Summer 2000 - Virginia Region of the NSS
Transcription
Summer 2000 - Virginia Region of the NSS
R · Vol. XIII No.3 Summer 2000 THE SINKHOLE FROM HELL CLEANUP by R. Thren A little background infonnation on the project for the readers who may not be familiar with it. This sinkhole in northern Rockbridge County was brought to the attention of the Blue Ridge Grotto several years ago by the owner, who was wondering if it could ever be cleaned up. After a quick it investigation, definitely appeared to be more than a grotto . project. Hundreds of tires, many large appliances, and at least a half dozen vehicles had been Heavy deposited there. equipment, dumpsters, and many The bodies would be needed. project sat for a few years until Thren thought it might be possible to get it cleaned up during the Rockbridge County's spring cleanup day in March. Unfortunately, arrangements fell through, and Terri Brown and Thren got blessed with the job. With Terri wheeling and dealing for the equipment, and Thren trying to convince many wann bodies that they would have a good time, It finally happened on the 15th of April. The story follows. Sat., 15 Apr., 7:00AM. Cloudy, foggy, raining. A good start for what could prove to be a long, miserable day. Thren and Tony running back and forth between computer and TV trying to find a weather report that looked better than what we saw from the window. There were none. Well, it hadn't rained in about three years so I guess it may as well start now. Unfortunately, hordes of happy cavers were supposed to be shortly homing in on the dreaded SFH for the cleanup we had scheduled for today. Was anyone going to show up? 8:30 AM. That was a patch of sky lightening up a little, wasn't it? Or was I hallucinating again, as usual? Time to go and start setting things up. Over to the hole. Hardly drizzling by now. Good sign. No cavers, no 9:00AM. dumpsters, no sign of trackhoe, no sign of Terri B. Am I all alone in the world? A noise. Vehicles coming down the driveway. Tony and crew, followed shortly by BRG and others. Now all we needed was Trackhoe and dumpsters. Trackhoe arrives and unloads. Still no dumpsters. Trackhoe operator finally devises a plan. So we start. Several cavers into the hole loading tires onto cables and chains to drag them out. The surface crew neatly piling tires everywhere. Pile keeps growing, still no dumpsters. Phone calls to be made, in search of the elusive containers, without which, the project could have turned into a major fiasco. Finally, someone was located who admitted that they were supposed to be sent to us, and would see to getting them there. By noon, the first one arrived. Trucks were loaded and the tires ferried over to it. A midday break provided us with an excellent meal, courtesy of Lin, the owner of the sinkhole. Back to work. Tires without end, along with other goodies too numerous to mention. By about 3:00PM, we started to slow down. The manhandling of tires filled with either dirt or water, or both, was taking its toll. Unfortunately, there is no power on earth, short of atomics, capable of removing either dirt or water from a tire. We finished loading the material that was out of the hole, and ended up stuffing two large, roll off dumpsters. The grand total was 500 tires, one refrigerator, several kitchen stoves, parts of two vehicles, and a collection of assorted metal junk. There is still more material to be removed. Not bad for a first attempt. It definitely turned into a Virginia Region project, since we had about twenty people from Blue Ridge Grotto, Front Royal Grotto, RASS, Tidewater Grotto and the Rockbridge Cave Survey present for most of the day, along with the Trackhoe and operator. I would like to thank everyone that participated, especially the surface crew. They had a much worse job than we in the hole did. A good time was had by all. Summer 2000 The Region Record Volume XIII Number 3 The Region Record VAROfficers Re�on Record Staff Craig Hindman 7600 Pindell School Rd. Fulton, MD 20759 (410)792-0742H [email protected] Chairman: Vice Chairman: Judy Fisher (304)258-4974H Secretary Carol Tidennan (410)792-0742H [email protected] Treasurer John Fox (540)831-6468W [email protected] Editors: Bob Hoke Pauline Apling Barry Chute Distribution: Evelyn Bradshaw ( 540)898-9288H The Region Record is the quarterly publication of the Virginia Region of the National Speleological Society. Any articles, announcements, or other materials of general interest to cavers in the Region are welcome. Send all material to Bob Hoke (6304 Kaybro St., Laurel, MD 20707 (301)725-5877, E-mail [email protected]). Electronic submissions (email or disk) are encouraged, but any form of input is welcome. Committees Conservation: Andy Reeder 1235 State Park Rd. Huddleston, VA 24104 (540)297-3711H (804)847-1640W Landowner Awards: Don Anderson P.O. Box 966 Dublin, VA 24084 Non-copyrighted material contained in the Region Record may be reprinted by organizations that are affiliated with the VAR or the NSS, provided that proper credit is given to the Record and the author. