National Speleological Society

Cave Conservation and Management Section

Welcome to the Home Page for the Cave Conservation and Management Section of the National Speleological Society.

The Section provides this Home Page as a focal point for information about Cave Conservation and Management. Of course it is always under construction, and may be different the next time you visit. This version was updated September 24, 2003. since December 1, 2001. The very Latest Change. Updated since November 1, 2001.

This page should be used in conjunction with the NSS Conservation Committee Web site. Much recent information and educational materials have been posted at that site.

This is your page. I need you to help keep it updated! Please e-mail me with information that may be useful to others about cave conservation and management and about issues that need to be publicized.. If I had more stuff I would update the page more often. (I don't have much time available these days to actively search for information--so I must rely on you).

You can be notified automatically by e-mail when this page is updated. Fill out this form.

Coming:	Coming Someday: Links to Educational Resources and Sites related to caves. Underground Wilderness Sourcebook.
Problems?	If you notice problems, such as bad links, etc. please e-mail me at rstitt@wingedseed.com to let me know what you have found so I can get them fixed.
Progress	Val Hildreth-Werker and Jim Werker are the NSS Conservation Committee Chairs. Contact them for help with issues and problems. Send me new stuff: papers, press releases, articles, etc. about cave management and conservation issues.
Cave Conservationist Recent Issue	If you were a section member, you would have already received the most recent issue of The Cave Conservationist, our print newsletter, in the mail. Volume 22, Number 2, September, 2003 was received by me on September 22, 2003. It includes the following articles: (Hyperlinked items are also on the web). Robber's Cave, Lincoln, Nebraska Short Creek, Boiling Pots and the Caves of Sinking Valley A Fond Farewell Membership in the Section Articles Needed For earlier issues Table of Contents, go here. If you have material to contribute, send it the Editor, Lynn Roebuck. If you also send it to me, it will probably get posted here also.
Cave Conservation Listserv	To subscribe to the Conservation Listserv, send an email message to conservation@caves.org with the word SUBSCRIBE on the subject line. You will receive up to date notification of current issues and can get involved in discussion with Section members, cave managers, and cave conservationists.

In Memoriam - George Huppert

New Hot Issues (Newer are at the top)

The National Cave and Karst Management Symposium is nearly upon us.   Plan to attend! This year's theme is "Protecting the Aquifer in Karst Regions."
The symposium will take place in Gainesville, Florida, October 13-17, and is hosted by the NSS Cave Diving Section.
    * Learn the latest in a range of cave and karst management topics,
    * Meet and network with people involved in cave and karst management in many fields, and
    * Visit and learn about Florida's famous large springs.

BCI and Project Underground are conducting workshops. Cave divers can arrange caving trips.

You may register for less than a week, and attend on day passes if you are unable to get away for the complete symposium.

Learn more and register NOW on line at http://www.nckms.com/.

Hope to see you there.

Cheryl Jones
NCKMS Steering Committee Chairman

(Please distribute. No permission needed.)
There is a new Editor for the Section's monthly publication The Cave Conservationist. Send your articles to: Lynn Roebuck, 94 Magnolia Lane, Normandy, TN 37360-9504. Phone (931)455-8658. Or you can reach her by e-mail at: pretzlgirl@charter.net
The 2003 National Cave and Karst Management Symposium will be held in Gainesville, Florida October 13-17, 2003. See the Symposium Website for more information. [See Above]

Medium Age Issues [Let's face, these are OLD! See above for better stuff]

