Statement of Environmental Values and Principles

Photo: © Suzan Chamney

As Canada’s national mountain organization, the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) promotes mountaineering1 while being committed to conservation of mountain environments2.  As ACC members we recognize that access to the mountains obligates us to understand and protect these unique environments.  To this end, we, ACC members, are guided by the following environmental values and principles of action.

Our Values   

Leadership:  We believe that we must act as stewards of the integrity of mountain environments and seek the knowledge and understanding required to do so effectively and responsibly.

Responsibility:  We believe that we are accountable for our impacts on the mountain environments we travel through.

Human Development:  We believe that access to mountain environments is essential to the full development of the human spirit, and that such access should not be unduly constrained, except where it is essential for the protection of these environments.

Sustainability:  We believe that future generations should have access to similar experiences and personal challenges as those we seek in the mountains, and that we have an obligation to protect their interests. 

Culture:  We believe that communities and cultures that live within mountain environments deserve our understanding and respect.

Our Principles of Action

• We will act to ensure that our activities in the mountains are carried out in accordance with our values.  We will utilize “leave no trace” practices.  We will act on our individual and collective responsibility to ensure that this standard of practice is met.
• We will act as stewards of the mountains, seeking to reduce human impacts that threaten the integrity and sustainability of mountain environments. 
• We will act to increase our knowledge and understanding of mountain environments, and our impacts upon them, so as to inform and guide our mountain practices and stewardship efforts.

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