Peace with falcons and eagle owls: How Palatinate climbers prevent rock closures

Reinhardt: The trigger was the insecticide DDT, which was used in agriculture at the time. This caused the shells of peregrine falcon eggs to become too thin and break during incubation, bringing the bird to near extinction. Bird conservationists in the Palatinate region then wanted climbers to stay away from it. Some militant conservationists jumped out of the forest and said: You have to get out of there, you're not allowed here, and heaven forbid you take a step further. That was a tough, confrontational phase, because when an 8a climber and an 8a bird conservationist meet, there's going to be a clash. So we founded the Climbing and Nature Conservation Working Group – with the nature conservation associations, the German Alpine Club (DAV), the PK (PK), and the lower nature conservation authorities on board.

Reinhardt: Not at all. It was a long journey. When the discussions in the mid- and even late 1990s were still fraught with anger and resentment, both sides put their perspectives on paper to define what was important to protect the falcon. The basic principles of this are still in effect today.

Wilhelm: A lot of it revolves around which rocks are closed and for how long. For example, if a rock is closed in year x, it will also be closed for the breeding season in the following two years. Then, we check again to see if breeding is actually taking place. If not, the rock is usually reopened in April or May. This point alone has helped to mitigate a lot of the situation.

Reinhardt: The number of peregrine falcons, as well as eagle owls and ravens, is increasing in parallel with the number of climbers. This was shown by a study conducted by a very meticulous bird conservationist in our working group in the 2000s. Wilhelm: Meanwhile, the peregrine falcon population is consistently at a good or very good level, and the population of eagle owls and ravens is steadily increasing.

Reinhardt: Only the trendy rocks. Funnily enough, they're rarely slabs, and there are quite a few of them in the Palatinate. (Laughter)

Wilhelm: A lot of work is being done there. For example, monitoring, i.e. checking whether breeding is taking place in the rocks. At least half of that is done by climbers. Climbers also largely take care of the signage for the closed rocks.

Reinhardt: I'm convinced that a large portion of our cliffs would then be closed by default from February to July. The working group is already anticipating a tremendous amount of exploratory work that the nature conservation authority couldn't possibly accomplish. They would otherwise be more likely to implement a blanket solution.

Wilhelm: Several hundred volunteer hours per week. The monitoring alone is immensely time-consuming. We purchased three spotting scopes specifically for this purpose, the first in 2002. We've also been using wildlife cameras for two years. These transmit live images, for example, of martens approaching a nest at night, 30 meters above the ground in slightly overhanging terrain. And to give you a statistic: In February alone, we recorded over 100 observations and comments in our internal database—from climbers. Added to this are the signage along the paths to closed rocks.

Wilhelm: It also gives you something back to observe the animals... Reinhardt: ...and the benefits are so great and lasting that our children also benefit from it.

Reinhardt: Most locals now know how much volunteer work goes into the whole process. We're trying to gain understanding and support through many discussions within the community. Wilhelm: Education is extremely important: Climbing is an outdoor sport; we're guests in nature and protecting beautiful, rare bird species. Anyone who has ever seen an eagle owl at dusk understands this. And it's important to maintain the now very good relationship between climbers and conservationists. Failed individual actions can destroy a lot.

Wilhelm: A lot of things got damaged during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, there are no-entry signs at some parking lots because some people were behaving in a truly outrageous way in the forest. At some point, the forestry department got tired of letting things slide in individual cases. It's also important to note that a large portion of the cliffs are located within the Palatinate Forest Biosphere Reserve—wild camping is prohibited. But for us as the PK to get involved in that as well would be going too far.

Reinhardt: Chalk should only be used when necessary. It would be arrogant to tell a climber with a grade six that they're not allowed to use chalk. It's much more important to fundamentally cultivate the idea of ​​nature conservation. And as a climber, I don't want to leave any traces. And if, for God's sake, I need chalk and then brush it away, no one should mind. If you only chalk in cruxes, the work is also limited.

Reinhardt: As far as I know, the effects on sandstone are primarily visual and tactile. A lot of magnesia clogs the pores in the sandstone, so you sometimes have less grip than if you used or brushed it less. Furthermore, magnesia and possible tick marks make onsight climbing impossible. It's like painting by numbers. A shame. Wilhelm: One shouldn't forget that the rocks in the Palatinate are natural or cultural monuments, and you're not allowed to make any changes there. And if there's a lot of white, even on difficult routes, that doesn't help.

Reinhardt: We did, especially in bouldering areas, for example, on the Haardt River in Bad Dürkheim. Residents and NABU members complained, so the press conference called for action via the nature conservation authority. I then arrived with a 1,000-liter barrel on my pickup truck, and we put on a decent show.

Reinhardt: Opinions differ. Where there are rings in the wall, the rock structure isn't worn away by mobile belay devices. Where there aren't any, you can quickly see traces in the sandstone. In some places, I now need a nine-point wedge where a six-point wedge was sufficient years ago. So you could argue: Put more rings in. Wilhelm: But first ascents are often clean or with only one bolt.

Wilhelm: That's entirely up to the first climber. However, the PK hook material should be used. People can pick it up from us so we can continue to maintain it. It's important that the hook is deep and long, properly seated, and not made of hardware store hooks or constructions screwed in with plastic dowels. Reinhardt: We've also agreed with the Nature Conservation Agency to create a standard so that the rocks have a uniform appearance.

Reinhardt: Also, but it does make a difference whether you use shiny stainless steel in a natural monument or a more muted material like the French eyelets that we also use in renovations.

Reinhardt: Many IG Klettern (Climbing Association) groups only formed when the problem arose. We existed long before, and we were always approachable. We had people, the conservation group had people, people knew each other, and they met at the village festival. Mountain bikers in the Palatinate, on the other hand, weren't organized; they had many more problems in the beginning. Things are better now.

Wilhelm: 99 percent, and we immediately notice the individual cases where that's not the case. Some people then say they didn't know anything, but there are signs at all entrances, including shortcuts, that you can't miss.

Reinhardt: No, but most of those who react like that have had bad experiences. There are even recalcitrant climbers who drive right up to the crag, even when the path is prohibited. And what goes around comes around. Wilhelm: Bouldering is a bit more difficult in the Palatinate, because many areas lie within the core zone of the biosphere reserve, and you're not allowed to leave the paths there. The forestry authorities are somewhat tolerant if the boulder is, say, five meters away, but that requires some communication with the forestry office. It requires a delicate touch if you don't want to put anything at risk, and you have to keep your ego in check.

Reinhardt: Yes, you could say that. In any case, there haven't been any physical altercations for over 20 years (laughs). You could say: the Wild West has calmed down.