This is an admitted rant. I think it is justified.
I posted a shorter version in the WNS thread but I wanted to also post in this forum that may be more closely monitored by the BOG and others involved in Convention 2009.
I am quite frankly utterly apalled that despite attracting visitors from around the country and from abroad I could find not a single mention of WNS or related issues...Anywhere on the Convention/ICS pages.
In fact, what I did find was the Trips Map that outlined a virtual tour of doom for bats if humans end up being a viable means of transport. A field camp in Albany and Schoharie counties New York....are you insane? other field camps at Mammoth Cave KY, TN, and VA....lets hope any NE cavers or cavers who vvisit the NE are wealthy enough to purchase all new gear....Of course why would they since there is also no mention of WNS, Decon, or any related concern....ANYWHERE! At least the "eastern segment" of the cross country tour goes in reverse visiting the most likely infected sites last...unless of course they might have picked up WNS spores at Convention then are conveniently bused to every major karst region in the east except TAG.
Hello? Does anyone think this is a good idea?
WNS obviously has a mechanisim for surviving outside caves in summertime temperatures. Maybe it requires a bat. Maybe not. But why would we essentially encourage people to visit infected areas and/or encourage them to visit multiple sites across the country for any reason, let alone do that AND TELL THEM NOTHING ABOUT WNS?