ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

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ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby PYoungbaer » Apr 14, 2009 11:25 pm

The 15th International Congress on Speleology and concurrent National Speleological Society Convention today issued the following trip policy for the July event due to White Nose Syndrome:

15th ICS FIELD TRIPS POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT
REGARDING WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME
14 April 2009

White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a deadly ailment that has recently killed more than 500,000 bats in the northeastern United States. Biologists are working hard to study WNS, but no one yet fully understands the cause of the deaths, how to stop them, or how to stop them from spreading. What is known is that WNS is spreading. There is evidence that people may carry WNS from cave to cave. To prevent or reduce the risk of people distributing WNS throughout the United States and other parts of the world, the 15th International Congress of Speleology (ICS) is announcing the following policies and actions. These are in accord with the U.S. National Speleological Society’s policy on WNS and supported by the Bureau of the International Union of Speleology

1) All ICS caving trips in WNS-affected areas are canceled immediately. The “affected areas” are those U.S. states known to have caves with WNS and their neighboring states, as recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Advisory at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisory.html. “Caving trips” do not include trips into show caves, which are exempt from the Advisory. As of 13 April 2009, the affected states are:
Connecticut
Delaware
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia


2) Caving trips outside the WNS-affected areas may also be canceled or modified as required by land owner or government policy, or other special needs. No caving trips will occur in caves that have an active or seasonally-active bat colony, unless the cave is extensive and active or seasonally-active bat occupied areas are not entered.

3) All ICS trips will follow the regulations and policies established by the land management entity, owner, and/or relevant government agency.

4) Decontamination will be required for all caving trips outside of the WNS-affected areas. A decontamination system will be set up at Schreiner University and all camp and excursion sites that will visit wild caves.

5) The Congress asked that any caving equipment, including but not limited to clothes, boots, packs, ascenders, gloves, bottles, lights, helmets, etc., used in a cave or bat roost site in any state covered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Advisory, not be used on any ICS caving trip.

6) The following trips are now canceled because of WNS or other factors:
Pre-ICS excursion 04: Endangered Species/Endangered Caves
Pre-ICS excursion 82: Caves of the Bahamas
Pre-ICS field camp 33: Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia
Pre-ICS field camp 34: Tectonic Pseudokarst of Western North Carolina
Pre-ICS field camp 37: Caves of Virginia
Pre-ICS field camp 56: Caves of the Sierra Nevada, California
Post-ICS excursion 81: Caving with the Maya, Belize
Wednesday trip WD-108: Land and Bat Habitat Restoration
Wednesday trip WD-109: Powell’s Cave
Wednesday trip WD-120: Fredericksburg, Peaches, and History
Wednesday trip WD-122: River Walk and Shopping in San Antonio
Wednesday trip WD-123: San Marcos Prime Shopping Center
Wednesday trip WD-124: Schlitterbahn Waterpark
Wednesday trip WD-126: YO Ranch

If you are registered for one of the above trips, you will automatically be given your 2nd or 3rd choice trip. If you did not give a 2nd or 3rd choice, please go to https://secure.concentric.com/ics2009.u ... dInfo=true and add your choices. If you do not wish to join another trip, please write that in the comment section of the above registration webpage and your trip fee will be refunded.

7) If you are registered for an ICS trip that is not listed above, do not do anything at this time except to add 2nd and 3rd choices if you have not already done so. Please do not contact the ICS for more information about how WNS will affect ICS trips at this time. This message has all of the information currently available and we will send you more as soon as possible. Any modified trips or additional canceled trips will be announced via the e-mail list by 5 May 2009. The 15th ICS understands that many of you have already made travel arrangements that cannot be changed. Our staff is working hard to quickly provide interesting and fun alternative things to do for trips where cave entry is not possible. Refunds for trips will be available and you can also request alternate trips, but wait until the 5 May announcement to see if your trips will still be offered or changed. We expect to still offer many excellent trips. Deadlines for refunds, how to make changes in your ICS trips, and other information will be included in the e-mail message sent by 5 May 2009.

The Organizing Committee of the 15th ICS apologizes for the inconveniences caused by WNS and we thank you for your understanding and support to prevent this national emergency from becoming a worldwide crisis. Be aware that the list of affected areas and caves may change as more information and government advisories become available. For more information on WNS, see http://caves.org/WNS/WNS%20Info.htm

Please distribute this message to any people, websites, e-mails lists, or newsletters you think are affected or interested.

15th ICS POLICY FOR FIELD TRIP LEADERS REGARDING WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME

1. Cancel all caving trips in WNS- affected areas immediately, unless plans can be made to convert them to non-caving trips.

2. Trip Leaders may elect to cancel or modify trips outside the WNS-affected area.

3. All ICS-sponsored trips will follow the regulations and policies established by the land management agency or owner and relevant state and federal agencies (e.g., state game and fish departments, National Park Service, etc.).

