Stephens and John Haight, to protect the property from an impending development. The private landowners extended their gracious act of land conservation by keeping the property open to climbing. Yet, with our increasing numbers, climbers have an impact on the places we climb. Social trails, human waste, litter, and eroded staging areas are not just the landowner's problem; they are our responsibilities too.
In addition to impacts on the ground, our behavior plays a critical role in keeping climbing areas open. We all love the freedom of hiking an unknown trail, ascending a new line, and spending a day crag-side with our closest friends. Yet, we share the crag with dozens of fellow climbers on any given day, as well as those climbers that came before us and the future generations to come. Staying on established trails, keeping a low profile, and packing it out are just a few ways to protect access. Climbing access is everybody's responsibility. We ask you to educate others kindly if their actions may be negatively impacting the environment or access to the area. To learn more about how to tread lightly to protect climbing access, visit: http://www.accessfund.org/treadlightly
In May, Access Fund policy director Jason Keith met in San Francisco and Yosemite Valley with new Yosemite Superintendent Don Neubacher and stakeholders interested in Yosemite National Park matters. Up for discussion were three upcoming management plans that could impact climbing access and camping (including the iconic Camp 4) in Yosemite Valley, the lower Merced River Gorge, and Tuolumne Meadows. Half Dome permits, various conservation projects park wide, transportation planning, and many other issues were also on the table. Of primary concern to climbers is the Merced Wild and Scenic River Plan (MRP), with preliminary plan alternatives slated for release this summer. This plan will design and implement carrying capacity policies for the Valley that protect the Merced river.
In addition, Yosemite National Park will soon ask for public comments to a wilderness stewardship plan. This plan is significant for climbers because everything above 4000 feet is federally-protected wilderness. Currently climbing in the park is mostly governed by Yosemite's specific regulations which currently outline climber-friendly policies for fixed ropes, human waste, and bivouacs. This new Yosemite-wide wilderness plan would likely implement the National Park Service's new policy on wilderness fixed anchors (Director's Order #41) and may also provide direction related to climbing access trails, staging areas, parking, and camping. See the access Fund's position statement here. We'll be asking for your comments soon!
The Access Fund also met with Yosemite National Park biologist Sarah Stock, who oversees the park's progressive wildlife management program, in consultation with climbing rangers, to limit the scope of climbing closures. Look for a story in an upcoming Vertical Times illustrating Sarah's successful work in Yosemite that has resulted in successful nesting and climbing access.
The Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Plan (TRP) will also develop a user capacity program to protect river values within ½ mile of the Tuolumne River. The TRP will also consider commercial use and the High Sierra Camp. Look for a draft plan this July and final plan by next summer. While not much climbing access will be affected in the TRP—most Tuolumne climbing is outside ½-mile management corridor—and much of the roadside parking for approach trails between the Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake will be addressed in the upcoming wilderness plan, this TRP will likely make changes to camping, Tuolumne Meadows facilities, parking, and transportation options. Yosemite planners are keeping the needs of climbers in mind as they plan to address parking locations along the road that climbers use to access many of Tuolumne's classic multi-pitch granite domes.
Yosemite's park staff has done an excellent job presenting the public with the many complicated issues and implications in these plans on their website. The Access Fund continues our multi-year partnership with Yosemite National Park and others stakeholders to craft appropriate policies for climbing access, approach and descent trails, conservation projects, camping, parking, and transportation options.
The National Park Service (NPS) has begun the general management planning process for the City of Rocks National Reserve. Of particular interest to climbers is whether the NPS will reconsider the controversial closure of the Twin Sisters formation.
As an interim phase to the planning process, the NPS recently issued some preliminary alternatives for its General Management Plan (GMP), and is accepting public comments. These alternatives will become more defined when the draft GMP is released in 2012, so this comment phase is perhaps the best opportunity for the public to shape the plan alternatives, including those favorable to climbing and conservation, before planners become invested in their management scenarios.
This planning process is likely to be the last opportunity that the climbing community will have for the next 20 years to advocate for Twin Sisters climbing access. While park planners for the City of Rocks might revisit this Twin Sisters restriction in an ongoing unrelated climbing plan, the NPS has told the Access Fund and Congress that this general management planning process is where the Twin Sisters climbing restriction will be re-evaluated.
In the past, the Access Fund has asked for obvious compromises for Twin Sisters such as allowing climbing only during the months when historic pioneer wagons didn't travel through the area (and contemporary history devotees rarely visit), but cultural resource managers at the NPS have consistently rejected even the most limited climbing opportunities at Twin Sisters.
The Access Fund is working with our network of climbing activists in Idaho to generate individual comments, as well as a sign-on letter that we will circulate before the June 1 comment deadline. Stay tuned to Access Fund e-news for your opportunity to influence this process!
For more history on this issue, see here and here.
The Access Fund is pleased to announce that it has completed an economic study which shows that more than 87,000 Arizona jobs and $371 million in state tax revenues are supported by "human-powered recreation" such as climbing, hiking, mountain biking and camping.
The Access Fund was awarded a grant in 2010 to demonstrate the economic value of the human-powered recreation community in Arizona to encourage policy decisions supporting conservation and low-impact recreation on public lands. The Access Fund worked with an Arizona-based economist to study, document, and quantify the economic production of these activities from cradle to the grave. The scope of this study measured the total economic value these activities and associated industries bring to Arizona, including gear manufacturing, retail sales, travel, trade shows, and local businesses catering to recreational tourists (gas stations, food and beverage, camping and accommodations, retail establishments, etc.). Although this initial effort focused exclusively on Arizona, the Access Fund hopes to replicate this study in other states to demonstrate the value climbers bring as an economic force.
