Start Date
11-4-2013
End Date
11-8-2013
Abstract
With declining budgets, less money than ever is available for meaningful cave management, including baseline inventories and monitoring. The spread of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) has made it even more difficult to effectively manage cave resources. In the region of the Ozark Plateau, Cave Research Foundation is continuing to provide these services, and more, by working within guidelines of various agencies and private landowners. These include Ozark National Scenic Riverways and Buffalo National River (NPS) Mark Twain National Forest (USFS) the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources – Division of State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the privately-held Pioneer Forest. Most of this work is performed by unpaid volunteers from CRF and affiliated organizations. Rather than limiting the work done by volunteer workers, the agencies we work with are actually expanding the role of volunteers and are providing funds and facilities to facilitate this work. The conclusion is that good volunteer work is not only continuing but being encouraged in the face of adverse conditions.
Cooperative Cave Management in the Era of WNS
With declining budgets, less money than ever is available for meaningful cave management, including baseline inventories and monitoring. The spread of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) has made it even more difficult to effectively manage cave resources. In the region of the Ozark Plateau, Cave Research Foundation is continuing to provide these services, and more, by working within guidelines of various agencies and private landowners. These include Ozark National Scenic Riverways and Buffalo National River (NPS) Mark Twain National Forest (USFS) the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources – Division of State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the privately-held Pioneer Forest. Most of this work is performed by unpaid volunteers from CRF and affiliated organizations. Rather than limiting the work done by volunteer workers, the agencies we work with are actually expanding the role of volunteers and are providing funds and facilities to facilitate this work. The conclusion is that good volunteer work is not only continuing but being encouraged in the face of adverse conditions.