4. All Trip Leaders must develop written decontamination plans for their trips. Current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decontamination procedures are attached; if new and superior methods become available between now and the ICS, they will be provided to the trip leaders ASAP so trip decontamination methods can be updated. Plans must include provisions for decontaminating all non-new clothing and equipment at both the beginning and end of the trip, and may include decontamination at other times as appropriate.

5. Trip Leaders MUST present an alternative, contingency plan/description for their trips to Peri by April 30th in case wild caving becomes disallowed prior to or during the event. Include updated budgets for your trips, including the cost of decontamination if it pertains to your trips. We potentially face situations of NO wild caving irregardless of the land owner/manager if WNS spreads. If the camp leader is unable and/or unwilling to provide a non-wild caving alternative, the trip should be canceled by May 4th. Camp/excursion leaders must be committed to their non-caving alternative and only cancel due to other, unexpected problems.

6. The alternative plans/descriptions will be posted and sent out to registrants on May 5th. The registrants can cancel with a 100% refund up to June 1st. After that date, no refunds will be issued for cancellations.

7. The Congress asks that any caving gear, including but not limited to, clothes, boots, overalls, packs, ascenders, gloves, bottles, etc., used in a cave or bat roost site in any state covered by the USFWS Cave Advisory not be used during any Congress caving trips.

8. A decontamination system will be set up at Schreiner University and all camp and excursion sites that will visit wild caves.

9. All cave gear used in a wild cave will need to be decontaminated before each wild cave visit and before leaving the camp, excursion, and/or Congress. Trip leaders may allow exceptions if the same cave is visited consecutively.

10. No wild caving trips will occur in caves that have an active or seasonally active bat colony. Exceptions include areas not occupied by bats in extensive caves that may contain roosts, and travel through active or seasonally active bat-occupied areas is not required to reach them.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby ek » Apr 15, 2009 11:02 am

4) Decontamination will be required for all caving trips outside of the WNS-affected areas. A decontamination system will be set up at Schreiner University and all camp and excursion sites that will visit wild caves.

Any idea what decontamination procedures will be used?
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby PYoungbaer » Apr 15, 2009 11:39 am

No.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby innermostphoto » Apr 15, 2009 4:40 pm

This is a direct violation of the latest NSS announcement on WNS. Continuing to have the NSS / ICS Convention places the western part of the country if not the other parts of the world at risk. IF you truly believe humans are a partial vector of the transmission of WNS then both of these events should be canceled effective immediately. The NSS announcement states "[ the NSS] Asks NSS members and internal organizations to take the lead locally in educating the public on WNS, including groups such as the scouts, camps, church youth groups,and other outing clubs". You can't take the lead when the NSS has become hypocritical and allow this and ALL other caving events throughout the US to continue. Either you believe people are a potential transmitter or you don't. You cannot be somewhere in the middle.




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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby wyandottecaver » Apr 15, 2009 5:29 pm

Actually it doesn't violate the NSS statement because that statement essentially agrees (at least in language) with the 17 state USFWS document. this includes using completely seperate gear for those 17 states vs all others if you go caving. If people aren't caving, then current WNS policies don't much apply at all. The issue of show caves concerns me but folks gotta make their dollar.

I am glad the ICS/NSS 2009 finally caught up with what I said long ago. These events can and should continue just as local events can and should. The question of whether there should be any actual caving done is another matter. In general I support a common sense approach towards individual and small group caving as far as which caves should be off limits due to WNS and when. However, in this case where there will be the probability of large groups of people intermixing from across the country and across the world I think ANY trip should be carefully evaluated...which the ICS/NSS 2009 seems to be doing.

I hear decon will consist of sitting in an enclosed black tin box placed on asphalt parking lots and baking for 30 minutes at 120 degrees :big grin:
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby Crockett » Apr 15, 2009 7:19 pm

"I hear decon will consist of sitting in an enclosed black tin box placed on asphalt parking lots and baking for 30 minutes at 120 degrees."

Well I heard that since it is Texas in the summer everybody would wash their gear, put it on, then sit in their cars.

They are calling it the Texas Autoclave.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby Anonymous_Coward » Apr 16, 2009 8:56 am

Step one foot into Texas in July and all your gear will be instantly de-conned by the intense solar radiation and searing heat.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby Bill Putnam » Apr 16, 2009 12:39 pm

jaa45993 wrote:Step one foot into Texas in July and all your gear will be instantly de-conned by the intense solar radiation and searing heat.

:funny post: :bananabat: :bat: :nannabooboo: :hitsfan: :rofl: :boxing:

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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby hewhocaves » Apr 16, 2009 2:26 pm

FYI

The NSS / ICS is not *just* caving. There are salons, presentations, surface field trips, activities and events to name a few. Personally, I plan on going to all the geology sessions and meeting as many people from overseas as possible. In Indiana I had to be dragged to do some actual caves.

