Forest Service Reg. 2 May Lift Cave Closure

[PYoungbaer]

http://www.denverpost.com/dnc/ci_20407908/forest-service-considers-opening-bat-caves

[BrianC]

http://www.denverpost.com/dnc/ci_20407908/forest-service-considers-opening-bat-caves

Someone is using common sense!

[wyandottecaver]

glad they are looking at it, but Region 2 would be one of the the regions MOST likely to benefit from closures. Be nice if the Eastern Regions that have already lost the battle saw the writing on the wall.

[NZcaver]

glad they are looking at it, but Region 2 would be one of the the regions MOST likely to benefit from closures. Be nice if the Eastern Regions that have already lost the battle saw the writing on the wall.

Region 2 most likely would benefit, IF humans were spreading WNS. But in reality it seems the only things humans are spreading is vandalism in closed caves.

But I know you already know that.

[cavercrane97]

EXACTLY, with Fern being a prime example!!

[wyandottecaver]

I said "most likely" instead of "would" for a reason. We of course don't know humans arent spreading WNS at all, just that they *might* not be spreading it at all, and they *certainly* aren't spreading it very well. But of course you knew that

[BrianC]

April Fools!

[nathanroser]

I thought the closures in the eastern regions expire this summer as well. Any word on if the USFS is renewing those?

[Smells_Familiar]

I thought the closures in the eastern regions expire this summer as well. Any word on if the USFS is renewing those?

Eagerly awaiting this news as well...

[iceclimb]

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles ... e-closures

Just some news out there about this. From what I gather, some big things are in the works. If anything really public releases... well, you know.

[Anonymous_Coward]

Is there any news on this out there where I don't have to buy a newspaper subscription?

[iceclimb]

Here's the text...

Forest Service considers future of cave closures Feds seek balance in public use, protecting bats from deadly fungus

By Dennis Webb
Saturday, July 28, 2012

Colorado cavers are anxiously awaiting a U.S. Forest Service decision about future management of caves in its Rocky Mountain Region after it closed them the last two years to protect bats from the deadly white-nose syndrome fungus.

Janelle Smith, a spokeswoman for the agency’s Region 2, which includes Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, said the Forest Service should be announcing its decision early next week.

A second, one-year emergency order generally closing caves and abandoned mines on forest lands in the region expired Wednesday. Smith hinted that the new strategy might be something other than a continued blanket closure. That closure has aggravated many in the caving community.

“We’re looking at a bit different approach this time, which is why we have a little bit of a delay,” Smith said.

Despite the expiration of the current closure order, “We actually still consider those caves closed,” Smith said. But she acknowledged that the agency can’t legally enforce the closure for now, and said the agency is asking the public to honor it.

Derek Bristol, chair of the Colorado Cave Survey — which represents seven Colorado cave grottos, or clubs — declined to comment on whether any cavers might be taking advantage of the expiration of the closure to visit previously off-limit caves. But he hopes the agency considers a more targeted closure approach focusing only on caves and abandoned mines considered important to protecting bats.

He said cavers have been offering to help the Forest Service monitor the disease, survey and map caves, among other things.

“They’ve basically been refusing that help, so to go into yet a third year, another (blanket) closure, is not real palatable,” he said.

But Smith said the agency has been collaborating with partners in developing its future management strategy, which is one reason it has been taking some extra time to get the strategy finalized.

The disease gets its name because the fungus can grow on and whiten a bat’s nose. It’s believed to rouse bats during hibernation, weakening them. It has killed millions of bats in the East. West of the Mississippi River, the fungus has been found in Missouri and Oklahoma, but not on bats in the latter state.

Federal authorities fear that human cave visitors might help facilitate the spread of the fungus.

Many of Colorado’s caves are on national forest lands in Garfield and Eagle counties.

The Bureau of Land Management in Colorado has opted against blanket closures, saying it only will close targeted ones where warranted.

[Anonymous_Coward]

Gracias!

[cavergirl]

Cave closure order extended, with new cave group exception

The U.S. Forest Service today extended an emergency closure of caves and abandoned mines in its Rocky Mountain Region for a third year due to the agency’s continued concerns about the threat to bats from the deadly white-nose syndrome fungus.
However, the new order includes an exception allowing active members of the National Speleological Society and Cave Research Foundation to do cave conservation work.

The exemption for the two cave groups this year will allow for education, inventory, research, monitoring, protection, restoration and other activities, the Forest Service said. No access will be allowed during the winter hibernation season

http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/arti ... -exception

[SuckinOnSodaStraws]

Riiiiiiight. Yeah I'll just hang out for a few more years and do something else.