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual author, and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the VAR, the NSS, or their internal organizations. The Region Record is printed by members of the DC Grotto and the Potomac Speleological Club. © 2000 Virginia Region of the NSS Regional Calendar Aug. 15 Deadline for submitting material for the Fall issue of the Region Record. Aug. 31-Sep. 4 Old Timers Reunion near Elkins, a TRA member or guest. WV . You must be Contact Bill Bussey at 919-403-7275 for TRA info. Sept. 2 WVASS Annual Meeting at 7 PM at the OTR site. Contact is George Dasher at 304965-1361 or [email protected]. Sept. 9 Trout Rock Conser-Vacation. Help clean the Trout Rock caves owned by the NSS. See article in this issue. Sept. 22-24 Fall VAR meeting. To be hosted by WVACS at their field station in Greenbrier County, WV. See article and flyer in this issue for additional information. May 4-6, 2001 Spring VAR meeting.at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (in the far SW comer of VA). More info later. July 23-27, 2001 2001 NSS Convention in Mt. Vernon, KY (50 miles south of Lexington) Fall,2001 Fall VAR meeting to be hosted by RASS at their field station in Virginia. Spring,2002 Spring VAR meeting to be hosted by theWVCC. June 24-28, 2002 2002 NSS convention in Camden, Maine Aug. 4-8, 2003 2003 NSS Convention in Porterville, CA LIST YOUR CLUB EVENTS HERE! If your club is hosting events of regional interest, send a notice to the Region Record editors and have the event added to the next Record's calendar. There is no charge for this valuable service. Volume XIII Nmnber 3 The Region Record Chairman's Column Marvin, and may a cold drink find you at the end of each day. A in to of Amid the cacophony of hundreds of speleothems sliding together like cascading grains of sand, a small voice shouted o t. Does you group need funds for a project, event or just to bolster your coffers? You might consider hosting a VAR regional meet. You won't get rich, unless you gouge the attendees (not recommended), but with good budgeting, you will see something for your efforts. Besides hundreds of happy camp ers. "Hey look," yelPe4 the thin frail voice squeaking with delight, "I found one!" Spring VAR has come and gone. fme time was had by the 280 attendance, once you got used the trains. VPI did a fine job hosting the event. It's prime caving time and projects are in full swing around the area. Attending Spring or Fall VAR's is an easy way to get involved in some of these projects, or to meet cavers from different areas and to broaden your caving area. The next big event is the NSS and it is close by. Convention Camping will beat the OTR site the week of June 26-30, come meet cavers from around the world and find out what has been going on with your fellow cavers. Come check out the NSS Conven tion. You might find this an interesting place to spend a week every year. See you at Convention in West Virginia. Craig Ten Years Celebrating the Earth Underground: Grand Caverns Restoration Camp 2000 By Andrew H. Reeder The Grand Caverns Restoration Camp honors the memory of Marvin "Wheel barrow" Anderson. Breathe Easy, With a smile that be med brighter than her headlamp, she danced amid the ruinous pile of broken clay. earthy and formations Somehow, the cave itself seemed to grow a little less somber as the adults in the group gathered to Taking examine her handiwork. the delicate formation from her small hands, they carefully dried the speleothem with the torch,' applied a quick-s tting epoxy, and . set it in place. And, so the healing process continues as it has for the last ten years. Discoveries of aged forma tions. are shared wit new friends, and veterans from long forgotten gravel-hauling sorties greet each other warmly with secret smiles. Bloodroot blooms in the valley. Annual Caverns Grand The Restoration Camp had begun. I am not sure how all this began. It seems a long time ago-now. Many cavers have moved on, some pulled by other passions, some gone altogether. But, the promise is still there. The thing that united us all in the beginning. It whispers cool enchantments from deep within the darkness. It tells us to heal the cave. On a '. crisp overcast morning on April 22, 2000, a motley assort ment of cast-off cavers assembled in front of the entrance to' Grand Caverns in Weyer's Cave, Virginia Brisk for this year's event. temperatures hung low in the carbonate valley and initiative was still several scalding cups of coffee away. Many of those gathered had braced themselves for the early morning sojourn, and driven the distance to the cave that morning, page 3 Summer 2000 rather than spending the previous evening at nearby Natural Chim-c ney's Campground. The . restoration camp is not a complicated venture. There are no Machiavellian' reams of govern ment permits or endless retentive checklists to overcome. The task is shining in its .simplicity. Cavers work together to restore one of . Virginia's most historic caves, while striving to cement good resource local with relations managers. After a short orientation by the Park Manager, the group was split The first into three work units. group of cavers entered Fountain Cave and began the daunting task of locating matching speleothems. Successful candidates were then dried with a propane torch, and a thin layer of epoxy applied to bond the wounded formations together. Different strength epoxies' were used for various sized formations. Larger speleothems were mated together and set aside, to be drilled and pinned at a later date. The Grand entered group second Caverns with spray bottles of diluted bleach and water (one part bleach to ten parts water). Once in the cave, they sprayed around light shields and other areas in an effort Tourist to retard algae growth. debris and other refuse were also removed from the cave. The third work group began to remove the remnants of an aggregate pile outside of the cave, and wheelbar row it down to a wash out on the side of the hill. Once underway, work continued until midday. Grand at work Conservation history. long a has Caverns Various gating, mapping, and been have studies hydrologic carried out in the many caves on the property. The Virginia Region Speleological National the of Society has played a pivotal role in preserving this unique carbonate jewel. The present-day restoration predecessor, its (and camps CONCA VE) have focused on repairing formations in Fountain Cave and assisting in the annual maintenance of Grand Caverns. Volume XIII Number 3 Many of the shattered fonnations in Fountain Cave were broken as the result of geologic stress, but others were removed or destroyed by vandals. It is not difficult to uncover bullet-riddled fonnations that date back to the Civil War. In the timeless darkness of the cave, the visitor can almost detect the acrid aroma of black powder and hear the deafening roar of percus sion fire. During the meal, excited voices told of the day's exploits. Since the Fountain Cave and Grand Caverns groups were trading tasks after lunch, a kind of competition had evolved regarding the number and size of formations repaired. No coaxing was needed as lunch ended and everyone headed back to his or her various chores. Grand Caverns is one of the oldest commercial cave operations in the country, having offered tours since 1806. The Bridal Veil, Cathedral Hall, and Dante's Inferno are familiar icons to most Virginia cavers. In the weaving glow of a headlamp the cave glistens and seems to warmly embrace all visitors. While strolling amidst this cryptic grandeur, it is easy to forget the spray bottle held tightly in hand and lose oneself in the majesty of the cave. Meanwhile, with the afternoon came clear skies and the rise in temperature coaxed smiles from everyone. Wheelbarrow duties had been replaced by a seeding project. Various cavers busied themselves aerating the hard-packed soil the old fashioned way- with sweat and determination. Rakes clawed doggedly at the stem brown earth, leaving behind shallow furrows that ran like dry creek beds. Shiny green metal fence posts bent in futile surrender as hammers smashed them into the smooth river stones which lay barely cloaked beneath the thin soil cover. But, soon the small fence was up and the seeded area surrounded by billowing orange flagging that danced in the soft breeze. The Region Record All too soon the day was casting shadows about and coming to a close. Cavers slowly made their way back to their cars in small groups. Voices echoed off of the mountain that lay above the parking area like a slumbering giant. Stoically, the sun continued to shine, as if rewarding the cavers for their arduous efforts. Twenty-two cavers participated in this year's event. During the course of the day, twenty-one formations were repaired and five more were reconstructed (and left waiting to be set in place). Considering the Byzantine laby rinth of speleothem shards that abound in Fountain Cave, this is a phenomenal number of successful repairs. In addition to this work, buckets of gravel were shifted into Grand Caverns to refurbish the commercial trail. The growth of moss was held in check with diluted bleach and repairs were made to a rutted road shoulder. However, numbers do not tell the whole story, by the end of the day, the voice of the cave almost sounded like a joyful song. The subterranean beauty of caves is fragile and fleeting. As cavers, we move through a world not our own. We speak a different language: one of hurry and waste. In our wake, we frequently lay barren the things we cherish most. But this day was different. This Earth Day we slowed down just long enough to make a difference and leave the cave in better spirits than we found it. Back at the benevolent confines of Natural Chimney's Campground, fire and a friendly banter soothed sore muscles. Dinner sizzled on the smoking grill as charcoals winked into the night. Talked seesawed rhythmically back and forth as the occasional