Thanks John! I'm a big fan of Tim Kovar's. I've never met the man, but I use the Tengu saddle primarily, and have admired his work for some time. I imagine time spent with him is very worthwhile. And the Cornell videos are really good. Sounds like you've had some top-notch training. I've never been to any sanctioned events (besides City of Eugene classes), so I just might take you up on that offer one of these days.
I completely agree with you about the legal and responsible path to climbing, and I always want to help maintain a positive public opinion of tree climbers. The truth is, all but twice in my life, I've had overwhelmingly positive interactions with people who want to know what I'm up to. I always stop, smile, and answer their questions, and everyone just either asks how I got the rope in the tree, tells me I'm crazy (with a smile) or wants to know how they can try it.
I searched our city code, and the parks rules and regs, and found absolutely nothing about tree climbing. The police officer only mentioned that the violation had something to do with attaching things to trees. Besides the parts of the code regarding tree felling/removal and other land use type stuff, I only found the two rules I copied and pasted below.
Personally, I think I have every right to climb the trees that I've always climbed. I've decided to very politely ask to be cited for the offense if this happens again. The freedom to climb those trees is important to me, and I think the law is on my side. Since there is no law against climbing in parks in Eugene, it's hard for me to believe I would need this mysterious permit that has no mention in any code or on any website. It might be nice to have some rules on the books, to protect the trees, and challenging it in court could possibly lead to some type of legitimate climbing permit program. I don't think the permit exists (seems like I would have heard of this by now), but I have to wait until Monday to find out. I'm more than willing to admit when I'm wrong, but I'm also not leaving my climbing up to one officer's interpretation of the law. I have a feeling it will be difficult for him to find the violation anywhere in the books once I ask for the ticket, but I guess we'll see.
AMENDMENT OF THE CITY'S PARK AND OPEN SPACE RULES AND REPEAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-15-34-F.
1.040 ENCROACHMENTS. (1) Prohibition. Unless specifically authorized by the City pursuant to a revocable permit, no person may cause or allow an encroachment upon any park property owned by the City of Eugene. ( a) F or purposes of these rules, "encroachment" means an unlawful, unauthorized or unpermitted use of park property including, but not limited to, placing on park property, either temporarily or permanently, a building, structure, garage, shed, fence, deck, driveway, playhouse, tree house, play equipment, lawn furniture, compost/garbage bin, yard waste pile, landscaping (such as trees, shrubs, grasses or forbs), irrigation system, or using park property as a parking space, patio, garden, or storage area. (b) Park encroachments will be permitted by the City only III accordance with these rules.
Eugene City Code- Chapter 4
4.050 Affixing, Displaying, Painting, Etc., Matter to Streets, Trees, Etc. - Prohibition, Responsibility for Costs. (1) No person shall affix or display, or cause to be affixed or displayed, a notice, placard, bill, handbill, card, advertisement or sign on a sidewalk, crosswalk, curb or curb- stone, or a portion or part of a public way or public place, or a public lamp post, electric light, telegraph, telephone pole or railway structure, hydrant, shade tree or tree-box or on the piers, columns, trusses, girders, railings, gates or other parts of a public bridge or viaduct, or other public structure or building, or on a pole, box or fixture of the fire alarm or police telegraph system, except as may be authorized or required by the laws of the United States, State of Oregon, this code or other ordinances.
I don't like this kind of attention at all, and I don't want any trouble. On the other hand, I really don't want to give up being able to climb these trees!
