The BMC and the Mountaineering Councils of Scotland and Ireland are launching a new Access and Conservation Trust ? ACT. The purpose of ACT is to provide a focus for sustainable access to cliffs, mountains and open countryside in order to: Support rural access and conservation projects that protect access and promote sustainability; Educate and raise awareness and understanding of conservation and responsible conduct issues; Research the benefits and impacts of mountain recreation and tourism, and Train and support access volunteers. ACT is based on experience from the successful Access Fund of the BMC. However, ACT will be on a larger scale, cover a broader geographical area and have charitable status-enabling it to receive tax efficient donations. The broader geographical coverage will allow money to be channelled into the areas that are most in need of support, be they in England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland. With greater support and sponsorship ACT will be able to fund larger projects increasing its effectiveness to ensure sustainable use and conservation of our outdoor environment. ACT will be officially launched to the public at the BMC and Entre-prise Festival of Climbing. The launch of ACT will focus on a celebration of the natural environment and the importance of our freedom to enjoy it. During the Festival of Climbing visitors will be invited to draw and write on the ACT freedom mural, recording their vision of the natural environment and its importance to personal freedom. The best contributions to the freedom mural will be announced on the last day of the festival and will form, along with entries to a concurrently running art and photography exhibition, the basis of a book ´Freedom Tomorrow´. ´Freedom Tomorrow´ will be published in the New Year, bringing together the launch of ACT with the United Nations International Year of the Mountains 2002; to highlight the importance of sustainable use of our natural environment for ?Freedom Tomorrow?.