wayward cinder launched itself unceremoni ously from the roaring fire. Sipping a cold drink, and staring into the faces of those gathered, I realized how all the caves we visit are brightened by the friends we hold dear. Sometimes cave page 4 Summer 2000 conservation isn't just about saving caves, but saving ourselves. The Conservation Chairman for the Virginia Region of the National Speleological Society would like to thank all the cavers of the region for their commitment to cave conservation. Special thanks goes out to all of those volunteers who have helped make the Grand Caverns Restoration Camp a success over the last ten years. Appreciation is also extended to the staff of Grand Caverns and Natural Chimney's for making cavers feel welcome over the course of those years. Conservation volunteers at this years event, included: Rachel Shivley (DCG), Nissa Edman, (DCG), Roxanne Shivley (DCG), Anne & Andy Reeder (NRVG), Jacqueline & Todd Miley (BATS), Chris Robson (pSC), Sandy Myers (DCG), Ramona Herlong (BATS), Kelsea Johnson (RASS), Erin Droms, Pat Bingham (BATS), Kevin Franke (BATS), Ron Cutsail, Eileen Patrick, Meredith Hall Johnson (RASS, BRG), Laura Pantazis (BATS), Jim McConkey (SLIGO, BALTIMORE, FUN), (SLIGO, Jennifer Neemann BALTIMORE, FUN, PSC), Mike "Tiny" Manke (BATS), Kimberly Smith (RASS), and several unnamed cavers. A special thanks goes to BATS for the largest (and most spirited) turnout, Craig Johnson of Grand Caverns for his hospitality, Tiny for tending the fire, and Captain Ron for leading the Fountain Cave expedition. Fall 2000 VAR to be Hosted by WVACS September 22-24, 2000 by Dave Cowan The West Virginia Association for Cave Studies will host the Fall VAR meeting at the Ray Ratliff Farm just past the WVACS Field Station on Butler Mountain Road, The Region Record Volume XIII Number 3 Renick. Greenbrier County, WY The site is in the heart of the premier cave country. Greenbrier County has more caves on the Long Cave List than any other county. We believe there are at least 10 caves within one mile of the VAR site, 100 caves within 10 miles and 1000 caves within 20 miles. In addition, we have several State Parks and Cranberry Glade National Botanical Area all within an easy drive. . We will have all the usual activities starting at noon on Friday, with special dinner on Saturday night with beer and soft drinks A slide projector and screen will be available so bring all your slides. I've been told we will have music!! So bring your own ear plugs. Front Royal Grotto will again provide a super breakfast Sunday morning guaranteed to sooth those cave thrashed bodies and alcohol swollen heads. There's caves galore both guided and self-guided. And a Venders Row full of all those goodies. We will have Porta-Potties avail able for registrants but due to the likelihood of low water conditions, showers will only be available at the field station for WYACS members and those successful bidders on the limited number of shower coupons to be auctioned off. Hey, the Greenbrier River is only a couple of miles away. In order to help support various cave related causes, we will, no doubt, have several other money making fun-raiser schemes to dupe you out of whatever cash the venders don't get. • Registration Fee is $20 if received by mail before Aug 25, $25 at the gate. See Registration Form on next page. Vitas has promised to provide us with a page or two on the VAR web site WMY.idsonline.comlhouseneVvar so be sure and check it out for the latest information. Directions: From the East or West take Exit 169 (Lewisburg) off 1-64. Tum North on US 219 and go approximately 12 miles. Tum left just past Renick Farm Supply on to Butler Mtn. Rd. Follow signs -2 miles to site. Locals can follow US 219. From the North, about 2 miles past Renick cross over Spring Cr. bridge. Butler Mtn. Rd. is on the right at the top of the grade out of the Spring Cr. basin. Island Ford Cave Summer Clean-up by Bill Murray The Charlottesville Grotto completed a cave clean-up at Island Ford Cave on Saturday June 10. We were on the VAR list to do this during the summer. Summer 2000 from Pulaski County--39 caves (Bob Lewis and Don Anderson), Wythe County--29 caves (paul Montgomery), Rockbridge County -38 caves (Bob Thren) , Bath County--17 caves (Nevin Davis), Highland County--14 caves (Rick Lambert and Phil Lucas) and Giles County-- 7 caves (Bill Balfour). A special half day (Monday afternoon) is being devoted to Virginia at the US Exploration Session at this years NSS Conven tion! To my knowledge this is the first time this will have happened. We have four exciting programs that will deal with new Virginia discoveries and will possibly have one or two more. If you have any ideas about other programs please let me know ASAP. If you have a chance to see only one session this year I highly recommend this one. We have pushed through the 3800 mark!!! Major construction projects In Virginia require a review by the Natural Heritage Program of the Virginia Department of Conserva tion and