A Summary of Legislation and Organizations

Involved in the Preservation of Caves and Bats

Abstract:

The conservation of bats and caves in our national parklands has come a long way since the National Park Service was founded in 1916. Awareness of the importance of bats, not only to park ecosystems, but also to surrounding areas, is much greater today. Speleologists should have a working knowledge of the National Park Services Act of 1916, Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969, the Lechuguilla Cave Protection Act of 1993 and the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998. These Acts specifically protect caves on Federal Lands for perpetual use, enjoyment and benefit of all people.

There are 27 states with cave protection laws and Texas is the only state with a specific bat protection law. The definition of a cave varies widely by state and ranges from a "historic site", as defined in Vermont, to Kentucky's definition of “any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth containing a black zone including natural subterranean water and drainage systems, but not including any mine, tunnel, aqueduct, or other man-made excavation, which is large enough to permit a person to enter.”

There are many national and international organizations dedicated to the preservation and management of bats and caves. This paper outlines the federal and state statutes and describes the organizations and their involvement in the preservation of caves and bats.