So no.. canceling convention itself is not a prudent move. Canceling all caving at convention, however....
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby innermostphoto » Apr 17, 2009 11:12 am

No. You are missing the point. The NSS is a caving organization. The USFW announced a voluntary ban on all caving activities. Both organizations have agreed to work with each other. The NSS and all of its affiliates or sub organizations are hypocritical if they allow these events to continue. I realize MANY do not participate in actual caving during these events but you cannot control everyone (which is what they are trying to do) therefore by merely having the events they are in conflict with the NSS current statement on WNS. Shut it down. Shut it down now. ALL EVENTS across the nation. If you truly believe people are the causing the spread of this disease then the NSS should comply? Otherwise quit being pro bat and anti-people. Further, there has been no proof that any of the measures taken to clean your gear does anything. How long are you going to let this hysteria take hold of you?

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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby PYoungbaer » Apr 17, 2009 12:17 pm

The USFWS did not ask for a moratorium on caving outside of the 17 state region. They asked that caving done outside that region follow the decontamination protocols, and that gear used within the 17 state region not be taken or used elsewhere.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby cavergirl » Apr 17, 2009 1:20 pm

innermostphoto wrote: The USFW announced a voluntary ban on all caving activities.
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No, The USFW announcement said
The Service’s cave advisory has four recommendations to limit the possible spread of white-nose syndrome by human activity:

A voluntary moratorium on caving in states with confirmed WNS and all adjoining states;
Nationally, in states not WNS-affected or adjoining states, use clothing and gear that has never been in caves in WNS-affected or adjoining states;
State and federal conservation agencies should evaluate scientific activities for their potential to spread WNS; and
Nationally, researchers should use clothing and gear that has never been in caves in a WNS-affected or adjoining state.
This also applies to mines used by cavers.

The F&W white nose page message to cavers reads
We request that cavers observe all cave closures and advisories and avoid caves or passages of caves containing large hibernating populations of any bat species.
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscavers.html

No where does it say cavers cannot gather to camp, party, exchange ideas, etc. These events are Caver events not necessarily caving events. and it is unrealistic to expect the NSS/ICS or regions or grottos who have already invested large sums of money to cancel an event.

Further, the Mission Statement of the NSS reads :
The purpose of this Society shall be to promote interest in and to advance in any and all ways the study and science of speleology, the protection of caves and their natural contents, and to promote fellowship among those interested therein.

The NSS convention is neccessary to fullfill those goals.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby graveleye » Apr 17, 2009 1:24 pm

innermostphoto wrote: Shut it down. Shut it down now. ALL EVENTS across the nation....//.... How long are you going to let this hysteria take hold of you?


No offense, Bob, but the idea o shutting down all caver gatherings across the country sounds pretty over the top to me.
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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby innermostphoto » Apr 17, 2009 9:57 pm

WNS Liaison? What the heck is that? That makes as much sense as NSS numbers. At least I finally agree with one statement said here and that is it's all about money. Thanks cavergirl for pointing that out. To think that a caving event won't have cave trips is very unrealistic. Further, the so called cleaning protocols are just a guess nothing more. Just like accusing cavers of WNS transmission. Just a guess. No proof only a lot of hype and hysteria. If you believe people are the cause then the NSS and its sub organizations need to cease all caving events. It is very unrealistic for a caving organization to host a caving event for cavers and they NOT go caving! Yes, USFW stated only in a 17 state criteria however, do you not think WNS can get to you? If you believe humans are a partial vector then you should stop all events. How long are you going to let the nonsense continue?

I reiterate this segment I wrote from a previous forum not related to this one

The NSS in response to the WNS crisis has decided to close all of its caves within the 17 state region and they ask for cavers to complete a moratorium on caving. This comes as a direct result from the USFW directive to close all of its caves also citing it may help slow the progression of WNS. They too, ask cavers to stop all caving activities. The Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries announced they have confirmed cases of WNS in their state and the Cookeville office in Tennessee announces all cave visitation be suspended in Tennessee unless being conducted as part of an agency-sanctioned research or monitoring project. All of these new rules are being implemented to help reduce the spread of this rampant disease that is killing bats at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, caving events continue to be planned and I have yet to see anyone mention events such as the TAG Fall Cave In, SERA, or Speleofest to be canceled. If you truly believe cavers are even remotely causing the spread of WNS then Dogwood City, The Nashville Grotto, and the Louisville Grotto (and others) are in direct conflict with the NSS and other organizations. I know, you can say it is more a social event and "we" don't really go caving. Yes, a social event that promotes caving in a time when everyone else is asking you not to go. A quick review of each of the events web site lists cave trips offered during the event. But how far are you willing to take this? Well, the NSS should cancel the 2009 convention for fear of transmitting WNS to western portions of the US and for heavens sake cancel the ICS for fear of spreading WNS throughout the world! If they don't cancel these events they are in direct conflict with their own policies. The big question is how long do you think this will continue? Researchers haven't had any answers since its discovery in 2006. Do you really think positive results will arrive soon to relinquish all these restrictions? I predict more indefinite closures in the future from private land owners and private groups. This disappoints me greatly.

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Re: ICS/NSS Convention Issues Trip Policy Re: WNS

Postby Bill Putnam » Apr 17, 2009 11:10 pm

Bob,

You are such a rabble-rouser! :big grin:

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