Natural Resources (DCR). The Natural Heritage Program staff determines if there might be potential impacts to the habitats of rare, threatened, or endangered plant and animal species, unique or exemplary natural communities, or significant geologic formations. While I served on the Virginia Cave Board, I worked with the DCR and the Natura] Heritage Program staff in reviewing selected construction projects for possible conflicts with caves. Recent discussions with the Natural Heritage Program staff have resulted in a procedure where they are sending me (VSS) a copy of these proposed projects for review. Thus far over 80 projects have been reviewed and there are several situations where conflicts with caves (small caves so far) may occur. This program appears to be working well and demonstrates one of the many uses of the data we are all collecting. At the end of last year there were 3654 caves reported in Virginia. As of today, April 18, there are 3812 caves recorded. Most of the caves added come from reports The Virginia Speleological Survey (VSS) has a new county survey! Janet Tinkham (project coordina: tor) and the Front Royal Grotto are taking on a survey of the caves of Conditions weren't too bad; however, it has suffered from the typical littering and vandalism. We picked up a trash bag of beer bottles and other junk around the entrance. Some bottles were found throughout the cave. A little additional spray paint had accu mulated around the entrance area since the last clean-up and we worked on removing that. Also cleaned up the ashes from a couple of camp fires and got rid of the extra stash of firewood. VSS Report to the Virginia Region - April 30,2000 by Phil Lucas page 5 Volume XIII Number 3 Warren County. Though some what neglected in recent years, Warren County has a long and rich history of organized caving. In the 1940's, this county was one of the first areas that members of the newly formed NSS visited to explore and map caves. Explora tion and study continued in the 1950's, with Marquerite Klein submitting many reports to the then Virginia Cave Survey. Finally we would like to acknowl edge the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias for providing grant monies used for the purchase of a copier that we use on a daily basis with VSS business. Thank you CCV! Grand Caverns May Become a State Park by Bob Hoke The Virginia General Assembly has received a report from the Department of Conservation and Recreation discussing the feasibil ity of absorbing Grand Caverns and Natural Chimneys Regional Parks into the Virginia State Park system. The report acknowledges the value of both Parks and says they would be significant additions to the park system. However, it notes that the cost of acquiring and upgrading the parks to established state standards would exceed $7.5 million and that there is currently no money available. Annual operating costs would exceed $850,000. Both parks need significant maintenance and both are partially located in flood plains, which limits devel opment and expansion. The incorporation of the two parks into the state park system cannot happen until funding is available. The report did not address the likelihood of getting the required funds. The Region Record Virginia Cave Week By Barbara Moss Virginia Cave Board, Education Committee October 16-22 wi11 be Virginia's first "Cave Week" and various events are being coordinated for weekend activities sponsored by local grottos. Many of the com mercial caves along and near Route 81 will be participating in 'Cave Week' by offering discount rates to groups taking field trips to their caves. The Virginia Cave Board is sponsoring this effort. Grottos near commercial caves, those grottos who have connections· with these caverns, or grottos that wish to become involved with Cave Week (or Weekend) should at contact Moss Barbara [email protected] or 703-573 1068, or write to her at: 7713 Shreve Rd Falls Church VA 22043. She will be coordinating grotto efforts to have tables or displays, and arranging for getting brochures, posters, and hand outs/activities to participating grottos for that Saturday. Let her know which Commercial Caves your grotto would like to sponsor give a first and second choice. Table displays, or speakers needed during Cave Week or Cave Weekend would focus on the following: preservation of caves, groundwater, conservation, and directing those people with "I want to go caving" questions to contact local grottos. Karen Kastning will be putting together a sample program packet, containing brochures, activities, and posters, to be sent to participating grottos. PLEASE have your grotto contact us for more information. Thank you in advance for your volunteer efforts. [These efforts wiIl get you in the swing for when the !MAX movie "Amazing Caves" comes out in March 2001. Local caverns and museums will be looking for people/ grottos to help with talks or Interested? Contact displays. 