Hammocking and slacklining are beloved pastimes shared by many students at MSU. Unfortunately, it has recently come to surface that these activities are banned on our campus because "the potential for tree damage from [these] activities...could occur from the mounting straps girdling the limbs or tree and also from branch breakage," as written in a handout given to students participating in these activities by university employees. Hammocking and slackling fall under University ordinance 24.01 (http://trustees.msu.edu/ordinances/ordinances_sec24.html).

While it is possible to damage a tree by participating in these activities in a irresponsible manner, it is it is also possible to take precautions so that the trees are left unscathed. Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, a non-profit organization that focuses on educating people on their recreational impact, has information on their website about responsible hammocking. (https://lnt.org/blog/responsible-hammocking-eno-hammocks) These principles also generally apply to slacklining.

There are a few options to solve this issue.

If the university stands by its assertion, perhaps it could make available the empirical data that demonstrates that these activities are actually destructive.

In the event that no such empirical data exists, perhaps the university could designate an area where hammocking/slacklining is allowed and observe the effect over time.

A third option, which would be most ideal, is for the university to work together with the students to amend the ordinance that bans these activities, to educate university employees and students of what precautions can be taken to responsibly participate in these activities, and enforce a rule that promotes responsible hammocking/slacklining.

The MSU Hammocking Club is more than willing to work with the university to create an opportunity for students to safely and responsibly enjoy the beautiful campus we have.