The report from two Arizona economists, both Arizona State University alumni, shows that legislative efforts to cut funding for public lands management and land conservation, which support human-powered recreation, could put greater pressure on Arizona's hospitality industry and rural areas, which both depend on outdoor adventurers.
"Outdoor recreation is critical to Arizona's hospitality and tourism economy," said Diane Brossart, president of Valley Forward Association, a 42-year old environmental public interest organization that counts many of Arizona's largest corporations, small businesses and government agencies as members. "Our elected leaders must understand that Arizona's recreation areas do more than fuel healthy lifestyles – they fuel our economy. Cutting our investment in state and national lands puts the brakes on any economic recovery here in Arizona."
Specifically, the study shows:
• 38 percent of human-powered recreation outings result in an overnight stay.
• Human-powered recreation produces $5.3 billion in annual retail sales in Arizona and generates nearly $371 million in state tax revenue.
• Spending on human-powered recreation activities is responsible for 12 percent of Arizona's total retail economy.
• Human-powered recreation directly supports nearly 87,000 Arizona jobs, and indirectly supports another 100,000 jobs.
"We know that climbers, hikers, bikers and boaters leave an important economic impact on the local economy, but we wanted to be able to quantify that impact as much as possible," said Brady Robinson, executive director of the Access Fund.
Will Cobb, who heads the Northern Arizona Climbers Coalition, regularly sees the impact of outdoor recreation on local economies. "When someone takes their family or friends to a national park or recreation area in Arizona, they stay at local hotels, eat at local restaurants, and spend money with local gas stations and retailers—to say nothing of the money they spend with tourism and outfitting businesses," he said.
Several legislative efforts to cut public lands funding at the state and federal level threaten Arizona's tourism industry, but none more directly than potential cuts to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Some in Congress aim to drastically cut the 40-year-old Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides for local communities to use federal resources to preserve outdoor recreation areas for climbing, hiking, fishing, biking and other outdoor activities. LWCF uses no federal discretionary dollars and is deficit-neutral; the LWCF has been funded entirely by oil and gas royalties since its implementation. Cuts to LWCF would not reduce the federal deficit, but would be damaging to Arizona's tourism industry.
The LWCF helps fund state projects submitted and suggested by the State of Arizona, relying on "local control" for development and implementation plans. Specifically, the LWCF includes several current and upcoming projects:
• The 2011 federal budget includes more than $13 million for six Arizona recreation projects, including the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument and the Petrified Forest National Park.
• The 2012 federal budget includes nearly $8 million for Arizona projects including Shield Ranch and the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
• Past LWCF projects include the Phoenix Metro Area Bikeway Development, bicycle trail developments in Flagstaff, the Scottsdale City Bikeways, the Tempe Sports Complex, the Municipal Golf Course in Casa Grande and Prescott City Park.
On the heels of the release of this new economic study, Arizona's small business owners—many of whom rely on human-powered recreation—are asking Arizona's elected officials to protect tourism-related jobs. To obtain a copy of the full report, click here.
"This report shows that preserving hiking and biking opportunities supports tourism jobs, which is a key part of an economic recovery in Arizona. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to help dig Arizona out of this hole and get our economy moving again. That means keeping our lands open and beautiful," says Matt Brown, founder of outdoor travel company Rubicon Outdoors in Prescott, Arizona.
"Congress can get a lot wrong – but here it has an opportunity to do something right," says Richard Fernandez, owner of Pesto Brothers Italian Restaurant in Flagstaff, Arizona. "The Land and Water Conservation Fund is on the chopping block, but it shouldn't be. This is a common-sense initiative that requires no tax revenue, yet the programs it funds are important tourism drivers that bring people into my restaurant. Protecting Arizona's tourism economy should be a no-brainer."
Access Fund's Executive Director Brady Robinson today testified before the House Appropriations Committee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, asking for adequate funding for the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to ensure sufficient access for Americans to parks and public lands. The hearing considered spending priorities for the FY 2012 budget.
"Americans should have access to public lands—from community playgrounds to Yosemite National Park—for recreational activities," testified Robinson. "What's more, this outdoor access supports a growing $730 billion industry—representing more than 6.6 million jobs and more than $88 billion in annual tax revenue. This isn't just about saving the environment. It's about saving private sector and small town jobs."
The Access Fund's testimony supports a common sense budget approach that will adequately fund Departments of Interior and Agriculture, focusing on activities that are essential to providing public recreation access to high quality public lands and waters.
Robinson said: "Our experience shows that adequate funding for federal land managers is required to support the access and enjoyment of the cherished public lands and rivers they manage…. indiscriminate budget cuts to these agencies would mean less access to and conservation of our public land."
In his testimony, Robinson illustrated cases, such as for rock climbers, in which public access suffers when federal land managers have inadequate funding: "The Red River Gorge in Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest contains one of the largest concentrations of high quality rock in the United States and attracts visitors from around the world, yet the Forest Service doesn't have the resources to balance all of its obligations and still provide for the proper management of these world class climbing opportunities." In such scenarios, local economies suffer.
In addition to representing the Access Fund, the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment, Robinson testified for the Outdoor Alliance, a coalition of hiking, climbing, paddling, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing groups that work to ensure the conservation and stewardship of our nation's land and waters through the promotion of sustainable, human-powered recreation on our nation's public lands and waters.
The Access Fund's testimony highlighted priorities for funding public land access and conservation for our national parks, forests, and bureau of land management areas. Robinson underscored that the Outdoor Alliance groups have extensive experience working with federal land managers across the country concerning recreation and conservation policies.
