When the newly popularised Swiss granite bouldering area Cresciano, was banned, it was a dark day for climbers. But it is one thing for a place like Cresciano to be off limits, when there is always the chance that persistent lobbying will one day regain access, quite another to see the area be destroyed in the name of profit. Swiss Granite supplier ´Antonini SA´ is offering to sell the granite boulders, and have them transported to be ´admired´ in such places as airport lounges, hotels, and corporate headquarters. For only 650 Euros (less than 400 pounds, or 570 US Dollars) you can buy one of the boulders, and have your very own bit of Cresciano, and the bouldering will exist only on video. Their website is at: http://www.antonini-graniti.com/default.htm (the counter read 886 hits this morning). Information about the Cresciano boulder ´special offer´ sale is at http://www.antonini-graniti.com/offerte/off_cresciano.txt We think that this is a disgusting act. To strip a natural environment of its features simply to decorate the front of some corporate headquarter or airport lobby is just plain sick. Planet-Climbing.com is sending the following letter to Antonini SA, to draw their attention to the feels of climbers and those who care about the environment.Please join us by cutting and pasting the following letter, and sending it to Antonini SA (antonini@ticino.com), and please send this news story on to anyone who you feel would share our view on this urgent matter. The URL of this story is http://www.planetfear.com/climbing/news/item.html?id=434 ————-CUT——————- Dear Sir,I have learnt of the current sale of granite boulders from Cresciano, Switzerland and would like to register my strong opposition to this sale. The boulders are a natural resource of great importance to climbers, who travel from many countries to visit the area about to be irrevocably destroyed in the name of profit and corporate vanity.I have informed all of my climbing friends of your actions, and I urge you to stop this sale before it is too late. ————-CUT——————-
