Following the launch of its Minimal Impact Mountaineering Advice earlier this year, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is planning a series of training events to take place in 2011.
At the time of the launch of the advice, known as MIMA, the MCofS said, “Scottish access rights are a balance of having statutory rights of access to land and exercising those rights in a responsible manner. MIMA provides detailed information on a wide range of topics that hill walkers, climbers, ski tourers, instructors and other leaders can refer to in order to gain a better understanding of the practical steps they can take to exercise their access rights in an environmentally responsible manner, and to help pass on that knowledge to other people.”
MIMA contains sections on erosion minimisation, nesting birds, dogs, camping, winter climbing, sanitation, beyond Scotland’s borders, and more. The text was been widely consulted upon and is available here.
MCofS President Chris Townsend said: “Scottish Access Rights depend on us being responsible, but it is not always very clear what that actually means. A visit to the MCofS website to read through the advice contained in MIMA should provide anyone who goes out into the Scottish mountains with a better understanding of what they should be doing in order to have minimal impact on the environment.”
MCofS Access and Conservation Officer Hebe Carus said: “I receive regular requests asking where to find information about what mountaineers should actually be doing in practice. Providing directions to the relevant advice had become more and more difficult as the information sources became increasingly dispersed. So, the answer is a one-stop-shop for advice relevant to all mountaineering activities. MIMA is a source of essential advice, and directs the reader to more detailed information on various topics.”
The MCofS is now hoping to run a series of hill days providing training on the MIMA theme. If you are interested in attending such an event please contact the Access and Conservation Officer, Hebe Carus, on hebe@mcofs.org.uk or visit the MCofS website.