703-573 at Moss Barbara page 6 Summer 2000 . h [email protected] . or, or write to her at: 7713 Shreve Rd., Fans Church VA 22043 for more information. ] Trout Rock Conser Vacation Scheduled for Sept. 9 by Bob Hoke The last 6 years have seen very successful and popular Conser Vacations at the NSS's Trout Rock caves near Franklin, West Virginia. This year the next event in the series, Conser-Vacation VII, will be even better. Everybody who i�'� anybody in the caving communitY; is sure to make an appearance at this major caving event. Trout, New Trout, and Hamilton Caves are In surprisingly good shape considering that they are some of the most heavily used wild caves in the State. However, an visitors leave marks of their passing, and the Cave Preserve Committee has scheduled a work day to tidy things up a bit. There will be both in-cave and surface work (with the weather determin ing the amount of surface work that actually gets done). Major activities will include reverse imaging (graffiti removal); homo-detritus gathering (trash pickup) in the caves, along the trail, and along the road; neo archeological investigations (more trash pickup); directional guidance support (fence and SIgn repairs along the trail); and assorted other and stimulating challenging activities. No special skills are required and no backbreaking tasks The organIzers are planned. promise perfect weather. Conser-Vacation IS suitable for cavers of all experience levels, including novices. There will be at least one graffiti removal trip to the rear reaches of Trout cave and novices are welcome to experience the subtle beauty of Trout Cave on this trip. There may also be a trip Summer 2000 Volume XIII Number 3 in Hamilton if there are enough people (and graffiti) to justify it. New Trout Cave, believed by some skeptics to be the world's ugliest cave, may see cleanup activities for the first time in several years. Activities will commence at 10 AM. Novices who need equipment (helmets and lamps) must contact Bob Hoke at (301}-725-5877 or [email protected] to make sure adequate equipment is available. For additional information contact Dave West at (410}366-5038 or e mail [email protected] But What Do They Do? An Insider's View of the Virginia Cave Board by Terri Brown , Several months ago, Bob Hoke and Evelyn Bradshaw forwarded a series of questions about the status of the Virginia Cave Board that became the basis for this article. The founders of the Board, origi nally known as the Commission on Conservation of Caves (1978), included Evelyn, John Wilson (first Chairman), John Holsinger, Phil Lucas, Bob Anderson, Ted Graves (Luray Caverns), Jenny Tipton (US Fish & Wildlife Service), Roy Powers, and Charlie Rice. Evelyn has followed the Board's activities and fluctuations closely in the years since she left her seat, and was instrumental in encouraging the Governor to fill several key vacancies earlier this year. It is at her urging that the Cave Board's purpose and status are summarized here, both as a service to landown ers and the caving community, and a call for interested cavers to get involved with the educational and conservation activities of the only , known state-affiliated Cave Board in the US. Virginia cavers failed in their first attempt to establish a Cave Com mission in 1977, but legislation passed through the General Assembly in 1978 with the support of the commercial cave operators. The Commission on the Conserva tion of Caves authored the Virginia Cave Protection Act (Code of Virginia, Section 10.1 - 1000 through Section 10.1 - 1008), which established the Virginia Cave Commission in 1979. The Commission became the Cave Board in 1984 when the General Assembly reorganized the Virginia Code. Under the new code, Virginia government recognizes three general types of state governmental boards: Policy, Supervisory, and Advisory, with the Cave Board falling into the latter category. The Cave Board's by-laws state that its role is to: serve as an advisory board to any requesting state agency on matters related to caves and karst; conduct and maintain an inventory of publicly owned caves in Virginia; and maintain data on the conservation, advocacy, protection and use of Virginia caves and karsts. The duties of the Board are listed in the Act, such as the duty to protect rare mineral and archaeological resources, cave life and natural ecological communi ties, groundwater quality/flow, and other unique or outstanding characteristics of caves and karst. Other Cave Board responsibilities mandated in the Act are to: 1. provide cave management expertise and service to re questing public agencies and cave owners. 2. maintain a current list of all significant caves in Virginia, and reporting any real and pres ent danger to such caves. 