Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 6 of total 6 in this topic |
Access Fund
climber
Boulder, CO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 27, 2015 - 01:01pm PT
|
It has recently become clear that some members of the climbing community have questions and concerns over the long-term plan for the Holy Boulders in Southern Illinois. We’d like to take this opportunity to provide some background and assure the community that the area will remain open and protected for current and future generations to enjoy.
The Access Fund first got involved with Holy Boulders when, in the summer of 2012, we learned that the former land owners decided to sell their 80-acre farmstead, which included some of the best sandstone boulders in the Midwest. To prevent an indefinite closure, Access Fund invested $305,000 from the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign (AFLCC) revolving loan program to protect this unique boulder field, with the plan of transferring the property to a non-profit organization or public agency for long-term management.
Since the initial acquisition, Access Fund, with extensive support from the climbing community, has raised $84,000 toward the acquisition of this property. The generous contributions that the climbing community has made to date have helped reduce the balance on the loan significantly. We would like to thank everyone for their support of the project.
Unfortunately, the Southern Illinois climbing advocacy community has splintered and is not currently in agreement on the long-term management strategy for the Holy Boulders. This has created a difficult environment for Access Fund to navigate in terms of selecting a suitable long-term owner for Holy Boulders. This is the first time we have had a situation in which two local climbing organizations are interested in holding title to the same property. This situation poses many new challenges. We have learned some hard lessons along the way.
We allowed a situation to develop in which some local climbers were left out of the process. Some people questioned our motivations, as well as the motivations of other local climbers and climbing organizations. To some there was an appearance of impropriety. All of this resulted in us failing to meet one of our overarching goals for the project: to unify the climbing community so that everyone feels a level of ownership and responsibility in our shared success of saving the Holy Boulders. Instead, the project became a game with winners and losers, when in fact we need everyone to feel proud and invested in our shared success in saving the Holy Boulders, no matter who ultimately holds title to the property.
In response to these concerns, the Access Fund has decided to retain ownership of the property for the foreseeable future, most likely through 2015, to further evaluate the best long-term strategy for Holy Boulders. During this time, we will continue our discussions with Illinois Climbers Association and BETA Fund, as well as local climbers to fully evaluate our options.
We hope that the following Holy Boulders FAQ will help provide some clarity on this complex project.
What is the Access Fund trying to achieve at the Holy Boulders?
The Access Fund has three goals for the Holy Boulders project:
1: Ensure the Holy Boulders are protected and conserved for all climbers to enjoy, forever.
2: Identify a qualified entity to hold title to the Holy Boulders, repay the AFLCC loan, and accept responsibility for the long-term stewardship of the property.
3: Unify the climbing community so that everyone feels a level of ownership and responsibility in our shared success of saving the Holy Boulders.
Is the Holy Boulders currently protected?
Yes. The Holy Boulders property is currently owned by the Access Fund, and climbing access is protected.
If Access Fund purchased the Holy Boulders, why all the fundraising in the local community?
The Access Fund purchased the Holy Boulders using $305,000 in funds from the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign (AFLCC). The AFLCC is a revolving loan program, with current assets totaling over 1 million dollars. This money is donor restricted and can only be used to generate short-term loans – it cannot be used to permanently invest in land acquisitions. When a climbing area is at risk and the local community does not have the funds to quickly purchase the area before it is lost, the Access Fund can step in with a short-term loan to purchase the property. This puts immediate protections on the climbing area and buys the local community time to fundraise for the purchase and pay back the AFLCC loan. This revolving loan program is a best-in-class land conservation tool. It is critical that monies are returned so that the Access Fund can reapply the funds to save other threatened climbing areas. We are actively pursuing five additional acquisition projects and have completed 17 projects since the AFLCC was launched in 2009. To date, $663,000 has revolved back into the AFLCC fund from climbing area acquisition projects all over the country, freeing up critical funds for new projects.
I donated to the Holy Boulders acquisition. Where did my money go?
