Earth Day, the Environmental Quality Commission of the Commonwealth of Kentucky honors Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp

Each year, in recognition of Earth Day, the Environmental Quality Commission of the Commonwealth of Kentucky honors those who have made outstanding contributions to protecting Kentucky's environment.  On April 21, 2006, the 

Environmental Quality Commission awarded the Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp an Earth Day award for its efforts in conservation in the cave country of western Kentucky.

The Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp is a volunteer organization founded by concerned cavers in conjunction with the National Speleological Society.  Since 1989, this group has undertaken numerous conservation and restoration projects in the cave and karst country located in and around Edmonson and Barren counties. 

Four times a year volunteers from Kentucky and other states gather to make a difference by restoring and protecting the caves that they enjoy and revere.  Their activities include: 

1. Cleaning cave formations.
2. Removing antiquated and environmentally unfriendly materials from caves such as old wood, concrete and trash left by previous visitors.
3. Cleaning out springs and sinkholes and removing graffiti and lint from cave walls and surfaces.

In August 2005, the Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp concluded a multi-year project of demolishing and removing 1,000 feet of 60-year-old creosoted bridge and walkway that was polluting an underground river passage in Mammoth Cave and the Green River in Edmonson County.  This project required thousands of volunteer hours and has significantly improved the ecosystem of the cave, allowing cave biota to flourish once again.  The group has also assisted

in the construction of several bat gates to protect caves that serve as roost habitat for threatened and endangered bat species from abuse and vandalism. 

Pictures and other Earth Day award recipients can be found at       

http://www.eqc.ky.gov/eday/eday2006/Mammoth+Cave+Restoration+Field+Camp.htm

Roy Vanhoozer, Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp

Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission
14 Reilly Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 564-2150 ext 194

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