This is a management plan for approximately 189 acres of land, containing Crystal Cave and Blue Moon Cave. Dennis and Kenneth Potter donated the land to the National Speleological Society (NSS) in 2003. The preserve is managed with assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as part of the Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge (OPNWR) in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

The purpose of a management plan is to describe what is on a property and how it should be managed. A plan is not a static document. It should be revised as new information suggests opportunities for improvement. Then the plan should be amended only after careful, complete, and thorough analysis of the proposed changes or additions. It is a document that is to be used and referenced on a regular basis. Preserve management must follow the plan. The management plan is an operating manual for the preserve.

Since the Management Plan is the basis for a management agreement with OPNWR, then any changes must also be approved by OPNWR for so long as the NSS the management agreement is in force.

One method for the NSS to protect caves is by establishing cave preserves. The Potter Brothers Unit is a cave preserve and provides an ideal opportunity to work with the OPNWR. The OPNWR was established to:

• Assure the continuing existence and aid in recovery of federally listed endangered and threatened Ozark cave species. Those known to occur on this land are the Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens) and gray bats (Myotis grisescens).
• Reduce the need for future listing of species of concern in the Ozarks.
• Protect large continuous stands of Ozark forest essential to interior forest nesting
  migratory birds.
  

OPNWR's objectives are accomplished through an ecosystem approach that provides long term habitat protection for a number of fish and wildlife resources dependent on forests, streams, springs, caves, wetlands, and ground-water recharge areas characteristic of Ozarks karst.

Because of the sensitive and vulnerable nature of the federally listed cave species and other cave, spring, stream, and forest resources, use of the area is limited to scientific and educational purposes permitted jointly by this Management Plan, which must comply with the Donation Agreement. Scientific, educational, and recreational caving activities will be limited to least intrusive methods and resource protection being the chief purpose of this preserve. Recreational caving will be permitted only when Ozark big-eared or grey bats are not present in the caves. The presence of Ozark big-eared or gray bats will be determined by the FWS Refuge Manager or his designee and the Management Committee.

There shall be no visitation to either cave when Ozark Big-Eared bats are present other than for a periodic census scheduled by FWS. The Management Committee will determine the presence or absence of Ozark Big-Eared bats. We recognize that potential visitors may be turned away at the cave entrance due to the presence of Ozark Big-Eared bats. We hope that every potential visitor is aware of the tenuous status of these bats and will support the measures necessary to ensure their continued survival, despite the uncertainty of visitor access.

Crystal and Blue Moon Caves will be monitored for visitation impact and deterioration. Baseline photo documentation will made within one year of the adoption of this Plan to provide a reference for monitoring their condition.

Collecting of any kind is not permitted in the caves without specific written permission from the Management Committee. This is stated on the caving permit.

A map of the cave will be prepared as soon as possible and a repository of all of the data relevant to the property (including usage records) will be established. Sensitive data will be available on a need-to-know basis. Non-sensitive information, such as this Management Plan, site use permits and rules, and contact information will be made available on the NSS Web Page. Identification of sensitive information will be made in consultation with OPNWR.

A liability release is attached and all visitors to the caves will be required to sign the liability release. Any individuals visiting the cave who have not signed the liability release will be considered to be trespassing, for liability purposes. Individuals who are visiting the cave as part of their employment by a government agency do not have to sign the liability release. The Management Committee shall maintain a visitation log.

Recreational tours of the caves by commercial groups are not permitted. Commercial photo, film, or video projects will not be permitted without a specific written contract with the NSS.

The Crystal Cave entrance on the property shall remain gated and locked. Only members of the Management Committee and the FWS Refuge Manager shall possess keys to the gate. The Management Committee shall inspect the gate on Crystal Cave semi-annually, and maintain or replace it as required. They shall inspect the lock at least quarterly.

Additional objectives include providing the fullest protection possible to cultural resources that may be found on refuge lands. No cultural resources are known on the preserve.