The Access Fund and Outdoor Alliance testimony also provided funding recommendations for National Park Service recreation management, US Forest Service roads and trails maintenance, the Bureau of Land Management's National Landscape Conservation System, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and Wild and Scenic River protection, among other things.
Like most Americans, you've surely heard about the looming threat of a government shutdown, which could take place tomorrow. But what does it mean for climbers?
Well, all 394 National Parks across the country would close at 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning. Parks that have actual hours just won't reopen. At parks where people camp, gates will be closed, and recreational users will not be permitted to enter. Those people who are already in the park will be given 24 hours to leave. Large parks that contain public roads will be passable, but all gates and visitor centers will be locked and closed. Most park employees will not report to work. Law enforcement will remain to protect parks and the public.
Accordingly, every climber will be required to leave Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Shenandoah, Acadia, Grand Teton, Devils Tower, Arches, Canyonlands, Black Canyon, New River Gorge, Zion, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, City of Rocks, etc. However Rocky Mountain National Park may be an exception – see here. For a full list of National Parks, visit the NPS webiste. Sadly, local economies will lose out on approximately $32 million a day, as the National Park Service has approximately 805,000 visitors per day in April.
Also, National Forest System recreation sites and ranger stations across the U.S. that require a Forest Service employee to stay open will close. Some Forest Service law enforcement officers will still be working. Recreation areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management will also technically be closed, although most of these areas require no entrance fees or don't have much law enforcement. Those BLM locations that have an entrance gate, like Red Rocks, will close.
A good summary of the implications of a government shutdown can be found here.
The Access Fund is excited to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Conservation Alliance to secure permanent public access to and long-term conservation of Jailhouse Rock climbing area near Sonora, California.
The Access Fund and local climbers began working with the landowners in August of last year when they learned that future access to this popular climbing area was at risk by a quickly approaching subdivision. It became clear that the Access Fund needed to launch a fundraising campaign to secure permanent access and conservation of the cliff line – the Unlock Jailhouse campaign was launched in November of last year. The Conservation Alliance grant brings a successful end to this fundraising effort.
Thanks to support from the climbing community and the Conservation Alliance, the Access Fund exceeded its fundraising goal, with $75,000 raised to secure a permanent access and conservation easement to the property. The funds will also allow the Access Fund and local volunteers to improve facilities and access, and create a long-term stewardship fund for the property.
The existing parking area and access trail will remain open for the immediate future. The Access Fund will be working with local climbers and the landowners this summer to install a new gate, parking area, trailhead, and toilet facilities, at which point the old access route will be restored to natural conditions and closed. Stay tuned for updated access information, including the code and important conditions of access, www.accessfund.org/jailhouse.
The Access Fund would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the Conservation Alliance and all of the individual donors and companies who generously opened their wallets to make this climbing access and conservation victory possible.
In the first round of the Climbing Preservation Grant Program for 2011, the Access Fund awarded over $18,000 to support local climbing activism and conservation of the climbing environment. Presented two times annually, the Climbing Preservation Grant program provides financial assistance to the grassroots network and land managers across the United States. During this first round of grants, the Access Fund is supporting seven worthy projects.
Western Colorado Climbers Coalition – Mothers Buttress Driveway, Kiosk, and Parking Lot
A grant was awarded to Western Colorado Climbers Coalition (WCCC) for the construction of a driveway, parking lot, kiosk, and trailhead at the Mothers Buttress in Unaweep Canyon in Colorado. This project follows up WCC's acquisition of the wall in partnership with a local landowner in 2009. The Colorado Department of Transportation is requiring off-road parking for public access. Once completed, the Mothers Buttress lot will be the second public access point for climbers in Unaweep Canyon.
Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition – Helping Hands of Hueco Tanks Clean Up
Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition was awarded a grant to cover costs of the recent Helping Hands of Hueco Tanks Clean Up, including permitting with the State agency, promotional materials, brushes, and spray bottles to remove chalk. Hueco Tanks is a sensitive climbing area that requires regular support and climber stewardship to maintain climbing access for future generations.
Idyllwild Climber's Alliance – Adopt a Crag and Climber Festival
A grant was awarded to Idyllwild Climber's Alliance to go toward an Adopt a Crag and Climber Festival at the historic Tahquitz and Suicide climbing area in Southern California. The organization has successfully partnered with San Bernadino National Forest on an annual Adopt a Crag event, and will use the grant money to expand outreach in the area and attract more climbers and recreational users to volunteer at this event by incorporating a barbecue to thank volunteers.
US Forest Service – Bulo Point Parking and Turnaround
US Forest Service has received a grant, in collaboration with local climbers, to go toward construction of a much-needed parking area and turnaround at the Bulo Point climbing area in Mt. Hood National Forest. In 2008 and 2009, local climbers and the Access Fund convinced the Forest Service to keep the road to this area open when it was slated for decommissioning. Plans were made to construct a turnaround and parking area at the trailhead but cost estimates by the Forest Service were prohibitive. A new design and budget were recently calculated and the Access Fund grant, along with pro bono services from the local climbing community, will allow the Forest Service to move forward.
Rocky Mountain Field Institute – Garden of the Gods Central Recreation Trails Project
A grant was awarded to Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) for extensive trail work at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The project will restore this high-use area by constructing 2,550 feet of new trail, reconstructing 2,100 feet of damaged trail, and rehabilitating 3,500 feet of undesignated social trails. Garden of the Gods is a highly impacted multi-use area that needs extensive stewardship work to meet demands of public access. RMFI has partnered with Access Fund in the past on successful trail work projects at Shelf Road, Crestone Needle, Castleton Tower, and Indian Creek and their standard of work is one of the best examples in the country.
