Warrant Article 33 Proposes Drastic Measures
Vote smart on Warrant Article 33!
Your vote will impact the land for future generations.
Let’s preserve these historic cliffs and work together to problem solve.
Don’t destroy.
On March 14th, residents of the Town of Woodstock will gather for their annual town meeting to vote on the 2023 Warrant. This year, the Woodstock Conservation Committee (WCC) has added Warrant Article 33 in order to poll residents about the future use of a beautiful area of public land called Merriam Woods.
A bit of background
Merriam Woods was gifted to the Town in 1980, through the generosity of the Merriam family. While most of Merriam Woods is rolling hills and forest, the southeast corner consists of steep cliffs, which rock climbers have been scaling since at least the 1950s.
Obscurity protected this land in the past. Now that it is more popular, action is needed to protect the cliffs from overuse.
Due to social media and the growing popularity of recreational climbing, more and more climbers began to visit the cliffs, alarming neighboring landowners and the WCC. Local climbers were also concerned about increased usage, recognizing that a management plan for climbing is now needed to establish guidelines for responsible use of the area.
Framing the Debate
The climbing community is ready and waiting to work with the WCC to organize messaging to climbers, coordinate with town services, and limit usage. However, some residents and committee members feel that climbers were unforgivably disrespectful of town land, that safety bolts have no place here, and that the town should set an example by destroying all safety bolts.
There are intelligent voices on both sides of this argument; however, voters should know that chopping bolts is an agressive, divisive action that will destroy the history of climbing here and the potential of future climbing forever.
Warrant Article 33 is designed to poll town residents about whether power tools should be used to chop off the climbers' safety bolts. Chopping the bolts would punish climbers for installing new bolts without permission and, in the eyes of those who wish the bolts destroyed, overstepping their rights as users of public land.
Get the facts.
Since at least the 1960’s, outdoor adventurers have explored Merriam cliffs and installed permanent anchors into the rock. Modern climbers replaced outdated pitons and installed hundreds of additional small, modern bolts.
Climbers failed to ask permission from the town before installing bolts in town land. Climbers assumed that adding bolts was acceptable because of the many pre-existing bolts already in place. Also, climbers were unaware that the WCC manages the area. Climbers have apologized sincerely for their oversight.
Climbers upheld a voluntary cliff closure during peregrine nesting season and worked with the audubon society.
Climbers intentionally routed footpaths around native flora and spring ephemerals.
Upon learning of the town’s concerns about bolts in fall of 2022, climbers instituted a complete voluntary climbing closure and reached out to the WCC in a spirit of partnership to develop guidelines to responsibly manage the area.
What would the Merriam Family have wanted?
There are better ways to solve this problem!
Education and partnership are the solution to responsible outdoor recreation.
The cliffs at Merriam woods are a beautiful, irreplaceable resource for future generations. Hundreds of climbers, many of them local residents, have reached out to say thank you for the privilege of climbing here, pledging to take care of it and to listen to guidelines from the WCC.
The Merriam Family gave this land to the town for us to cherish. Please preserve this area for future generations!
Vote to continue safe climbing at merriam woods!