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Essential Fontainebleau > Ethics
Ethics & Rules of Play þ
BE RESPECTFUL! The forest of Fontainebleau is a Biosphere Reserve and nature should always come first. Move on if you come across birds nesting, snakes and lizards basking on rocks etc. Try not to go off-piste too often as erosion is becoming a problem on such a sandy soil.
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NO LITTER! Please respect the forest and leave no food litter, finger-tape, brushes, excess chalk, plastic, cigarette butts etc. Take any litter you find away.
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DO NOT SHOUT and howl when you fail or succeed – many other people come to enjoy the solitude of the forest and satisfaction is best savoured to yourself.
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NO DAMAGING ROCK! No chipping of holds – this has been a problem in the past and is absolutely unacceptable. It is important the rock is respected and if a piece of rock simply isn’t climbable to you, just move on. Making it easier by chipping or manufacturing holds will leave you feeling very sorry for yourself.
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USE CHALK SPARINGLY and NO ‘POF’ (resin dust). This is not fashionable and coats the rock with a sticky black goo. To dry holds, a good tip is to use a chalky rag to smack holds. Brush holds before and after use and try not to tick-mark everything to death. Five minutes ‘patrol’ after your session is worth giving back to the forest.
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ETIQUETTE PLEASE! Don’t take photographs or videos of climbers and certainly not for Facebook/Twitter etc. without asking permission. Don’t jump onto problems if people are working them, take your queue on busy circuits, don’t blurt out ‘beta’ unless asked for and don’t crowd out a problem for too long if you are with a group. In other words, give people space and respect. It is all about having a bit of fun as long as it doesn’t get in the way of others doing so as well.
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NO TO HUMAN WASTE. Try and wait till you get home or back to the campsite. If you are caught short deep in the woods, make sure you bury any waste, usually a sandy hole can be dug. There is nothing more unsightly than a pile of crap and/or toilet paper behind any boulder. Other people use the forest and may be exploring.