All money donated to Holy Boulders through local and national fundraising efforts has been applied to the balance of the AFLCC loan, as intended. Whether you donated directly through the Access Fund, through a fundraising event, or through one of the Holy Boulders competitions, your donations have gone to Holy Boulders. So far, the community has raised $84,000 to pay down the balance of the loan. Access Fund subdivided and sold two farm lots on the property to pay down another $102,000 of the loan. $119,000 remains before the Holy Boulders are paid off. As donations come in, this balance decreases. Access Fund will incur additional land management expenses such as property taxes and prescribed burn costs, which will also be included in the total fundraising goal for the project.
Why does the Access Fund intend to transfer the Holy Boulders to another owner? Will it remain open to climbing?
The Access Fund has limited resources and capacity for land management across the nation. It is our first priority to support and empower local organizations to protect climbing areas by providing short-term capital and transaction expertise. A local organization is naturally better adept at monitoring and stewarding the climbing area.
In 2012, Access Fund entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Illinois Climbers Association to work together to steward the Holy Boulders and fundraise to begin paying back the AFLCC loan. The agreement acknowledged that the property could be transferred to the US Forest Service, Illinois Climbers Association, another qualified nonprofit, or a private entity subject to a conservation easement.
Regardless of who takes long-term ownership of Holy Boulders, Access Fund will maintain a permanent conservation and recreation easement to back up the local organization’s long-term commitment and ensure that the Holy Boulders will remain open to climbing indefinitely.
Has Holy Boulders already been transferred?
No. We have been in discussions with both BETA Fund and Illinois Climbers Association to formulate a plan that combines the talents and resources of both organizations for the long-term stewardship and ownership of Holy Boulders. Our recent intention had been to transfer the property to the BETA Fund, along with the legal responsibility to repay the outstanding $119,000 loan. Our intention to transfer to the BETA Fund was based on a number of factors, including their 501c3 nonprofit tax status with the IRS, adoption of Land Trust Alliance standards, and fundraising plan. BETA Fund and ICA were both informed of our intentions, and we had been working out the details of a Memorandum of Understanding to outline how both organizations would work together to support the project. We had also drafted a conservation easement, which would have been held by the Access Fund, to ensure that the Holy Boulders remained open to the public no matter who owned the property. While there have been some differences of opinion, it remains our view that all parties (Access Fund, BETA Fund and ICA) have been working with the best interests of climbers and the Holy Boulders in mind.
The Access Fund will retain ownership of the Holy Boulders until further notice, mostly likely through 2015, and we will put mechanisms in place to acquire input from the local community before we identify the long-term owner. Stay tuned.
Why has the Access Fund not previously involved the public in their plans to transfer the Holy Boulders?
It has always been the Access Fund’s clear intent to transfer the Holy Boulders to a suitable local organization or agency for long-term management and protection. This intent was widely publicized when Access Fund purchased the property in October, 2012. Since that time, Access Fund has been working with local leaders on a suitable strategy for long-term ownership.
Since the acquisition of the Holy Boulders in 2012, the Southern Illinois climbing advocacy community has splintered and is not currently in agreement on the long-term management strategy for the Holy Boulders. This has created a challenging environment for Access Fund to navigate. It is Access Fund’s duty to the climbing community to identity a suitable long-term owner for Holy Boulders. However, we clearly underestimated the role that some local climbers who have invested their sweat and dollars into the Holy Boulders wished to play in this decision. We allowed a situation to develop in which some local climbers were left out of the process. Some people questioned our motivations, as well as the motivations of involved local climbers and climbing organizations. To some there was an appearance of impropriety. All of this resulted in us failing to meet one of our overarching goals for the project: to unify the climbing community so that everyone feels a level of ownership and responsibility in our shared success of saving the Holy Boulders. The project became a game with winners and losers, when in fact we need everyone to feel proud and invested in our shared success in saving the Holy Boulders, no matter who ultimately holds title to the property.
In hindsight, much of this could have been avoided by being more communicative and transparent in our decision making process. We sincerely apologize for not creating a more transparent and open process, and we would like to assure the community that no malicious intent or back door deals are (or were) informing our decision making.
How will the Access Fund decide which organization to transfer Holy Boulders to?
