As the popularity of climbing skyrockets, this raises concerns for how climbing outdoor will be affected. Many climbers start their progression in the gym, then they start outdoor climbing later on. Since earlier forms of climbing required hardware and equipment, recreational managers try to set regulations on climbing outdoors to minimize the natural environment for native plants and animals near the crag. From experience, if someone's not educated on the proper etiquette for climbing outdoors, it can cause a lot of harm to the natural environment. In fact, many new climbers are not aware of the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, so their behavior in climbing outdoors doesn't align well with preserving the natural aspect of climbing outdoors.
Schwartz et al. (2019) conducted a survey study on climbers' bouldering ethics from transitioning from indoor climbing to outdoor climbing. Their results showed that 67% of the respondents learned how to climb indoors and that most were less knowledgeable of LNT and proper climbing etiquette. In addition, they responded and said LNT regulations hinder their climbing experience and are time-consuming.
It is concerning for experienced climbers and rec managers because this can lead to environmental complications at the crag with new climbers transitioning to outdoor climbing. For example, overcrowding at crags can lead to irregular migration of native animals, vegetation loss of native plants, and the changing microbiome of rock formation.
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