Protecting Oak Flat: Tucsonans gather at local climbing gym to spread awareness

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A future of a piece of Arizona land near Superior is on the floor in Congress. Oak Flat in the Tonto National Forest is being considered as a place for a new copper mine. While it would create more jobs in the area, others argue it would cost the land itself and it's a sacred place for the Apache Tribe. Outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists gathered together at a local climbing gym to spread awareness about Oak Flat.

RELATED OAK FLAT COVERAGE

• January, 2021| Battle for Oak Flat: Mining company one step closer to building copper mine on sacred land
• February, 2021| Copper mining company to get access to Oak Flat unless federal judges step in
• March, 2021| Superior mayor, tribal officials spar over bill to stop Oak Flat mine

For the last 10 years, Resolution Copper has worked to get ownership of Oak Flat in order to provide "economic growth, more public lands and a reliable domestic supply of copper".

For rock climbers and outdoor enthusiasts, Oak Flat is a special place. Luke Bertelsen has spent over 20 years climbing outside and in the gym

"I had a group of friends that i got into it with and tucson is a great climbing resource," he said. "It's incredible. You can climb here your entire life and still not see it all."

Bertelsen said he's been climbing in Oak Flat many times.

"You're surrounded by an oak woodland where there are just giant rocks everywhere, unlike other areas in this state," he said.

But the future of the part of Arizona wilderness is uncertain. Nick Henscheid, a climber and board member for the Climbing Association of Southern Arizona, said climbing in the outdoors is important and even a way to help mental health.

"There aren't that many untouched areas in the country where so many different groups can come together," he said. "I think people don't understand that it's a continuing fight for Oak Flat and it's been happening for almost two decades now."

In 2021, Representative Raul Grijalva introduced a bill to permanently protect Oak Flat. At the Send it and Save Oak Flat event, professional rock climber Tommy Caldwell and founder of Natives Outdoors Len Necfer called on Tucsonans to continue calling Arizona's elected officials with their concerns.

"The mine is getting closer to being successful so we all need to rally together," Caldwell said. "We're getting climbers and outdoor community excited and doing what they can but ultimately listening to the tribes interests at the end of the day."