Dishman Hills Natural Area Association – Big Rock Trailhead Parking
Dishman Hills Natural Area Association (DHNAA) was awarded a grant for road improvement and parking construction to access their 80-acre Big Rock parcel outside of Spokane, Washington. DHNAA is under contract to purchase 5-10 acres for a public parking area and turnaround for Big Rock access, which is expected to close in May. Some members of the public have been accessing Big Rock from this point already, causing some issues and requiring immediate action to establish legal access and parking.
Central Oregon Rocks – Community Outreach
A grant was awarded to Central Oregon Rocks (COR) to help with community outreach and promotion of their local climbing organization through materials such as banners and brochures. Formed in 2006, COR is taking an active role in addressing access issues and organizing clean-ups. COR is looking to expand their support and visibility with the local climbing community, partners, and land managers.
The 11th anniversary of Adopt a Crag was another great year with over 4,300 volunteers and 32,000 hours of work to improve and steward crags around the country. Since its inception in 1999, Adopt a Crag has been the largest climbing community volunteer initiative throughout the nation. Adopt a Crag events show land managers and the public that climbers take care of the places they climb. These stewardship efforts not only conserve our climbing areas, but also strengthen the reputation of the entire climbing community.
Each year, the Access Fund and its sponsors honor those organizers who went above and beyond. We are excited to present the 2010 Adopt a Crag awards to a deserving group of volunteers. We want to thank everyone who hosted or participated in an Adopt a Crag this year—it starts on the ground with your commitment and dedication to make this program a success.
Adopt a Crag of the Year Award – New River Alliance of Climbers
REI and the Access Fund are proud to present the 2010 Adopt a Crag of the Year Award to the New River Alliance of Climbers (NRAC) for their incredible work year after year stewarding the expansive network of crags and trails in the New River Gorge. Of special note is their multi-week effort in August and September to clean up and rebuild the approach to Junk Yard Crag. The name says it all—in previous decades climbers had to scramble down a garbage dump to reach the popular crag. Now, fifty volunteer days later, NRAC and local volunteers have cleaned up the area and constructed a set of stairs dubbed The Great Wall of Junkyard. "The goal here was to build something that we'll never need to revisit," says trail guru and NRAC President Gene Kistler. See photos of their accomplishments at www.newriverclimbing.net/local-updates/50-junkyard-trail-riser-project.
Conservation Award – Greg Sievers and Rocky Mountain National Park
CLIF Bar and the Access Fund are honored to present the 2010 Conservation Award to Greg Sievers for his long-standing leadership organizing the Annual Lumpy Trail Day. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the event, and Rocky Mountain National Park led a dedicated group of 60 volunteers to complete 413 volunteer hours of work. Over the last decade, the partnership has provided over 560 participants and 4,400 hours of service work at Lumpy Ridge. Volunteer trail crews are known to complete hard physical labor, but it all paid off this year with the improvement of over 500 vertical feet of approach trails that will withstand the test of time. We thank all the supporting organizations of this great event: American Alpine Club, Leave No Trace, Colorado Mountain School, and all the sponsoring companies for their donations.
Stewardship Award – Will Buckman and Devils Tower National Monument
REI, CLIF Bar, and the Access Fund are proud to present the 2010 Stewardship Award to Will Buckman and Devils Tower National Monument for their dedication in preserving this incredible formation in Northeastern Wyoming. Devils Tower sees over 400,000 visitors annually, and of these visitors, approximately 5,000 come to climb the tower. In 2010, trail crews restored approach trails to popular staging areas and routes along the base of the tower. We thank all the organizers and supporters, including the Devils Tower Natural History Association for hosting a thank-you barbecue for the volunteers.
A League of Their Own Award – Ken Yager and the Yosemite Climbing Association
We are once again honored to present the 2010 League of Their Own Award to Ken Yager and the Yosemite Climbing Association for the 7th Annual Yosemite Facelift. The event was an incredible success, with 1,001 volunteers who dedicated 17,000 volunteer hours to collect trash across 160 miles of roadway, 100 miles of trails, and 20 miles of river corridors. Of the 172,000lbs of trash, 80% was recycled. The Yosemite Facelift is an inspiration to the climbing community and a testament to land managers that climbers are stewards of our climbing resources nationwide.
The Access Fund · P.O. Box 17010 · Boulder, Colorado 80308 · 303.545.6772 · 303.545.6774 (Fax)
Copyright © 1995-2013 Access Fund. All rights reserved.


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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies By Mirch Masala Seattle Subscribe 12/21/14 07:52 It is amazing how some things that you love, you pass it along to your children. Especially, when it comes to food. I don't know if it is because you make those things more often because you like them or there is something else in the gene pool that gets... Add to my recipe book
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You are always welcome here at this site, where you can find the best ringtones for your smart phone. Today we have a ringtone of "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby as well as 255 other ringtones by Bing Crosby. "Winter Wonderland" is a gorgeous track from the "Christmas Classics" album that was composed by Bing Crosby at their label together with other 15 tracks. You can listen to all 4 Bing Crosby – "Winter Wonderland" ringtone variations available here and download it for free to your hard drive. You can also look at other 12 albums produced by Bing Crosby for all time. "Winter Wonderland" is referred to Jazz, and Audiko offer a huge amount of Jazz ringtones absolutely for free. And finally, we have collected lyrics for this track and you can view it here as well. So feel free to browse, listen, download ringtones at Audiko.net. Make your phone sound cool!
