CAVE CLOSURES AND RELATED LINKS
(Note: Please send any closure announcements or links to wnsliaison@caves.org)
10/15/2015: NYDEC Reminds the Public to Avoid Seasonal Caves and Mines to Protect Bat Populations
http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/103720.html
10/1/2015: Northeastern Cave Conservancy Announces Winter Cave Closures for 2015-2016
http://www.necaveconservancy.org/news.php
6/9/2015: Wayne National Forest in Georgia extends 2010 Closure
Original Closure Order
12/1/2014: Extension of cave closures in White River National Forest (CO) through 7/31/2016
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3825854.pdf
Access caves by registering: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5430001
12/22/14: Closure of the Hoosier National Forest (IN) is extended 3 years
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5288163.pdf
6/2/14: Five-year blanket cave closure of all caves in USFS Region 8 (Southern)
Signed decision memo pdf
5/20/13: One year closure of all caves in USFS Region 8 (Southern)
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5382710.pdf
6/15/2012: Closure of caves in the Bankhead Ranger District (AL) containing Indiana or Gray bats.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5401777.pdf
3/20/12: West Virginia Closures to Protect Bats
WVDNR Cave Closures
11/28/11: Southeastern Cave Conservancy reopens its caves
http://www.scci.org/News/ReopeningCavesMay2012.html
5/20/2011: USFS Closes Caves/Mines in Southern Region
Closure Order:WNS USFS R8 cave closure extension 05-20-11.pdf
8/6/10: Texas Restricts Cave Access
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20100806a
7/26/10: USFS Closes Caves/Mines in CO, KS, NE, SD, WY
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/wns/ Closure Order: USFS Region 2-wns-closure-order-final2.pdf
6/14/10: Tennessee Extends Cave Closure for All Public Caves to Protect Bats in Southeast
http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/5381
4/19/10: USFS Closes Ohio's Wayne National Forest Caves and Mines
http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5161999.pdf
4/19/10: USFS Issues Closure Order for Michigan's Ottowa National Forest
http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5162477.pdf
IDNR 4/26/10: Illinois Closing State Owned and Managed Caves
http://dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/2010/April/idnr.html
4/23/10: Monongahela National Forest extends cave closure order until 2012
http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5065984.pdf
2/27/10: The Southeast Cave Conservancy, Inc. (SCCi) issues revised WNS policy:
http://www.scci.org/Preserves/SCCi_WNS_Policy.pdf
11/24/09: Buffalo National River, Arkansas, closes most, but not all caves.
Read the press release here.
9/25/09: NCC again closes its caves until Spring 2010 - read the press release here
9/15/09: Virginia Agencies and Cave Organizations Issue WNS Containment and Cave Visitation Recommendations. Full Statement: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/wns_recommendations_va_sep_15_09.pdf
6/29/09: SCCi creates dynamic listing of closure status of its caves.
http://scci.org/Preserves/preserves.html
5/27/09: Arkansas closes state park caves.
http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/news/for-media/display.aspx?id=1156
5/24/09: Orient Land Trust policy on access to the Orient Mine
www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=109590785399&ref=mf
5/22/09: SCCi Reopens Tennessee and Kentucky Caves
http://www.scci.org/index.html
5/21/09: US Forest Service Closes all caves in Region 8 (Southeast)
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/news/documents/2009/NR-06-09_Forest_Service_Closes_Caves.pdf
5/15/09: NCC and NSS carefully open NY caves - read the full statement here
5/7/09: West Virginia Cave Conservancy Closes All Its Caves
WVCC Article: wvcc.net/
5/1/09: Indiana DNR Closes State Caves, Mines, and Sinkholes
Closure Order: www.in.gov/portal/news_events/38620.htm
5/1/09: Indiana Karst Conservancy Closes Three Caves
IKC Website Notice: In recognition of the serious threat posed to the endangered Indiana Bat due to
White Nose Syndrome, the IKC board has agreed to suspend caver visitation to Coon Cave, Grotto Cave and Robinson Ladder Cave throughout the 2009 season. The decision will be reassessed when studies are complete to determine the vectors that spread this fungal disease. ikc.caves.org/index.shtml
4/30/09: Middle Atlantic Karst Conservancy Closes Its Caves
In light of the situation with massive and rapidly progressing bat mortality due to WNS, the MAKC formally recognizes the USFWS caving moratorium. In doing so, the MAKC will temporarily suspend visitation to all of the caves on properties owned or leased effective May 2, 2009. This closure will be examined and re-evaluated on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the latest research from the scientific community. The board will examine exceptions for scientific purposes on a case by case basis. NOTE: MAKC caves were reopened on a seasonal basis in May 2010. See announcement.
MAKC WNS Page: www.karst.org/
4/24/09: U.S. Forest Service Closes all Caves in its Eastern Region (Region 9)
Closure Order: www.fs.fed.us/r9/docs/apr_2009_caves_closed/closure_order.pdf
Rationale: www.fs.fed.us/r9/docs/apr_2009_caves_closed/white_nose_info.pdf
FAQ: www.fs.fed.us/r9/docs/apr_2009_caves_closed/faq.pdf
Affected States: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
4/9/09: Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. Closes Caves for WNS
Press Release: www.scci.org/News/WNSClosureApril09.html
4/8/09: NSS Closes Preserves in USFWS Advisory Area
The NSS Board of Governors has decided to close the caves on its Preserves within the 17 state region covered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Advisory of March 26, 2009, until May 15, 2010. This date may be changed based upon science and management considerations at the time. Cavers are directed to contact the specific Preserve manager for local exceptions and the status of the surface Preserve, which in many cases remains open. The caves may be accessed for WNS research. Current local exceptions: Tytoona Nature Preserve in Pennsylvania, not being a bat cave, is open.
Full NSS WNS Policy: /WNS/WNS%20Policy%20100417.pdf
4/3/09: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Closes All Caves
Press Release: www.nps.gov/grsm/parknews/cave-closure.htm
3/29/09: Northeastern Cave Conservancy Closes Caves Until May 15, 2009 Press Release: www.necaveconservancy.org/news.php (link has full history of NCC WNS activities since February, 2008)
3/29/09: PA DCNR Keeps Hibernacula Closed in Forest and Westmoreland Counties (Coon, Lemon Hole, and Barton Caves)
Press Release: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/newsreleases/2009/0409-batcaves.htm
3/26/09: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Calls for 17-State Caving Moratorium
Full Advisory: www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisory.html
FAQ: www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisoryfaq.html
Affected States: USFWS Cave Advisory covers 17 states. It asks cavers to cease all caving voluntarily in the current WNS confirmed states (NH, MA, CT,VT, NY, PA, NJ, WVA, and VA), plus adjoining "buffer" states: (ME, RI,DE, MD, OH, NC, TN, KY). They ask cavers to follow decontamination protocols everywhere else in the country.
3/26/09: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Closes 4 Caves on Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (Fern, Sauta, Cave Springs, and Key Caves)
Press Release: www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2009/r09-014.html
3/13/09: Illinois’ Shawnee National Forests Closes Caves and Mines
Press Release: ww.fws.gov/northeast/whitenose/WNS_emergency_cave_and_mine_closureshawneenf09-1.pdf
