Now in its second year, the Access Fund’s Climbing Stewardship Training Series brought skills training to local volunteers and land managers across the country. The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team provided intensive training to 112 volunteers and land managers on sustainable trail construction and maintenance, as well as planning and executing large-scale stewardship initiatives.





Access Fund Conservation Specialists brought training to volunteers in the Black Hills, SD; New River Gorge, WV; Salt Lake City, UT; Steele, AL; Denny Cove, TN; and Yosemite, CA.

“The Stewardship Training Series is a critical component of our effort to support stewardship at climbing areas across the country,” says Mike Morin, Access Fund Conservation Specialist. “These trainings expand the knowledge base of local volunteers and help strengthen partnerships between local climbing organizations and land managers.”

Access Fund offered a mix of 3-day workshops and single-day clinics to engage volunteers and land managers in classroom presentations, discussions, and hands-on field sessions designed to build skills and awareness on topics such as launching large scale stewardship initiatives, trail layout, tread construction, and stone work. The enthusiastic participation by land managers and volunteers made for rich discussions and planted seeds for future collaboration.

Access Fund will continue this Stewardship Training Series into 2017. Locations will be announced in the spring.