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Broads Forum 7 October 2010 Agenda Item No 9 Broads Authority Peat Project Report by Conservation Officer and Head of Conservation Summary: This report sets out the ever increasing value of peatlands for wildlife conservation and climate change mitigation. It highlights the fundamental role of the Broads peat resource in supporting and conserving key habitats and species, as well as providing additional services as a greenhouse gas store. In addition the report represents the key role the Authority has undertaken to set out the framework for understanding and restoring degraded peat habitats in the Broads, feeding into national peat studies and raising awareness through local school peat projects. 1 Background 1.1 Globally peatlands form only 3% of the land area yet contribute 30% to the global soil carbon. These peatlands are capable of storing double that stored in the global forest biomass. 1.2 Peatlands are England's most important carbon store. The Broads when under good wetland management enhance wetland ecosystems and biodiversity which in turn retains significant stores of carbon. If degraded, by poor management practice such as drainage or intensive agricultural management, the potential of this type of lowland peat to release CO 2 is significant. Natural England reports that England's degraded lowland fens could release between 2.8 and 5.8 million tonnes of CO2 each year, resulting in them acting as a net source of emissions, even after accounting for sequestration from forestry. (Natural England - Browse Catalogue: Climate Change). 1.3 An ecosystems approach has valued carbon stored in the Broads wetland to be over £240,000 per year. (Broads Restoration - Broads Authority - see Lake Restoration Strategy and Ecosystem Services Appendix 6). 2 Framework for Peat Work in the Broads 2.1 Given the value of mitigating environmental damage through storage of CO 2 the Broads Authority is currently working within the following framework: A. Keep the peat resource in good condition o understand where the peat is and what its quality is. B. Add to the existing peat resource o wetland creation and enhancement projects; o advice to land managers. EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 1 of 9 BF071010 C. Raise awareness of the importance and value of peat o Develop information for schools; o Develop information for land managers. 3 Broads Carbon Landscape: Delivery Stages: 3.1 What do we know: Collating existing evidence 3.1.1 Collating historical peat studies and peat core records in the Broads. 3.1.2 Undertaking peat surveys at selected sites in the Ant, Thurne, Bure and Waveney valleys. 3.1.3 Reporting on survey findings and proposing site recommendations for appropriate management of peat soils. 3.1.4 GIS mapping of existing and present day peat cores detailing depth and peat types. This will provide a more detailed peat map for the Broads, feeding into national studies on peat quality, extent and carbon storage. 3.2 Implementing actions: Land Management Projects 3.2.1 Undertaking Broads restoration projects with key partners to restore peat soils and wildlife habitats such as those currently being undertaken at South Fen, Oulton Marshes, Hickling and Brograve. 3.3 Sharing the knowledge: Provision of management and advice 3.3.1 Providing practical advice to willing landowners on the appropriate management of peat soils. 3.3.2 Undertaking appropriate management of important peat habitats at How Hill NNR. 3.4 Collecting evidence and educating: School Peat Project 'For Peat Sake' 3.4.1 Establishing a schools peat project 'For Peat Sake' in the Broads. The project will enable local schools to visit and undertake practical peat studies at key fen sites. The children can understand firsthand the role peat played in the formation of the Broads, its value for wildlife conservation and climate change mitigation. Appendices: APPENDIX 1 – Extract from Broads Authority Peat Resource Contract 2010 EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 2 of 9 BF071010 APPENDIX 1 Extract from Broads Authority Peat Resource Contract 2010 4. CONCLUSIONS 4.1 Summary of peat conditions The survey of peat bodies located within the 16 land parcels demonstrated the variability of peat conditions at sites within the Ant, Bure, Thurne and Waveney valleys. Areas of peat were found to be in good conditions in each valley, but some parts of peat bodies, most noticeably adjacent to arterial drains and watercourses, were assessed to be in poor condition. The survey demonstrates the need for site scale assessments of the condition of Broadland peats, and provides a useful means by which to inform landowners and agri-environment advisors of the potential for peat restoration, and reasonable targets for success. Table 8 gives a summary of the condition of the peat body in each surveyed land parcel. In several cases, the peat body shows differing condition features in different parts of the land parcel, which are graded accordingly. The comments in Table 8 summarise the location or issues governing the stated condition of the peat. At a number of sites, such as the Waveney survey area north of the railway line at Covehall Farm, North Cove, the peat remains in good condition, with hemic peats that retain visible plant remains close to the surface. Groundwater flows near the surface are also present in some valley margin peats, such as at Dilham Hall, Dilham and the southern margins of the Manor House Farm, Ingham survey area. However, it is noted that none of the surveyed sites contained examples of peats in 'Excellent' condition. This is to be expected as such peats are largely restricted to undrained areas of the main valley floors. Notwithstanding, peat bodies are also assessed to be in fair, or even poor, condition. These typically result from the exclusion of groundwater upper layers by lowering of water levels in the surrounding drains or watercourses. Where low watertables are long-standing, and particularly where arable cultivation has taken place, the peat topsoil may have lost its cohesive character and be very prone to compaction or wind erosion. This peat can be difficult to distinguish from mineral soil and is said to be fully 'earthy'. Such topsoils do not absorb water, and tend to revert to an unmanageable slurry when wet. Peats next to main drains or rivers typically exhibit signs of degradation at depth, where fluctuating water levels allow the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into sub- surface peats leading to the progressive breakdown of the organic materials and migration of sulphur and iron-bearing solutions. EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 3 of 9 BF071010 Away from arterial drainage, watertables may still be lower than optimal conditions for peat preservation. The surveys were undertaken in late winter and early spring, and on many sites, even those reverted to grassland, the watertable was more than 30 cm below the ground surface. These sub-optimal levels are likely to drop during the growing season, leaving great thicknesses of the surface peats vulnerable to degradation. 