The importance of connecting with climbers

CBC understands that when there are requests to share information, there is subsequent skepticism about how such information may be used. To increase climber trust in CBC, we think it is important to talk directly with climbers. To that end, we have visited climbing gyms, hosted bat outings, and hosted interactive discussions with climbers. Here is where we’ve been…

October 2019 – Shelf Road Cragging Classic, Canon City, Colorado
We hosted a booth to share the CBC project and interact with climbers

October 2019 – Red River Gorge, Natural Bridges State Park, Kentucky.
We hosted a workshop among climbers, bat biologists, and natural resource managers, discussing the value of bats, the value of climber observations, and how to partner to conserve bats. We also did some climbing and had pizza with climbers at Miguel’s.

August 2019 – Leave-No-Trace Rendezvous, Earth Treks Climbing Gym, Englewood, CO
We hosted a booth at the Rendezvous and even put up small bat-information placards along climbs, where climbers could learn more about bats in the area

July 2019 – International Climbing Festival, Lander, Wyoming
We hosted a booth to talk with climbers, share the project, and encourage climber observations

July 2019 – Devil’s Tower National Monument, Wyoming
We visited with climbers at the Coffed with Climbers booth and talked with climbers who were climbing in the area

July 2019 – Tensleep Climbing Festival, Tensleep, Wyoming
We hosted a booth to talk with climbers, share the project, and encourage climber observations

June 2019 – Asana Climbing Gym, Garden City, Idaho
We visited the climbing gym, set up a booth, and chatted with climbers about the project

June 2019 – The Front Climbing Gym, Salt Lake City, Utah
We hosted a booth and spoke with climbers about CBC

May 2019 – Earth Treks Climbing Gym, Englewood, Colorado
We hosted a booth to talk about bat conservation and climbing during one of Earth Trek’s May Mayhem festival.

April 2019 – Partners in the Outdoors Conference, Breckenridge, Colorado
We gave a talk with Natural Resources Ecology Lab’s Greg Newman about citizen science and CBC

April 2019 – Western Bat Working Group Meeting, Tulsa, Oklahoma
We hosted a booth to talk with bat biologists about the collaboration between climbers and biologists

February 2019 – Banff Film Festival, Fort Collins, Colorado
We hosted a booth in the lobby of Colorado State University Theatre to talk about CBC and share the project with climbers

December 2018 – Jax Sporting Goods, Fort Collins, Colorado
We gave an evening talk about bats, conservation, and CBC

November 2018 – Reel Rock Film Festival, Rapid City, South Dakota
We hosted a booth at the Black Hills Climbers’ Coalition’s showing of Reel Rock 13 at the Elks Theater

July 2018 – NOCO Block Party, Ascent Climbing Studio, Fort Collins, Colorado
We hosted a booth to highlight the new Explorers for Bats film and talk about bats and conservation

June 2018 – Bat outing at Devil’s Head, Pike/San Isabel National Forest
With Colorado Parks and Wildlife and US Forest Service, CBC hosted a bat outing to capture and show bats to climbers