Where it can be accomplished without adversely affecting sensitive resources, the NSS will encourage research and monitoring projects that will provide information important to the successful accomplishment of the protecting the preserve. Scientific collection will be professional, selective, and minimal.

In cooperation with the NSS, the FWS will manage the property using an ecosystem approach to managing wildlife resources, such as federally listed species and migratory birds in the Ozarks. The priority for the NSS is protection of the caves and their natural contents. Other conservation goals are subordinate to that and the provisions of the Donation Agreement.

Wildlife and Habitat Management: Major management features required to accomplish this are as follows:

• Limit disturbance and habitat degradation by controlling access to important caves by maintaining confidentiality of sensitive cave locations and constructing and maintaining fences, roads, road gates, cave gates, pond dams, and interpretative signs and marking boundaries where appropriate.
• Protect bat foraging habitat, movement corridors, resting and roosting areas and neotropical migratory bird habitat, and ground water recharge areas to assure ground water quality. This will be done by protecting the continuous stands of Ozark forest on the Preserve by controlled burning, protecting and re-establishing native vegetation, and boundary marking and fencing.
• Map the caves and their recharge areas to identify their extent, openings, overlying land use and drainage patterns.
• Coordinate with county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement. The FWS’s Divisions of Law Enforcement and Refuges and Wildlife will help to assure that protection and management measures are successful, by enforcing trespass and harassment provisions of
• the Endangered Species Act and the Wildlife Refuge Administration Act on the Preserve.
• Document base line conditions, monitor the biological community, and sample surface and groundwater quality to identify potential problems and determine if management activities are effective.

Population Monitoring: Since the primary purpose of this preserve is protection of cave resources, surveys, particularly of endangered species, shall be conducted to track population trends. However, because of the sensitive nature of the cave, care will be taken to assure that the resources are not adversely affected during surveys. This information provides the basis for habitat management decisions and for monitoring success. Surveys include baseline vegetation surveys, cave community surveys, surface and groundwater quality monitoring, and cave mapping. Surface community surveys may be conducted by FWS. Where appropriate and it can be conducted with the least impact on the resources, academic research is encouraged, because the findings provide additional information that assists with habitat management.

Fencing and Signage: The FWS is expected to be responsible for building, maintaining and signing boundary fences and cave gates on the Preserve.

Camping: Camping will be allowed in designated areas by the Donor, family members of the donor, and their associates (Donor) as defined in the Donation Agreement; and by NSS members, their families, and associates. These designated areas are the existing forest clearings near the entrance to Crystal Cave and the natural bridge. Campfires will not be allowed during times of high fire danger as designated by the FWS. The Management Committee will convey this information to campers.

Contacting the Donor Prior to Entry: Because the Donor retains the right to hunt on the property, it is necessary to contact the Donor prior to entering the property during all deer and turkey hunting seasons. The Management Committee will communicate with the Donor on behalf of NSS members wishing to visit the property.

The Management Committee is charged with management of the Potter Brothers Unit. The Administrative Vice President (AVP) of the NSS appoints the Chair of the Management Committee, and the Chair shall choose the members of the Management Committee. The Management Committee will be of no fixed size and will consist of as many individuals as the Chairman believes necessary for effective management of the property. All members of the Management Committee must be members of the NSS and the chairman generally will be a member of the Tulsa Regional Oklahoma Grotto (TROG). The term of the Chairman has no fixed length and the Chairman serves at the pleasure of the AVP.

The goal of the Management Committee is to see that the property is managed to preserve the caves, their natural contents, and surface resources. Access to the caves by NSS members and other qualified cavers is permitted to the extent that there is no unacceptable degradation of the resources.

The Management Committee will prepare reports regarding the condition of the surface and cave resources of the property, scientific research, activities by NSS members, and communication with the FWS. Status reports will be submitted to be included in routine AVP reports to the Board of Governors.

The NSS has the right to sell the property at a future date to a government agency or non-profit organization that will preserve the property and caves and manage the property and caves as described.