4.2 Options for management 4.2.1 Target conditions It is possible to specify three broadly defined target conditions relating to carbon storage. In some situations, a reasonable target is to minimise carbon loss, by reducing erosion of the degraded surface peats and by minimising the time that sub- surface peats are exposed to biochemical breakdown. Targets can also be set for re-instating a neutral carbon balance, or creating a positive carbon balance. In these cases, land management practices are restricted and may be dependent upon isolating sites from the surrounding drainage systems. Target 1. Minimising carbon loss Once the processes of peat degradation are initiated, they cannot be reversed. Revegetating and rewetting peats will not improve the condition of the existing peat, much of which is thousands of years old. In common with drained regions throughout lowland Europe, the top layer of 'earthy' peat forms the current upper surface of a peat body that may have been raised much higher in the past, but has been completely degraded and lost by erosion, or been extracted for fuel. The boundary of the base of this layer with the less decomposed hemic peat beneath is largely determined by the height of the watertable. Target 1a. Reducing loss of the surface 'earthy' peats Clearly, a primary target is to minimise the loss of the degraded surface peat. As the peat dries out it is prone to wind or water erosion, and its loss lowers the ground surface thus encouraging deeper drainage. Typically, as is the case on all survey areas, loss of carbon from the degraded surface peats is reduced by putting fields down to grass. This acts both to bind the 'earthy' peat, reducing wind and water erosion, and also to stimulate the development of carbon-fixing bacteria. Target 1b. Preserving the subsoil peats If the existing boundary between the 'earthy' and hemic peat shows the general state of the peat body's hydrology, the presumption is that the longer the height of the watertable remains above this boundary, the less degradation of the 'good' peat. The target is therefore to maintain the watertable height above the hemic peat subsoil for as much of the year as is possible. In the field, some peat bodies show a marked black 'gritty' layer where the watertable has been lowered into the upper part of the hemic peat by enhanced drainage (see Table 4). Where the watertable has recently been raised, this gritty layer is preserved as a 'marker' showing the zone of degraded peat. EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 4 of 9 BF071010 When the watertable lies within the 'earthy' peat layer, the rate of oxidation of the peat is also reduced. However, the trafficability of the peat is then frequently poor, and plant growth is affected. It is therefore unlikely that arable cultivation, with its associated deep drainage, will be able to accommodate subsoil peat preservation. Target 2. Re-instating a neutral carbon balance In situations where year-round watertables have been maintained near the ground surface, there may be only a thin earthy layer (less than 10 cm thick). The peat body is otherwise in good condition. Here, groundwater flows may rise up to near the surface and, with rainfall, may act to preserve sufficient dead plant material each year to make up for the breakdown of peat during the growing season. Similar amounts of carbon are being assimilated into the soil to match losses by oxidation. The target is therefore to maintain the watertable within 10 cm of the ground surface all year round. This target is attainable within sites where fields are isolated from arterial drains and watercourses, and where groundwater flows are still functioning. Such areas often retain low-intensity summer grazing, and are typically associated with rough shooting and fen meadows. Target 3. Creating a positive carbon balance Positive carbon balances tend to be restricted to two types of location: Where the watertable within areas of the valley floor is within 10 cm of the ground surface all year round, but is frequently above the ground level for extended periods. Usually, such sites have long been recognised as of little value to agriculture, and have histories as wet woodland or reed fen. Where groundwater can be maintained at these high levels, the accumulation of organic matter can exceed peat breakdown year-on-year, leading to peat growth. On the margins of the peat body, especially where peat is known to have formed in the past, positive carbon storage can be established on mineral soils by establishing permanent grassland. Although carbon levels may initially be low, compared to peatland, a body of scientific evidence is developing that demonstrates the significance of mineral soils in acting as a carbon store. 4.2.2 Importance of grassland reversion in carbon storage There has been considerable recent interest in the role of biologically active grassland soils in sequestering atmospheric carbon. Recent research undertaken by Professor Mark Adams, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Sydney University (Cawood, 2009), indicated that one hectare of pasture land could sequester as much methane as emitted by around 162 head of cattle in an entire year. This is due to the activity of methanotrophic bacteria in biologically active soil, which utilise methane as their sole energy source (Dunfield, 2007). Soil methanotrophs have the opposite function to methanogens, the bacteria that produce methane in order to prevent acidosis in the rumen. Methane emitted from livestock has a very short cycle, that is, it is generally recycled rather than moving to the upper atmosphere. Appropriately managed rotationally EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 5 of 9 BF071010 grazed perennial grasslands, where atmospheric carbon is sequestered in soil as stable humus, result in more carbon sequestered than emitted, easily compensating for the methane produced by livestock. A recent report by FAO (Neely et al., 2009) asserts that grasslands have vast untapped potential to mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing CO 2. New research is being carried out by scientists from the Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, to work out how much carbon is being stored in UK grasslands and find out if it could potentially store even more. The DEFRA funded study is intended to improve understanding of how grassland can be managed to protect carbon stored in soil, while performing other key roles such as biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of viable agricultural production. 