Submitted by Steve Ormeroid, AVP avp@caves.org
July 18, 2006
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The Department of the AVP consists of 4 Divisions and two Commissions. Contained within are 19 committees and various subcommittees. Copies of the actual 3-P reports will be made available as requested
Conservation Division
Jim C. Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker, Division Chiefs werks@zianet.com
Vision for the NSS Conservation Division: Heighten awareness of the importance of cave and karst conservation. Develop strategies to serve a greater diversity of audiences throughout the U.S.
NSS Conservation Committee
Jim C. Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker, Co-Chairmen werks@zianet.com
NSS News—NSS News 2006 Conservation Issue filled the March and April volumes. Activities and concerns were reported from all corners of the country.
Book—Cave Conservation and Restoration is at press. Much appreciation goes to Gus Frederick for continuing efforts on this publication project and to Tom Rea for proofreading, production, and print expertise. This project has involved many people over several years who all deserve thanks for their efforts. The hopes are for the book to be available by Convention.
Convention—Abstracts are being reviewed for the Conservation and Management papers session and the Restoration Forum to be presented in Bellingham on Conservation Tuesday.
Cooperative Conservation—Jim and Val continue to stay in touch with those who participated in the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation and seek cooperative opportunities for cave/karst protection through collaborative projects involving agencies, industry, and volunteers.
Speleothem Trade —Several NSS Members have shown tremendous motivation and have successfully addressed speleothem sales at gem shows and internet auctions. Kudos go to Steve and Nancy Attaway for their recent efforts on the Tucson Gem Show and to Tom Lera for his successful efforts with eBay several years ago, which paved the way for quick auction responses today. An International Committee is also working on the global problem through the IUCN/WCPA Task Force on Caves and Karst. The responsibility to address this recurring issue resides with all NSS members, with all cavers, with all conservation-spirited individuals. However, the NSS, as the premier caving organization, needs to develop coordinated promotional tactics to fight this battle. We need to find and support a group of dedicated individuals who will monitor the speleothem trade scene, develop appropriate strategies and responses, promote the protection of speleothems, and spread the educational word in the right circles.
Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp Committee
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.
Pictures and other Earth Day award recipients can be found at
http://www.eqc.ky.gov/eday/eday2006/Mammoth+Cave+Restoration+Field+Camp.htm
Welcome New Appointments – We are happy to announce that Jonathan B. Beard has accepted the position of Conservation Task Force Coordinator and John Pearson has taken on the tasks of chairing Save the Caves Fundraising and the Conservation Grants Program. One grant request to the Save the Caves Fund is in review at this time.
BCI Workshop—Jim and Val attended the Bat Conservation International Workshop in the southeastern Arizona during June. The excellent BCI staff provided an informative and memorable educational experience. We appreciate BCI’s support through Merlin Tuttle and Jim Kennedy in making it possible for them to attend this workshop. Many thanks also go to Jerry Trout and the USDA Forest Service for providing printed materials for the BCI workshops. We are developing strategies for NSS Conservation follow-up to this week-long workshop event. More to come on local, national, and international bat protection efforts through the NSS Conservation Division.
Education Division
Amy M. Bern, Division Chief amybern@juno.com
1.Two requests for Educational Grants have just been received and are under review.
2. A new Chairman for the Environmental Education Committee is being presented for approval to the Board as of this meeting.
3. An idea for a new education CD-ROM is in the works, "Careers in Speleology". Development of this project will commence with the new EEC Chairman.
4. Safety and Techniques and the Education Grants and Scholarships Committees are still open. Effort is being made at this Convention to make some personal contact with potential candidates.
5. Youth Groups Liaison Committee has added regional coordinators in Utah and Georgia with plans to continue to identify more regional efforts.
6. Work continues to identify youth groups and organizations that have interests in caves.
Cave Management Division
Chief position open
1. The position of Division Chief is open and advertised.
2. Cave and Karst Acquisition Committee No requests as of this reporting period
3. Cave Conservancies Committee Options to obtain insurance for Conservancies will be discussed at the Convention Conservancies Session. The position of a NSS representative to the Conservancies Committee is still open. Some candidates have bee interviewed.
4. Nature Preserves Committee An extensive amount of time and effort has been involved in dealing with a major development project located close to the Mill Creek Nature Preserve, Florida. Through joint efforts with the NSS Cave Diving Section, Save Our Suwannee (SOS) and other environmental organizations, extensive information was provided to all the governmental agencies involved in reviewing storm water management permits for the development. This effort is still ongoing with the City of Gainesville filing an Administrative challenge to the dry retention pond permit (for storm water). A full report will be presented at a later date following the conclusion of the present hearings and a release of a final permit.
