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From : Michael Lanza <mlanza@velocitus.net> 
Sent : Friday, April 30, 2004 6:41 AM 
To : <mail@boiseclimbers.org> 
Subject : Black Cliffs raptor closures

April 30, 2004 Hello Boise Climbers Alliance members, The Boise Climbers Alliance, working with Idaho Department of Fish and Game, has removed buffer zone signs from all but three climbing areas at the Black Cliffs, freeing all areas but those three (see below) to climbing. There is raptor nesting activity this year at two sites: a golden eagle nest to the right of the Wailing Wall, and a prairie falcon nest at Nixon Head. For now, those areas, as well as Scary Canyon (immediately left of Wailing Wall), remain under voluntary closure to protect the nesting raptors. We are communicating with the Department of Fish and Game about when we can open up Scary Canyon again and will notify everyone on this email list, and remove the buffer zone signs, when that occurs. We're awaiting answers from IDFG about the appropriate buffer zone distance from the nest to the right of the Wailing Wall. Areas not affected (and open to climbing) include: Car Body Canyon (West and East), the Short, Mid, and Tall Cliffs, The Fringe, Populace Wall, Highway Face, and Face Canyon. The BCA works with the Department of Fish and Game every winter and spring, identifying where golden eagles and prairie falcons-two species protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act-have established nests for the season. Buffer zone signs indicating areas under voluntary closure from climbing go up in February, at the start of the nesting season, in places where raptors have historically nested. Then we wait and see whether any nesting occurs through February and March. In any areas where nests are not established by April, those signs come down then. Where nests are established-as, this year, at Nixon Head and Wailing Wall-buffer zone signs remain up until the end of the nesting season, which is the end of June. The BCA asks that climbers voluntarily avoid routes in the vicinity of the buffer-zone signs while those signs remain up. There are also signs at Black Cliffs trailheads explaining the raptor-protection plan. The BCA appreciates the continued cooperation of the majority of climbers using the Black Cliffs. We hope that our actions will not only help encourage future nesting there by golden eagles and prairie falcons, but will head off possible attempts by land managers to curtail climbing at the Black Cliffs. 

Mike Lanza 
Boise Climbers Alliance 433-8652

 

 

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