4.2.3 Management opportunities The principal mechanism by which landowners can re-wet peat bodies and their skirt soils and establish permanent grassland is through Natural England's Environmental Stewardship programme. Key considerations include: Raising the watertable to achieve one of the targets specified in section 4.2.1 requires control over the quantify and quality of water. In many cases, this control is only partial and may affect or be affected by, surrounding landowners. Limits to water control by individual landowners are frequently affected by the duties and arrangements undertaken by the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Boards. Re-wetting peatlands has a number of potential effects on the balance of greenhouse gas storage and release. Recent research is reviewed in Natural England (2010). Where peatlands are in good condition they tend to support, or may potentially support, valuable types of vegetation, such as BAP Habitats, or assemblages of other biotic groups. Such sites may be worthy of local biodiversity designations or be prioritised for funding assistance. In developing opportunities to manage the peat resource, The Broads Authority has a key role to play in working with landowners, farm environment advisors and land management organisations. In particular, the Authority's Broad Peat Resource project may develop its role in: EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 6 of 9 BF071010 Providing an assessment of the characterics of the peat resource, and identifying peat bodies that may hold potential for restoration through agri- environment schemes undertaken by land managers and administered by Natural England. Providing a framework within which opportunities to restore peat bodies under more than one ownership can be assessed, and by which common issues relating to water control affecting several land parcels can be explored. Promoting positive management of peat soils, by identifying and developing opportunities for sustainable forms of peatland management, including concepts such as 'carbon credits'. Table 3. General field characters of geological materials Material Field characters Peat Peat is defined by the British Geological Survey (BGS) as partially decomposed masses of semi-carbonized vegetation which has grown under waterlogged, anaerobic conditions. The general locations of peat bodies are mapped by BGS within the Broads river floodplains, and are typically degrading as a result of drainage, leading to a reduction in extent and changes in their character. Field evidence for these changes is described in Table 4. Silty clay This material is typically grey, varying from light to dark according to their degree of oxidation and chemical composition. This fine, alluvial material is found either within or below peats in the survey areas or as a mantling layer in the River Waveney survey area. Clay loam Clay loam is found within the valley floors as a surficial material overlying clay alluvium or peat. It may be derived by the development of soils in floodplain clay alluvium following drainage and cultivation or more locally as hillwash or stream wash materials near valley floor margins. Silty loam Silty loam topsoils are often developed by marked and long-term drainage and cultivation of peat topsoils. As fen peats develop, they accumulate silts and fine sands blown onto them; the oxidation of peat topsoils by drainage tends to concentrate these deposits and the topsoil becomes increasingly composed of mineral rather than organic materials. Sandy loam This is a typical substrate on valley slopes, derived from sandy sediments that have accumulated finer particles, often by wind deposition. The material may also occur overlying peats near the valley margin, or form accumulations within the valley sediments following hillwash. Silt Silt sediments are water-borne mineral deposits that have typically accumulated in floodplain situations where water flow has slowed. They tends to be composed largely of similar-sized particles (fine, medium and coarse) and are commonly found at the base of floodplain peat bodies. EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 7 of 9 BF071010 Sand Like silts, sand layers are separated into fine, medium and coarse grades according to their typical grain size. Sands are similar to silts in their mode of deposition, but are found in deposition environments formerly characterised by higher water energy. In the survey areas, beds of sands are typically located beneath the peat bodies; coarse sand was frequently regarded as the 'basement' of this survey. In natural fen situations, the height above Ordnance Datum of the peat surface will be in direct relation to the seasonal height of the groundwater table. In theory, a balance is achieved between the addition of dead plant remains and their rate of decomposition and/or preservation as peat. Unless raised bog development is initiated using rainwater, rather than groundwater to preserve plant remains, the upper surface of the peat will consist of freshly added plant litter overlying fibric and hemic peat layers, as defined in Table 4. Table 4. Terms used to describe peat condition Fibric This type of peat is typically composed of visible fragments of fen peat mosses, plants and pieces of wood suspended in a straw-coloured liquid. Rarely encountered in the survey and only at depth. Its presence indicates part of the peat body that has remained virtually anaerobic since its formation. Hemic This type of peat has been partially decomposed so that much of the peat softer plant remains are no longer more than 'fossil' traces left in a watery mid-brown paste that also suspends fragments of wood and other harder plant remains.In this survey, hemic peat was initially recognised by its colour. Secondary forms of recognition are by squeezing a sample (confirming a watery paste) and by locating plant fragments. Woody In many cases, the hemic peat was largely derived from the remains of inclusions fen woodlands. Where wood fragments occurred within hemic peat in a core, this was recorded. Liquid Many cores, encountering hemic peat, recorded a sudden change in peat consistency as the semi-solid hemic peat became a mid-brown coloured 'slop'. This liquid peat indicates the build-up of groundwater within the peat body. Although the auger cannot retrieve this watery material, it was usually possible to locate the mineral surface below it. Earthy Found above the hemic peat, and usually forming the ground surface of peat the peat body, earthy peat is the very dark brown to black-coloured form of peat exposed to the atmosphere. Called 'earthy' peat to signify the ripening, or maturing, of the peat near the ground surface, the material is dust-like when dry. As the dust cannot return to the gel-like consistency when wet, it typically ponds rainwater after a shower. Moisture held in the peat topsoils therefore becomes increasingly different from the groundwater. In fen peats, this is reflected in the vegetation that develops. For example, Hard rush Juncus inflexus tends to colonise drains side influenced by calcareous groundwater while soft rush J. effusus colonises the normal ground surface, reflecting the influence of the more acidic rainwater. Silty loam The topsoils of several drained peats in the survey areas can be defined EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 8 of 9 BF071010 as silty loams.Here, oxidation and dispersal of the organic matter has increased the proportion of silt and fine sand particles either entrained during peat formation or subsequently blown in from surrounding mineral soils. The development of this kind of