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ABP ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION
What: The ABP Annual Convention
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug 1-3, 2008
Why: Formalize the ABP structure; organize for Phase II access operations; jump!
Who: ABP staff, advisory council, allied companies, BLM/NPS officials, and everyone interested in gaining and maintaining fair access to jumpable cliffs on public lands.
As our illustrious executive director outlined last issue, the Alliance of Backcountry Parachutists worked quietly with the National Park Service to rewrite its parachuting policy, which in the following ways advanced the effort to gain and maintain access to jumpable cliffs in its jurisdiction:
*Blanket prohibition is dead;
*Decisions about backcountry parachuting are now back in the hands of individual superintendents, who can now say yea or nay without approval or input from HQ; and
*Parachuting is listed by name as an activity that can be an acceptable park use.
And as Mr. Sapp also mentioned last issue, we're ready for Phase II access efforts:
gaining actual access to one or more NPS units for routine, recurring recreational access based on the backcountry management model.
To accomplish that, however, ABP needs more than a couple of people on computers and telephones; we need a formal organizational structure, a cadre of motivated, focused team players who know how to work with federal agencies; and an active membership committed to supporting Alliance goals.
We therefore invite to our inaugural ABP Convention everyone interested in fair access to jumpable cliffs on public lands
Jumpable NPS units lie mostly within its Intermountain Region – and so does Moab, so we thought it was the perfect place to have our first annual convention. Moab is a 15-year case-in-point that jumpers are responsible backcountry users, it's next to two jumpable national parks and less than 200 miles from four other jumpable units. Plus, we can jump during the meeting day!
Alliance of Backcountry Parachutists1st Annual Convention, August 1-3, 2008, Moab, Utah
Friday, August 1
4pm-9pm: Early Bird Mixer
Location yet to be determined, but probably at the Tombstone parking lot, so people can jump if they want, as well as get acquainted.
Saturday, August 2
6am-11am: Registration and Open Jumping
Registration: Free to all.
Location (registration): Moab Valley Inn
Location: (jumping): Mulitple BLM locations
11am –Noon: Founder's meeting
ABP founder Robin Heid will host a seminar and discussion about the history of NPS-jumper relations, the creation of the ABP, and its achievements to date. Meet the ABP staff and key allies, representatives from BLM and NPS, and sign up to be a Management Plan Coordinator, Research Action Member, and/or Green Card program manager. If you're not an ABP member, you can join at this time. Open to everyone.
Noon-1pm: Official Convention Lunch
Eat great food, meet old friends, make new ones, and get out of the heat! Ice cold a/c guaranteed! Open to everyone who registered.
1pm-4pm: General Membership Meeting
This meeting will: 1) discuss and then ratify organizational by-laws and governance structure;
2) discuss and NPS backcountry management planning process; 3) discuss and refine ABP participation in that process; discuss and outline the ABP Green Card program. Open to everyone
4pm-6pm: ABP Green Card Seminar
ABP Green Card program is all about: knowing how to prepare for and conduct yourself in the backcountry. Learn about wilderness ethics from BLM/NPS representatives and become one of the first jumpers worldwide to earn their ABP Green Card.
Location: Moab Valley Inn
6pm-8pm: Golden Hour and Sunset Jumping
Location: Multiple sites
8pm –whenever: ABP Access Party
Location: TBD
Sunday
10am-noon: ABP Cadre Meeting
Meeting of ABP staff, advisory council, MPCs, RAMs, and GCPMs.
Location: Moab Valley Inn
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