I’m honored to announce that Rick Harrison has joined the Alliance of Backcountry Parachutists as its general counsel. Many of you know of Rick’s parachuting accomplishments and his determined stewardship of the U.S. BASE Association and the numbers it issues. Others of youhave had the privilege and joy of jumping with him. But because Rick kept his “realjob” kinda quiet during the last 30 years, only a few of you know what else he bringsto the access effort table. So let me start at the beginning. Rick Harrison made his first skydive in 1972 and became an expert D licensed skydivinginstructor in 1973. He instructed skydiving through the University of Iowa Physical Education Department in the mid 1970's where he also earned his Bachelor of Arts along with a Phi Beta Kappa in Political Science. Rick also attended University of Iowa law school and earned his Juris Doctorate with honors in 1975.

Rick's first backcountry parachute jump was in 1982 and he has been an active participant and supporter of the sport ever since. He has been the Executive Director of the U.S. BASE Association for the last 15 years and with his wife Joy still administers the USBA numbering system. His BASE qualifying number is BASE 38 and he also holds NightBASE 13.

Rick's legal career has been working for the United States Government as an attorney in real estate and environmental law. As a lawyer and manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, he was a key member of a Headquarters task force to author the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 which changed the way Civil Works Projects, such as navigation, flood control and environmental restoration, would be conducted.

Most of Rick's Federal land acquisition efforts were on behalf of the National Park Service where he helped acquire over 85,000 acres for the Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas and 575,000 acres for the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida.

In 1987, Rick was appointed by the United States Attorney General as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. As a Federal trial attorney, Rick became an instructor for the Department of Justice in trial advocacy, real estate and environmental law. He became a main litigation attorney for the Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office and helped lead a team of lawyers and scientists in the successful 1988 lawsuit by the U.S. against two Florida agencies for failing to control the pollution from large sugar cane farms which was slowly destroying Everglades National Park. The case set new nutrient standards for water delivery to the Everglades – and it was the only time the U.S. ever filed suit to protect its National Parks from pollution sources emanating from outside park boundaries. The precedent-setting nature of the case led U.S. News and World Report to call it the most significant pro environmental lawsuit ever filed by the U.S. Government.

Rick retired from government service this past year and now devotes more time to his wife, Joy, to jumping, bicycling and to gaining and maintaining fair access to jumpable cliffs in U.S. National Parks. So there you have it. Rick Harrison isn’t just a legendary jumper; he’s a serious and seasoned federal lawyer who brings a lot to the access-negotiating table. Thanks, Rick!