3. publish brochures, articles, and other informational materials, facilitate data gathering and research, and 4. advise civil defense agencies on the role of caves as emergency shelters, etc. The latter task page 7 opens the door for advising Local Emergency Response Committees about pollution migration and spill risks in the karst counties. Obviously, the scope of the Board's activities was an enormous burden for its volunteer members, so in 1994, the Cave Board and the Natural Heritage Program wrote a successful grant for the karst protection demonstration project. The "Karst Project", as it is known, has kept the author very busy for the past five years and has effec tively reduced the technical assistance workload on individual Cave Board members. The Karst Project has generated so much interest from the public and other agencies, that Wil Orndorff was recently hired to take up the overflow of conservation projects. Now, if OCR can just hire that educator and adopt Project Under ground, we will have a full com plement of staff. Thanks to the assistance of the Cave Board and many VAR cavers, the Karst Project has been upgraded to a Karst Protection Program, with dedicated set-aside funding from the USEPA & VA OCR. Leon App, who is now the Deputy Director of Virginia OCR, played a lead role in engineering the passage of the Cave Protection Act and in financing the development of the Significant Cave and Karst List. A forester by training and a caver in his college days, Leon knew that public-private agree ments to protect sensitive karst resources could be compromised by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA, or Sunshine Law). FOIA makes public records available to any member of the public upon "reasonably specific request", unless that information is covered under a specific exemption in the law. The FOIA underwent major revisions in the early 1990s, and Leon acted on the opportunity to obtain a specific FOIA exemption from the release of detailed information about " .. . plant and animal species, caves, natural communities, and significant historical and archaeological Volume XIII Number 3 sites ... ". This exemption has allowed the Natural Heritage Program to establish a secure biological conservation database and assist the Cave Board in managing significant cave infor mation without adverse impacts to landowner relations. Accomplishments: A general description of past Cave Board activities can be found in Karen Kastning's article, An Introduction to the Virginia Cave Board, published in the 1995 NSS Convention guidebook, Under ground in the Appalachians (Carol Zokaites, ed.). Since that article was written, the Cave Board has undergone some metamorphosis after a rash of personnel changes left the Board without a strong historical perspective on its role. In recognition of this, the Board treated themselves to a weekend of professionally facilitated mediation and planning sessions in January 1999. The outcome of this retreat was a stronger, re-focused Board, with Education, Data, and Com munication as its stated priorities. I regard this retreat as one of the Cave Board's major achievements of recent years because they addressed the internal obstacles to efficient decision-making and public involvement, and con sciously acted to break those barriers down. The pared-down priorities and committees enabled the Board to avoid spreading its members too thin, and the resulting committees are now quite produc tive: Educational/Management Committees: Thirteen issues of the Cave Owners Newsletter have been distributed to over 1000 interested parties over the years, with the latest being dedicated entirely to cave man agement concerns (No. 13, March 2000). Tim Kilby deserves special recognition for his contributions to this issue and the Cave Board web site during his tenure on the Board. Educational activities have in cluded numerous presentations, publications, support for Project The Region Record Underground, and the upcoming· Cave Week (October 16-22,2000), in cooperation with the show caves and surrounding grottoes. Site Plan Review: The Board has submitted a number of position statements and letters to agency heads on important con struction and development projects in karst areas. This includes letters to the State Corporation Commis sion concerning the AEP power line route through the Skydusky Hollow Significant Karst Area, to the Department of Environmental Quality on proposed amendments to the solid waste management regulations, to a regional tourism authority considering cave ecot ourism standards, and on regioqal river basin management plans. Data Committee: One of the most promising achievements for karst conserva tion is the proposed development of a data sharing agreement with the VSS, Karst Waters Institute, and the Cave BoardlNatural Heritage Program. This agreement is being facilitated by Phil Lucas and Dave Culver, and is expected to be the subject of intense scrutiny and negotiations in the coming months. The Cave Board is administered within the OCR Natural Heritage Program, which ensures that its members are free from liability for their actions while doing the Board's work. The make-up of the Board is specified in the Cave Protection Act, as follows; the Director of the Dept. of Historic Resources (or designee), and eleven citizens of Virginia ap pointed by the Governor for four year terms. The Board has always tried to maintain adequate repre sentation from cave owners, both commercial and private, as well as from the educational and technical field. As the Act states, appoInt ments to the Board are to be made based on " activity and knowledge in the conservation, exploration, study, and manage ment of caves ...". ..