peat topsoil may be hastened by cultivation, as this increases the loss of organic matter by oxidation, or simply be a feature of the original peat-forming environment. Gritty This distinctive material is associated with fluctuating watertable levels in peat drained peatlands. It is caused by the effects of the periodic wetting and drying on the chemistry of that part of the peat body defined by the high and low watertable levels. Typically, gritty peat marks the boundary between earthy and hemic peat layers in susceptible types of peat. The material indeed has a granular texture, and is dark grey to black in colour, depending on the chemistry of the type of peat in which it forms, and the intensity and duration of the process. Once formed, a layer of gritty peat will remain even if changes in watertable level means that it is no longer subject to wetting and drying. Sapric Sapric is a generic term to describe well-decomposed peats where peat fibrous plant remains are no longer evident. The peat surveys identified several bodies of sapric peat, which is very dark grey in colour, beneath hemic peat. The locations of sapric peat in this situation are probably correlated with the drawdown zones of fluctuating waterbodies. These include drains linked to rivers and to rivers themselves. At the time of survey, these peats were beneath the watertable but were readily extracted by the auger as they were relatively dense in structure. It is possible they have shrunk during low flow periods, and have failed to re- wet and attain their original volume. Sapric Within hemic peat bodies, pockets of sapric peat were found at some elements sites within the arisings of cores. EM/RG/Rpt Item 9 Page 9 of 9 BF071010
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There is discontent brewing in the tranquil waters of The Close, Salisbury. For some time before his death, Sir Edward Heath let it be known that he would leave his beautiful house there, Arundells, to a trust. In due course, Arundells would be opened to the public as a museum to his own life and work. The day is fast approaching. Mr James Elder, a former secretary to the great man, confided in hushed tones that "it will be as Sir Edward left it - that was his wish." It will open, he hoped, in July.
Not everyone, however, is very keen on the prospect. The Close Preservation society disapproves of the building being turned over to non-residential use, perhaps envisaging crowds of Sir Edward's admirers arriving in hired coaches to shatter the peace. Perhaps they hadn't read the details of the proposed museum's highlights. They include two vases given to Sir Edward by Chairman Mao, two portraits of Churchill and, oh, ever so many other things.
Sir Edward Heath was a great one for "letting it be known" and beginning letters "My attention has recently been drawn" - translations, "going about telling people" and "I've just read". He was not known for a lack of a sense of his own achievement. Even so, one could not have predicted that he would seriously think it worthwhile leaving a museum commemorating himself to the nation. I can console members of the Close Preservation Society; their tranquillity will surely go undisturbed by mobs of Heathite fanatics.
Heath forged links with Mao, and will be remembered as the prime minister who took Britain into Europe, but otherwise ran a fairly disastrous administration from 1970 to 1974. He instigated one of the most catastrophic policy U-turns in history, and allowed his government to collapse in shame and disgrace. He was legendarily rude in person, ended his career in a three-decade sulk, was almost always wrong about everything, and lost three out of the four general elections he contested. One might think the record was one to inspire a posthumous silence.
What he must have been thinking about, however, was the habit of American presidents of endowing presidential libraries after they step down. The libraries, often with a reverential museum attached, contain the president's papers and can be useful centres of research, or not much visited. Every American president since Roosevelt has done this, even Nixon, although his papers are in the national archives for obvious reasons.
That has never been the British practice. Official papers go automatically into the national archives, eventually to be opened to the public. Hardly any prime ministers have ever been commemorated by a site of pilgrimage, or by anything resembling a museum. You can visit Gladstone's house - I believe it contains an important library of theology. Many visitors pay their homage to Churchill's Chartwell. But there is no Wilson Centre or Macmillan Library, and nobody has ever thought there ought to be. I don't know where you could go to pay your respects even to so great a prime minister as Attlee.
The exception, as to so many things, is Lady Thatcher, who did, in imperious fashion, set up a Thatcher Foundation in the 1990s. It started strongly, but donations had all but dried up by the end of the decade. It shut its doors in 2005, only to start up again a year later in the more commemorative atmosphere of America. In any case, it was always more of an office than a museum. She donated her personal papers to Churchill College, Cambridge - pointedly snubbing Oxford after they refused her an honorary degree. Talk of preserving her birthplace in Grantham has always been mocked into the ground.
Could it possibly be, however, that the creation of the Thatcher Foundation worked away at Heath's mind? For 30 years, he could hardly bring himself to speak to her; the story goes that when she offered him a post in the Shadow Cabinet in 1975, he refused in two words, "Shan't", and "Won't". If that bloody woman, he may have thought, can have some stupid foundation, why can't I have my own museum, devoted to me, lovely me?
One of the attractive things about British public life is that all but the very greatest individual careers tend not to finish in a mood of hushed celebration and the recollection of spotlit triumphs, but to dribble away in argument, reassessment, rethinking and even sustained mockery. Both Wilson's and Thatcher's legacies lie chiefly in the continuing argument, pursued through ministerial memoirs at first, and subsequently the spats of historians and analysts.
With his much-reported concern for the judgement of history, it seems all too likely that Tony Blair, when he goes, will want to set up a presidential-style foundation, or even some sort of research centre. I doubt it will really be necessary, however. With really significant figures like these, the argument takes decades to finish, if it ever does - we are still arguing about Gladstone, after all.
The idea of the Heath museum is terribly funny, of course, but it has its tragic side, too. The Heath museum, with its photographs of Mao and yachts and conductors' batons and "two portraits of Churchill", is being set up in place of what a prime minister's legacy ought to be, an ongoing debate. The truth is that we all stopped talking about Heath years ago. We know what we think by now.
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