The Access Fund is responsible for making the best decision for the long-term management and protection of Holy Boulders. Our primary goal in this land transfer is to ensure that Holy Boulders are protected and accessible for climbing in perpetuity.
The Access Fund has certain requirements in place to protect the local climbing organization and to assure the climbing community that the organization is professional, capable, and structured for longevity. Here are some of the criteria we require for long-term ownership:
 501(c)(3) status and legal eligibility to hold land for conservation purposes
Adoption of Land Trust Alliance standards and practices
A fund for long-term stewardship
Liability insurance for the property
Completed AFLCC loan application and a detailed fundraising plan for loan payback
Proven leadership that can be entrusted with the legacy of climbing access
Support of the local climbing community
All proposals are evaluated by a team of experts on the Access Fund Acquisition and Loan Committee. For real estate exchanges like the Holy Boulders, full Access Fund board review is required. As an entity, Access Fund then makes an informed decision to select an organization that is ready and capable prior to the final transfer.
What’s next?
We are in the process of putting mechanisms in place to acquire input from the local community. Access Fund staff will travel to the Holy Boulders region for meetings with BETA Fund, ICA, and other local climbers. We encourage the participation and input from any and all climbers. Because we do not currently have agreement within the climbing community on the long-term management strategy for the Holy Boulders, it will be difficult to find a solution that will make everyone happy. However, we intend to put a process in place and proceed with more transparency so that most people will at least be able to support our process and actions.
For the foreseeable future, climbers and partner organizations can continue to direct donations to the Access Fund. All Holy Boulders fundraisers and the donations made at www.accessfund.org/holyboulders will directly reduce the balance of the AFLCC loan. For current inquires about stewardship projects, fundraising events, or management decisions, contact the Access Fund.
We ask that the climbing community stay focused on what is most important: working together to keep the Holy Boulders stewarded and protected. Ultimately, we are at our best when we put our differences aside and work towards a unified goal.
If you have any further questions or thoughts you would like to share, don’t hesitate to contact us at brady@accessfund.org.
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
|
|
|
Feb 27, 2015 - 01:17pm PT
|
Thank you AF for the extended outreach to the ST community.
|
|
The Alpine
climber
|
|
|
Feb 27, 2015 - 03:49pm PT
|
thank you
|
|
healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
|
|
|
Feb 27, 2015 - 04:07pm PT
|
Cross-posted from MP:
Brady - great response. Local politics and personalities can be difficult to navigate - and that's certainly NOT unique to Southern Illinois - so I'm glad to see you folks deciding instead on restoring balance and openess to the process. It's for sure the way to go regardless of the eventual outcome. I know it's hard, but hopefully BETA and the ICA will find a way to work out their differences or at least put them aside and focus on what's good of the whole community.
C'est la vie (and on the plus side, at least there are no raptors involved)...
|
|
jds10011
climber
|
|
|
Feb 28, 2015 - 05:27pm PT
|
Things got a little ugly, and there are still a number of things to work out within the local climbing community, it seems, but I hope everyone can take a moment to remember that the Access Fund stepped up when they were needed. They purchased the property and preserved access and stewardship for the Holy Boulders. Yeah, mistakes were made, and not everyone is happy. This is an opportunity for all parties involved to learn - if nothing else, about transparency and openness, and the impact of how things appear, irrespective of 'facts' - and now it's time to hit the 're-boot' button.
The big picture - bigger than egos and 'winners and losers' - is what's in the best interests of the southern Illinois climbing community. It's not necessary to 'like' everyone, but it should be realized and remembered that the impact of actions now will likely last for generations into the future. We hope that climbers care more about the long term than winning a personal stakes argument today.
Good luck to the southern Illinois climbing community; thanks, again, to the Access Fund for purchasing the Holy Boulders and giving the community a great opportunity to make a lasting impact.
|
|
scooter
climber
fist clamp
|
|
|
Feb 28, 2015 - 05:43pm PT
|
Climbers are some of the smartest, toughest, inventive people that I know but those same people can also be the most entitled cry babies I have ever met.
|
|
| Messages 1 - 6 of total 6 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!