Mid-Appalachian Region of the National Speleological Society

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Mid-Appalachian Region of
the National Speleological Society

The Mid-Appalachian Region (MAR) of the National Speleological Society (NSS) is a regional organization of the NSS consisting of various grottos and organized caving clubs within the general geographic area, or region, of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.

The MAR, an internal organization of the NSS, is dedicated to the principles of the NSS, to promote fellowship among its members, and to advance the science of speleology.

The Mid-Appalachian Region of the NSS was officially established on October 10, 1953 at Shippensburg State Teachers College, currently known as Shippensburg University, in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

It sponsors two regional field meets (Spring and Fall), and hosts its annual business meeting in the month of February. The region publishes a newsletter, the "MAR Breakdown", which is published three times a year and occasionally publishes county bulletins on Pennsylvania caves.

Attention: White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) Updated!

First docmented during the Winter of 2006-2007 in New York State, White Nose Syndrome, commonly referred to as simply WNS, refers to a white fungus, easily recognized as a "fuzz", on and around the noses of affected bats. The fungus may be a symptom and not the cause of the mortality observed to date. Bats affected with WNS do not always have the fungus, but may display abnormal behaviors. To date, it is unclear of if or how WNS is transmitted, however it is known that WNS has been documented at numerous caves and mines throughout the Northeast of the United States.

Documented cases of WNS have been "officially" confirmed in New York (NY), during the Winter of 2006-2007, Vermont (VT), Massachusetts (MA), and Connecticut (CT), during the Winter of 2007-2008, and Pennsylvania (PA), New Jersey (NJ), New Hampshire (NH), West Virginia (WV), and Virginia (VA), during the Winter of 2008-2009.

Special Annoucement!

On March 26, 2009, the The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued an important advisory statement. It states,

"A voluntary moratorium, is effective immediately, on ALL caving activity in states known to have hibernacula affected by WNS, and all adjoining states, unless conducted as part of an agency-sanctioned research or monitoring project."

Read the full version of this official advisory [ here ]