SUMMARY REPORT OF THE NSS NATURE PRESERVE COMMITTEE
July 7, 2006
Buford Pruitt, Jr., Chairman bpruitt5@cox.net
Mill Creek Sink Nature Preserve – Jim Taylor
Progress: Diving at the system early in the year was limited as a result of periodic rains contributing to low visibility in the basin and heavy particulates in the upstream/downstream passage. Late spring and early summer water quality has been good, however, and guides are doing tours weekly. The new steps continue to improve mobility into and out of the sinkhole. There were two property cleanups in February and March. The Alachua Police Department continues to check some of the preserve’s visitors. The management committee met on March 23, 2006 to collect liability waivers, make a vote of confidence of the Wal-Mart action staff, and decide to store the lengthy dye trace tubing just inside the cave entrance for future use.
Problems: Jim noted no problems with the property. I (Buford Pruitt) am concerned that the dry storm water ponds to be built at the Wal-Mart site may experience sudden-collapse sinkholes and subsequently discharge untreated storm waters into the karst aquifer feeding Mill Creek Sink Cave. If this occurs, however, adverse impacts are likely to be short term and reversible, in my opinion. I am unconcerned about a general collapse of the cave itself, as there are 200+ feet of rock and another 12 - 60 feet of sediments above the cave ceiling. Mill Creek Sink is eroding toward US Hwy 441, and FDOT has contacted us about working jointly to conduct appropriate side slope stabilization.
Plans: Plans are to continue cleaning the property and to reestablish the former nature paths. Kiosks will be constructed and set up on two sides of the property for visitor education (~$275 each). Baseline water quality samples are to be collected and analyzed as soon as it is clear that the Wal-Mart store will be constructed across the street. Gene Melton will work with FDOT to solve the sinkhole erosion problem.
Donald Russell Nature Preserve – Clayton Russell 6/26/06
Progress: Current conditions are essentially the same as previously reported. The Ozark big-eared bats in the hibernaculum are in large numbers, as noted in the USFWS bat survey last winter. Gray bats in Linda Bearpaw Cave are still in large numbers as can be seen by guano deposits. Oklahoma State University is conducting a botany survey of the adjacent TNC property, which is expected to be relevant to the Nature Preserve. University of Oklahoma palaeontologists have excavated the first short-faced bear skeleton to be found in Oklahoma from a cave on an adjacent property.
Problems: A few of the property boundary signs have been shot up.
Plans: None.
Kingston Saltpeter Cave Nature Preserve – Larry O. Blair 5/23/06 and 6/21/06
Progress: A paper was presented (by Joel Sneed?) during the palaeontology session of the 2005 convention regarding a mysterious tooth (is it from a human or another animal?) found in the cave. Larry presented a lecture and book signing on April 6, 2006 at the Weinman Mineral Museum in Cartersville, GA regarding fossils found in the cave. Larry has acquired a vicinity map and aerial photograph of the property. The preserve committee held their annual Weinman Mineral Museum’s teacher’s trip and classroom session on June 20, 2006. One bat was observed on the June 20 trip. They continue to maintain good relations with the surrounding landowner, Anheuser-Bush, Inc., and Anheuser-Busch has paved the access road all the way to where visitors turn off into the woods on an old "fire" road. More trash has been removed.
Problems: Some minor damage has been done to the main entrance gate; nonetheless, it remains secure.
Plans: Minor gate work will be performed and other trips to the nature preserve are planned.
John Guilday Caves Nature Preserve – Dave West 5/23/06
Progress: Work continues on the dig that is hoped to lead to the alleged saltpeter passage. It is a tight dig and not many people fit into it or are willing to continue digging. An off-year Indiana bat count turned up 90+ individuals, confirming that the bats continue to use the cave. Dave and Bob Hoke worked with WV Dept. Highways to identify dead/dying trees that could fall on the adjacent highway. This will actually help with erosion control, too. The Department also agreed to provide retaining posts so that the committee can build a retaining wall and steps.
Problems: Commercial outfitters continue to take groups to the caves despite posted signs prohibiting commercial use. The reason for prohibiting this is the "fuzziness" in the cave protection act over landowner protection.
Plans: Dave plans to begin an effort to try to change in the cave protection act so that property owners are not liable for incidents if they have not received payment for use of the property.
Wells Cave Nature Preserve – Larry Simpson 5/24/06
Progress: GCG held a clean-up and maintenance trip on June 3, 2006.
Problems: The ongoing gravel washout may need further mitigation. A neighbor has been mowing the preserve’s field in order to hold down the copperhead population, but the committee is thinking to let the field revert to its natural state or plant wildflowers.
