WNS Presentation by NC Cavers

[Scott McCrea]

May 1st, 2009, the Flittermouse Grotto will co-host a presentation about WNS at UNC-Asheville. It is open to the public. There will be guest speakers from NC Wildlife Commission and USFWS as well as slides, video and PowerPoint presentations. Donations will be accepted for the NSS WNS Rapid-Relief Fund. More info here: http://swaygo.googlepages.com/fmgwnspresentation

Permission to distribute freely. Tell your friends!

[Scott McCrea]

Just got home from this event. Fantastic! 105 people showed up! More later. zzzzzzzz.

[xcaverx]

I was there. They did a very professional presentation, perhaps the first of its kind in the country.

The wildlife and land management agencies are dealing with this crisis in an ad hoc, fight the fire way. They don't have plans for outreach to cave for pay or scouting or other marginal caving groups -- this event was their outreach, to date. They need organized cavers to get the word out. They don't have plans for placing signs at caves and trail heads stating the closure policy, but since the subject came up, I expect they will very soon.

Flittermouse Grotto did a great job of organizing this event. Some of the same people are laying plans for a similar event in Tennessee.

[PYoungbaer]

This sounds like a successful event all the way around: excellent poster, good PR, great attendance.

Yes, USFWS does not have an effective outreach program at all - to youth groups - including scouts, show caves, etc. They have a media arm, which is used to generating media coverage, but that's about it.

This is a great role for the NSS, and this event a good model. Please note, if you haven't already, that we now have an NSS WNS tri-fold color brochure posted on the WNS website. It's in pdf format, so download, print, copy, distribute freely. We'll update periodically as needed, but it's designed to be that general outreach and education tool.