Tongass National Forest The US Forest Service has released a draft management plan for the forest that includes NO wilderness protection. Take a look at the issues on the SEACC site and get involved. (Posted August 5, 2002)
The 2002 Group Conservation Award has been awarded to the Ozark Highlands Grotto.
The Conservation and Management Section's Group Conservation Award procedures and criteria is posted at the Cave Conservancies Web site: /committee/ccc/groupaward.htm.
Carlsbad Caverns Postcard Tom Lera reports that on June 30th, the United States Post office will issue a new postal card with the imprinted stamp of Carlsbad Caverns. In 2002, a cave stamp and 4 bat stamps -- after 142 years of drought finally recognition. You can go to any post office on or after June 30th and get these postal cards.
There have been some updates to the Ultimate Cave Law site, including a new NSS/NPS MOU and some revised state laws.
New Web Site and Magazine feature Cave Digging. www.cavediggers.com and www.caves.com appear to the front end for a slick popular sales caving organization and magazine. They do have an article on Conservation headlined on the picture of their first issue that is on their web page. They requested that I give them this link, so here it is. I would suggest that appropriate letters to the editor might convince them to be more responsible. I realize that cave digging and blasting seems to be accepted by a large portion of the caving community, but this is basic hypocrisy. And it gets worse when blasting becomes an acceptable activity for large numbers of cavers. We can only hope that Osama Bin Laden ruined blasting for them for a few years. Perhaps by the time this country settles back to normal their penchant for blasting will have died down some, or at least their magazine will die out. Note: I have had an e-mail message demanding that I remove the Osama Bin Laden reference from this note. That is an editorial opinion of mine, and I stand by it.
I was also requested to link to ankara caving, a Turkish site, so here it is also. It doesn't appear to have any redeeming conservation value, but it does have a link page to Adventure Races. Fortunately none of the ones linked to featured racing through caves, but this may be a good site to enable us to quickly review adventure races to make sure they aren't featuring cave races.
Black Hills Restoration Camp application deadline is April 19, 2002. Camp will be held June 7-10, 2002. ( Posted 1/10/02.)
Missouri Cave and Karst Conservancy webpage updated. Check it out via this link. (posted 1/10/02)
New Conservation Editor needed for Journal of Cave and Karst Studies. Contact Louise Hose. (posted 12/23/01)
Iron Curtain Cave Vandalized! One of the most decorated caves on mainland British Columbia has been vandalized. (posted 11-03-01)
Cave and Bat Protection Law Site updated. The site has been updated to reflect recent changes in NSS Memoranda of Understanding.
World Heritage Site and Longest Cave in the World Mammoth Cave in Kentucky Threatened by proposed Airport. An upcoming article in the NSS NEWS by Paul Steward will reveal the details, which are also posted on Roger Brucker's Web site. 18 Karst Scientists have challenged the Airport developers to fund a real study of the impact on Mammoth Cave. Your inputs are needed--see the NSS NEWS article. If you'd like to see the Airport Developer position check out the ITA Web Site, where among other things they have published the full text of their inadequate Environmental Assessment. They are requesting your inputs to their Biological Study Plan. (Posted 8-17-01)As of 9/7/01 Dave Jagnow has requested letters be sent to selected members of Congress opposing funding for the Transpark. Contact Dave for further information. (posted 9/7/01).
George Huppert Dies in car crash on the way to the National Cave Management Symposium. Huppert Memoriam Page. (Posted November 2, 2001).
Yahoo Changes Policy to prohibit Speleothem Sales (Posted 11-03-01)
eBay Changes Artifacts Policy To Help Protect Speleothems (posted 9-3-01)
NSS Conservation Committee Web Page established (posted 6-28-01)
Oregon Caves National Monument threatened by Spelunker Tours. The NPS has issued a "Categorical Exclusion" that rules out an Environmental Impact Statement and is implementing Spelunking Tours in a sensitive area of Oregon Caves. This action is strongly opposed by the local caving community, including the Klamath Mountains Conservation Task force and the Friends of the Oregon Caves. Your inputs to the (Posted 8-03-01)
2001 Conservation Sessions Abstracts and Schedule posted. (6-28-01)
Comments Needed on Road 18 Caves Environmental Assessment by July 5. (Posted 6-15-01)
15th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium was held in Tucson in October, 2001. Check out their web site.
Maine Cave Protection Act signed into law -- Now in Effect!

Old Hot Issues Jump to this archive page. Many of these issues are not completely dead, but are certainly inactive at this point. Many if not most of the internal links are still active, but external links may or may not be valid; this part of the site is not being maintained at present.

Conservation Chair Dispatches

Dave Jagnow and Jim Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker occasionally send out e-mail messages on items of interest. Where these require action on your part, they'll be posted in the Hot Issues section above. The rest will be indexed here:

Index Page Top
Karst Specialist
NSS Conservation Grant Awarded (1998)
National Cave and Karst Research Institute
Cumberland CTF reconstitutes (March 2000)
2000 Conservation Grant to Central Oregon CTF

Special Issues

Codes of Conduct for Caving Home Page.
Ewa Karst on Oahu, Hawaii. Article by Bill Halliday. Posted 2/12/97. This article was published in The Cave Conservationist in September 98, but this preprint version includes color photos. This is limestone karst with caves. Posted 2/12/98. No immediate action required at this time.
The "Piatra Altarului" album is a part of the promotion campaign, to the Romanian Parliament, of the Caves and Karst Protection Law . This page links to other Romanian Speleological pages. (posted 12/13-97)

Section Resources on the Web

The Section's Information Brochure
NSS Policy for Cave Conservation
Protect your caves with a LAND TRUST!
The Cave Conservationist, our publication Now includes several older issues live on the Web
The Section and NSS Conservation Awards, now with a picture.
Section Membership Information
Calendar of upcoming Cave Conservation and Management Events
What's New - Last update 09/24/03.