Plans: Evaluate the ditch washout for corrective actions. Talk to the neighbor about the needs of the nature preserve.
Barton Hill Nature Preserve – Thom Engel 6/30/06
Progress: The weather has been very wet in upstate NY and visitation has been light.
Problems: None to report.
Plans: The committee intends to start work on improvements to the mile-long road to the cave. The road has two wet areas, one of which is a state-regulated wetland that a permit will be needed for. Thom will handle the permit application as he works for NY’s wetland permitting agency. Funding will be needed for the permit and road, and the committee is asking the NSS for $500 to start the process. Thom wants to submit the bills to the NSS so that he doesn’t have to handle any of the money. He says there are other funds that could also be tapped.
Tytoona Caves Nature Preserve – Garrett Czmor 6/30/06
Progress: The cave and property continue to be monitored, including servicing the kiosk and cave register. A rough draft map of parts of the wet sections has been done. The vandalized parking area sign has been replaced and several additional signs added on the property.
Problems: Work on the stream bank erosion barrier has been shelved due to weather conditions. The guardrails surrounding the sinkhole road frontage continue to deteriorate. Several cave dives had to be cancelled due to poor weather conditions.
Plans: The committee hopes to have a useful dialogue with the township supervisor over the old guardrails, and plans to update the kiosk. They expect another visit this year by the Schuylkill Center Nature Ramblers.
McFail’s Cave Nature Preserve – Tom Rider 7/5/06
Progress - McFail's Cave opened on June 17th this year. There were a couple of earlier attempted trips that had to be cancelled due to high water from an unusually wet spring. Including the opening trip, there have been 4 trips this year.
Plans - Finally have someone willing to help out with the gate construction. Met with him a couple of weeks back and discussed plans to replace the gate at Hall's Hole. He is going to draw up some plans. With any luck, we'll get something installed this year. We also discussed plans to replace the gate at Ack's Shack but that will be lower priority.
Problems - No problems to report.
(Note: This is Tom’s original submission.)
Shelta Cave Nature Preserve – Paul Meyer 7/5/06
Progress: Spring bat monitoring continues, and reveals increasing numbers from previous years. The increase is attributed to replacing the cave entrance gates with a perimeter fence.
Problems: None reported.
Plans: Continue to monitor the cave for bats. Cooperative studies with Humboldt State University (CA) biology professors using Sonobat technology to identify bat species non-intrusively have convinced the committee to look into purchasing their own Sonobat system with Shelta Nature Preserve funds.
Great X Nature Preserve- Bob Montgomery 7/16/06
Utilization of the Preserve has been low. Upcoming trips prior to Convention will also include inspection of the property for maintenance review. No issues or problems at present.
Conventions Committees
Carol Tiderman, Chairman ctider@us.ibm.com
The Conventions committee has been quite active this last year. We now have Conventions committed for 2007 (Indiana), 2009 (Texas), 2010 (Vermont) and a strong bid for 2008 (Florida).Groups are preparing to propose Conventions for 2011 (Colorado) and 2012 (West Virginia). It is hoped that some of this momentum will continue over the next year and groups will show interest in future venues and dates.
The issue of event and facility insurance is a growing problem and will continue to be in the future. Increase levels of required coverage and a lack of underwriters that address this type of insurance are creating difficulties in keeping registration costs low and the selection of venues. The AVP will be requesting a future committee be formed to address the issue of the Society’s insurance. Many thanks go to Ted Kayes for all his efforts dealing with our insurance.
The JSS Program is continuing to develop, but not without some of the usual growth pains. Funding and the need for additional personal are the two issues at the forefront. Increased costs to conduct activities at Conventions is the primary reason to analyze the JSS budget. Coordination has been started with the 2007 and 2009 Convention staff. Rick and Faye Bowersox continue to make this a highly successful program for the future of the NSS.
Commissions
NCRC
John Punches, National Coordinator national@ncrc.info
1. The NCRC textbook is complete and is being published in a loose-leaf form to allow for updates. The Textbook will be used starting with NCRC training events beginning July, 2006.
2. The National NCRC Training seminar was held in Puerto Rico, April 2006. Over 100 students, staff and instructors participated.
3. A Regional Seminar was conducted in Alabama, June of 2006 with 58 participants.
4. The 2007 NCRC National Seminar is being planned for Virginia. Details will be review at this upcoming BORC meeting at Convention.
5 Upcoming events will be posted to the NCRC Web site as they are finalized.
Cave Vandalism Deterrence Reward Commission
Jay Jorden, Chairman jjorden@textoma.com
No requests for awards have been submitted during this reporting period. The Committee continues to promote the message of the deterrence reward system.
7/18/06