Cliff Conservation Alliance
Preserving cliffscapes
© Canva NFP
The Cliff Conservation Alliance (CCA) was established in August 2023 as an affiliation of individuals dedicated to the conservation and protection of sensitive cliff environments.
About the CCA
Protected natural areas, including parks, forests, and wildlife refuges, have a dual mandate to protect natural resources and accommodate recreational visitation.
Large increases in the number of people participating in cliff-based reactional activities in Queensland are creating environmental challenges.
Activities such as rock climbing involve off-trail activity which poses a greater threat to the protection of vegetation, soils, and wildlife than recreational activities that occur on trails (e.g. hiking).
The CCA provides expert advice, research, and education on the environmental impacts of these activities to increase conservation awareness of cliff environments and promote the protection of sensitive cliff ecologies.
CCA members include rock climbers, bushwalkers, naturalists, educators, conservationists, and researchers.
© Bruce Exton
Our mission
To advocate, protect, and conserve cliff environments.
Our values
Respect, Restraint, Responsibility, Reverence, Integrity.
Our aims
The purpose of the CCA is to:
- advocate the protection, conservation, and appropriate use of cliff environments
- promote cliff conservation on, below, and above the cliffs
- educate the climbing community to value cliffs via respect, restraint responsibility, reverence, and integrity
- engage in activities consistent with the above purposes.
Our activities
Our main activities include:
- providing advice and consultation to land managers to support the preservation needs of sensitive cliff ecologies with the demands of outdoor recreationalists
- educating and influencing recreation users on sustainable and appropriate activities to preserve the environment
- providing assessment surveys and reports
- reporting on environmental concerns
- promoting respect for, and recognition of, Traditional Custodians.
Activities are undertaken in collaboration with land managers, Wildlife Queensland branches, Traditional Custodians, local cliff care groups, and the Australian Climbing Association Queensland.
Please contact us by email if you would like more information about our activities or collaborating with the CCA.
© Bruce Exton
Get involved
Most rock climbers and bushwalkers are committed to the conservation and preservation of cliff environments. After all, this is what draws us to these high places. The CCA will create a community of like-minded people who can share their skills and expertise to conserve cliff environments.
Wildlife Queensland welcomes the Cliff Conservation Alliance (CCA) as a new network under the broad Wildlife Queensland umbrella. The CCA fulfils a knowledge gap in our skillset and will assist in conserving and protecting our natural environment.
Publications & resources
Click the '+' icon at right to open full list of publications and resources.
Please contact the CCA if you can’t access any of these publications.
Heller, M. (2022). Rock Climbing and Conservation in Land Management: Can they Coexist? The University of New Mexico.
Boggess, L. M., Harrison, G. R., & Bishop, G. (2021). Impacts of rock climbing on cliff vegetation: A methods review and best practices. Applied Vegetation Science, 24(2), e12583.
Covy, N., Keeley, W. H., & Benedict, L. (2020). Cliff-Dwelling Bird Species Show Variable Behavioral Responses to Rock Climbing. Natural Areas Journal, 40(3), 245-251.
Covy, N., Keeley, W. H., & Benedict, L. (2020). Cliff-dwelling bird species show variable behavioral responses to rock climbing. Natural Areas Journal, 40(3), 245-251.
Borden, D. S., & Mahamane, S. (2020). Social marketing and outdoor recreational advocacy groups: Lessons from a rock climbing campaign. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 29, 100262.
Ruban, D. A., & Ermolaev, V. A. (2020). Unique geology and climbing: a literature review. Geosciences, 10(7), 259.
Covy, N., Benedict, L., & Keeley, W. H. (2019). Rock climbing activity and physical habitat attributes impact avian community diversity in cliff environments. PLoS One, 14(1), e0209557.
Lorite, J., Serrano, F., Lorenzo, A., Canadas, E. M., Ballesteros, M., & Penas, J. (2017). Rock climbing alters plant species composition, cover, and richness in Mediterranean limestone cliffs. PLoS One, 12(8), e0182414.
Holzschuh, A. (2016). Does rock climbing threaten cliff biodiversity?-A critical review. Biological Conservation, 204, 153-162.
Kulczycki, C. (2014). Place meanings and rock climbing in outdoor settings. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 7-8, 8-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2014.09.005
Clark, P. W. (2012). Cliff ecology: Extent, biota, and recreation of cliff environments in the New River Gorge, WV. West Virginia University.
Vogler, F., & Reisch, C. (2011). Genetic variation on the rocks–the impact of climbing on the population ecology of a typical cliff plant. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48(4), 899-905.
Stuessy, T. L., Harding, J., & Anderson, J. (2009). Environmental ethics of rock climbers in the Adirondacks: A quantitative approach. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 1(1), 6.
Steele, W. (2006). Engaging rock climbers: Creating opportunities for collaborative planning and management in protected areas. Australasian Parks and Leisure, 9(4), 42.
Kuntz, K. L., & Larson, D. W. (2006). Influences of microhabitat constraints and rock‐climbing disturbance on cliff‐face vegetation communities. Conservation biology, 20(3), 821-832.
Cailly, L. (2006). Climbing sites as counter-sites? Essay on neo-community forms and territorialisation processes at work in the practice of rock climbing. Revue de géographie alpine, 94(3), 35-44.
Schuster, R. M., Thompson, J. G., & Hammitt, W. E. (2001). Rock climbers’ attitudes toward management of climbing and the use of bolts. Environmental Management, 28, 403-412.
Larson, D. W., Matthes, U., & Kelly, P. E. (2000). Cliff ecology: Pattern and process in cliff ecosystems. Cambridge University Press Cambridge.
Krajick, K. (1999). Scientists–and climbers–discover cliff ecosystems. Science, 283(5408), 1623-1625.
Jodice, P., Pyke, K., & Davidson, S. (1999). Climbing and cliff ecology. Science, 284(5413), 433-433.
Camp, R. J., & Knight, R. L. (1998). Effects of rock climbing on cliff plant communities at Joshua Tree National Park, California. Conservation Biology, 12(6), 1302-1306.
Latest CCA news
Wildlife Queensland welcomes new network to safeguard precious cliff environments
Wildlife Queensland is proud to announce the establishment of the Cliff Conservation Alliance, a new network dedicated to the conservation and protection of cliff environments.
Contact the CCA
address
Wildlife Queensland
Suite 1, Level 1,
30 Gladstone Road
Highgate Hill, Brisbane, QLD 4101