• page 8 Summer 2000 The composition of the 2000 Cave Board is; Bill Keith, current Chairman; Bob Barns, Vice Chairman; Rhoda Perozzi, Secre tary; Karen Kastning, Treasurer; Wade Berdeaux, Jay Paul, Marie Blue Skye Keshick, Carol Zo kaites, Barbara Moss, Roy Powers, and Dave Culver, with Ethel Eaton representing the Dept. of Historic Resources. Throughout the past five years, the Cave Board and the Karst Protection Project have enjoyed the continuing support of Charlie Maus and the CCV, Roy Powers, Phil Lucas and the VSS directors, John Holsinger, Ernst Kastning, Karst Waters Institute, and grottoes like Blue Ridge, Front Royal, Mountain Empire, VPI Student, Powell Mountain, Tri State, and others. How does one get nominated for the Cave Board? All that is needed IS a brief resume and a letter expressing one's interest in cave and karst resource conservation. The Board and Natural Heritage submit all requests for considera tion to the Governor equally, and are occasionally asked to provide recommendations on based experience. You may also simply write the Governor or your local state delegate to request a political appointment to the Board. There are a number of qualified individu als out there who can make valuable contributions to the Board. Those of you who are serious, and you know who you are, need to get your information in to a Cave Board member, or myself, as soon as possible to be considered for future openings. There are also many opportunities for interested cavers to get in volved on advisory committees or in special activities of the Board, so please try to attend a meeting ands catch up on what's going on. The next scheduled meeting of the Virginia Cave Board is on Sep tember 16,2000 at OCR's Shenan doah Watershed Office in Staun ton. Call or e-mail me at (540)3329239 or [email protected] for directions, more information, or to add an item to the agenda. ""ee 2000 1/All, Hosted by ""T& _ September 22-24, 2000 Next to wvACS Field Station Renick, West Virginia 24966 Registration Complete for each Region Record subscription Your Name Adruess: Email: & Grotto Affiliation: ------- ______________________________________________________ __ ______________________________________________________ __ Please give us the following information for each member of your family (No subscription to Regional Record) Age Your Name & Grotto Affiliation NSS# Vegetarian or alternate (-21/-7) (YIN) (D/A) Pre-registration, prior to August 25,2000, is $20.00 (kids 6 and under free). Registration at gate will be $25.00. No. of paying adults and kids >6: Please make payment to: Mail to: _____ x $20 = $ ______ WVACS Dave Cowan HC 68 Box 117 Friars Hill, WV 24938 For Information call: Or Email: 304-497-3553 omaOOO [email protected] VAR delegate <21or <7 total. National Speleological Society Non Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Annapolis Jet, MD Pennit #2530 10826 Leavells Rd. Fredericksburg, VA 22407-1261 ". . ' i :,'" Address SerVice Requested Summer 2000 Regional News .....,. .; If you want to continue receiving the Region Record, please read this ... Individuals may receive the Region Record, the newsletter of the Virginia Region of the NSS, either by regularly attending Spring or Fall VAR (regional meetings) and paying registration fees; or through subscription. Subscriptions are $3.00 per year and may be prepaid for up to three years. Checks should be made payable to VAR and sent to the circulation manager. You do not have to be an NSS member to receive the Record. Complementary copies are sent to grottos in the Region and to other groups with which the Region exchanges newsletters. In addition, newcomers to the Region will receive one or two complementary copies. Please copy or send this entire page. The address label contains information we need to expedite processing. Thanks. I want to continue receiving the Region Record. Enclosed, to maintain my subscription, are dues in the amount of: (please circle one) $3.00 for one year $6.00 for two years Name ------- NSS Number Address $9.00 for three years ------- ------ City------- State ------ ZIP (+ 4) ------- Grotto (or other caving organization that I claim as my primary caving affiliation) ------Note: Anyone who recently attended a VAR or mailed a membership check to Evelyn Bradshaw but the expiral date is not reflected on the mailing label should check with her about their membership status before making a new payment at this time. Some labels slipped through without that information. Please make checks payable to VAR and send to: Evelyn Bradshaw, 10826 Leavells Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407-1261