Tools for Cave Conservation and Management

Cave Related Land Trusts
NSS Conservancy Committee
NSS-The Nature Conservancy Liaison Committee
Lechuguilla Restoration. Cave Microbiology and Impacts on Caves. Posted 3/29/97.
A copy of the Federal Cave Resource Protection Act of 1988 . A link to the Lechuguilla Cave Protection Act (103rd Congress) A link to the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998.
Other Cave Protection Law Links: | Missouri | Pennsylvania | Tennessee | West Virginia | Indiana | Virginia | Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia | Illinois | California | more links | The Ultimate Cave and Bat Law Source
Codes of Conduct for Caving Home Page.
Cave Conservation Audio-Visual Programs from the NSS.
Web views of Vandalized Caves in Australia.
Environmental and Engineering Hazards of Karst References and Resources.
Airflow in Caves Home page (Broken link - if anyone knows where it has gone please e-mail me)
New issue (Fall 98) of Inside Earth published by NPS. (posted 11/9/98)
NSS Bookstore Cave Management related books.
NSS-TNC Liaison Committee launches Web Page. (posted 1-24-98)
NSS Conservancies Committee Web Site has been established. (July 1998, posted 10/25/98)

Other Related Resources on the Web

Cuidanos del Karso web site (Protecting Puerto Rican karst)
Culver et al Article on Cave Species in Conservation Biology for April 2000 (Abstract only is free)
Society for Conservation Biology Web Site
Mammoth Cave Restoration Project Web Site
Karst Waters Institute presents its 1998 List of Ten Most Endangered Karst Systems.
U.S. National Park Service Cave Newsletters Inside Earth (loads slowly) A second issue is now out.(7/27/98) New issue (Fall 98) of Inside Earth published by NPS. (posted 11/9/98) (There are now several issues out as of Fall 1999)
Basically Bats Home page.
Cave Management at Craters of the Moon National Monument
Biospeleology Home Page in Texas | The Illinois Natural History Survey Biospeleology web site
Cave Spiders
The World Wildlife Fund Global 2000 Initiative identifies Critical and Endangered Ecosystems that include karst areas (They don't admit it, but Klamath Forest, Vancouver Island, Prince of Wales Island, and other areas contain significant cave and karst resources).
Boone Karst Conservation Task Force new web page
Information and pictures on the damage to caves in Oregon caused by indiscriminate climbing and bolting in caves. Your inputs and action are needed! 2-9-96.
Cave Conservation Servers on the Web is a list of cave conservation related hot links.
Federal Government Cave Management Entity Home Pages, including the National Park Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service
The NSS Human Sciences Section Home Page
Links to Other Conservation Organizations
Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association
ISHA Home Page (International Subterranean Heritage Association)
Southeastern Cave Conservancy Home Page
Amazing Environmental Organization WebDirectory! Find us and lots of other environmental organizations.
Upper Cumberland Grotto Conservation Information Page has some good links.
The "Piatra Altarului" album is a part of the promotion campaign, to the Romanian Parliament, of the Caves and Karst Protection Law . This page links to other Romanian Speleological pages.
Sheri Mayo's Excellent Link Page to Cave Conservation Sites Worldwide.
Sheri Mayo's Excellent Link Page to Cave Management Sites Worldwide.
British Columbia Karst Resources Brochure produced by BC Ministry of Forests
American Cave Conservation Association home page
Rock Art Study and Conservation Web Page or
RockArtNet
The 1999 National Cave Management Symposium was held in October 1999 in Chattanooga.

Communicate with the NSS Conservation Hierarchy

Rob Stitt, Webmaster, NSS Conservation and Management Section

Julie Schenck, Editor of The Cave Conservationist, the Section's Paper publication.

Rod Horrocks, President, NSS Conservation and Management Section

Jim Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker, Co-Chairs, NSS Conservation Committee

Thom Engel, NSS Administrative Vice-President

Mike Hood, NSS President

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Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 by the NSS Cave Conservation and Management Section.
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