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Post by Taylor on Aug 20, 2006 10:09:50 GMT -5
Wind power promises 'clean' energy but some question environmental costsAugust 19 2006 HIGHTOWN, Va. -- The first utility-grade wind farm proposed in Virginia is hailed by its supporters as clean energy that can help stem global warming and rising fuel prices. But mountaintop residents near the Highland County site worry about what the blades of 18 towers taller than the Statue of Liberty would do to their environment. That would include rare or endangered birds, bats and a few other species, as well as a wild trout stream. Eleven state agencies have reviewed the Highland New Wind Development proposal and come up with a lengthy list of suggested studies, including an analysis of the cumulative impact of wind farms on the four-state Allegheny Mountain region. The State Corporation Commission, which has final say, will conduct a public hearing Oct. 30 in Richmond on the proposal by retired poultry processor Henry McBride of Harrisonburg. His attorney, John Flora, hopes the project can benefit from a federal tax credit that expires in 2007. In addition to Highland, wind farms are being considered for Roanoke and Patrick counties in Virginia, as well as nearby West Virginia localities, as a movement blows east for wind turbines already on the landscape in Western states. On balance, the environmental aspects of wind turbines are "very positive" because they cause no air or water pollution, Flora said. McBride sees the turbines, which would occupy 217 acres, as a way to preserve the 4,000 acres he owns in Highland County from development. "Nothing else has to be done to spoil that land," Flora said. "He wants to harvest the wind for the future generations." In the East, onshore winds often are strongest on mountaintops, where turbines stand a greater chance of disrupting the ecological balance. "We've got to be more discriminating in the East," said Jonathan Miles, a James Madison University professor with the Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative. "We don't have a lot of expansive plains." The loosely organized collaborative, which promotes renewable energy projects in Virginia, believes wind farms are part of the solution to the nation's energy needs but takes no position on specific projects, Miles said. Many Highland residents who say they support renewable energy have not hesitated to line up against turbines in their county, however. Among them is Patti Reum, a biologist who with her husband Tom Brody operates a mountaintop retreat popular with birders, astronomers and other naturalists that has a close-up view of the project site. They are certain turbines on nearby Tamarack Ridge and Red Oak Knob would hurt their livelihood and a unique environment. The Highland New Wind project would rise at the 4,400-foot elevation where the headwaters of three watersheds converge. It has flora and fauna not found elsewhere in the region, such as red spruce, sugar maples, snowshoe hare and even salamanders with gills. Astronomers savor the dark sky, which would be punctuated by red flashing lights on the tops of the 400-foot towers, Reum said. And the ridgeline is a migratory path for large and small birds as well as bats, which have been known to succumb to the whirring blades. "Highland County is known as bird heaven," Reum said. Birders from California and Arizona come in the spring for glimpses of golden-winged warblers, a declining population that she said nests in the area. More than 100 sightings of bald and golden eagles were documented this past spring, according to a report by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which called for additional studies to determine the project's impact on wildlife. A survey of nocturnal migration for the developer last fall "leads DGIF to believe that the impacts to birds and/or bats may be greater than other projects in the East," its report to the SCC said. Caver Rick Lambert of Monterey said the Highland project is surrounded by caves inhabited by two endangered bat species. He said both of them, the Indiana bat and the Virginia big-eared bat, could be vulnerable to turbine blades. The Indiana bat spends the winter in caves, then moves to trees in high altitudes for the summer. The Virginia big-eared bat switches from winter to summer caves, but Lambert said it travels no more than 40 miles. The game department said bird deaths at turbines have been "tolerable to the scientific community," but called bat mortality significant. "The mortality rates go up astronomically when you get into the Alleghenies," Lambert said. Studies at the Mountaineer Wind Energy Center in Tucker and Preston counties, W.Va., estimated the deaths of 2,000 bats--some 45 per turbine--during the six-week migratory periods in 2003 and 2004, according to Peter Schoenfeld of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. In Flora's view, the downside to turbines is the appearance. Schoenfeld, who opposed a wind farm proposed near his Pendleton County cabin that was recently rejected by West Virginia's Public Service Commission, agrees. "They're real conspicuous at five miles," Schoenfeld said. "It's pretty appalling." Rick Webb of Monterey, a University of Virginia scientist whose Web site lays out potential environmental dangers of turbine development, believes serious conservation could save as much energy as would be generated by wind farms such as the one proposed in Highland. The 18 Highland turbines would produce up to 39 megawatts of electricity, enough power for 39,000 homes. It would take an additional 978 turbines to match the yearly output of the coal-fired Clinch River power station, Webb said in a report submitted to the SCC. In addition, he said, the mountain winds are at their lowest in the summer, when demand for electricity is high. The best winds for power generation are off the coast, said Miles of the energy collaborative, where a site about the size of Virginia Beach could produce as much as 20 percent of the state's energy needs. No one has stepped up to try to harness Virginia's sea winds, but a Boston company is seeking to build the first large offshore wind farm with 130 turbines off Cape Cod. That project has generated a groundswell of opposition as well. Despite controversy over individual projects, Flora said his client's biggest concern is getting turbines, which he estimates will cost $55 million to $60 million. "The market is extremely tight because they are so much in demand," he said. www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--windpower0819aug19,0,296858.story?coll=dp-headlines-virginia On the Net: www.scc.virginia.gov vwec.cisat.jmu.edu/ www.vawind.org
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Post by Taylor on Mar 10, 2006 20:22:50 GMT -5
May 8-12, 2006 - Black Hills Cave Restoration CampHosted by Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. You are invited to be one of up to 20 volunteers who will be assisting with this conservation project. The goal of the project is to restore the cave's natural condition along the public tour routes. This year's camp will focus on removing lint and dust accumulations at both caves. We are soliciting help from anyone interested in resource protection and restoration. No previous experience is required. There is no registration fee, and housing will be provided. Two days will be spent working at each cave, with Wednesday as a 'day off' for caving and/or sightseeing. On Wednesday, Jewel Cave will offer a 4-hour recreational caving trip to the restoration camp volunteers. There may be other caving opportunities before or after the camp, and on evenings throughout the week as well. As an additional treat, Herb and Jan Conn will present a slide show on the first 50+ miles of exploration at Jewel Cave. To sign up, or for more details, please contact Marc Ohms at 605-745-1182 or Marc_Ohms@nps.gov. The deadline is Friday April 14, 2006, and spots are available on a first come-first served basis. (I posted this earlier under caving events, but wanted to redirect the message to the attention of the conservation audience. )
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Post by Taylor on Jul 15, 2006 3:14:07 GMT -5
Scientists Find 400,000 Year Old DNA Matthew Borghese - Staff Writer Stockholm, Sweden (AHN) - A team of researchers have discovered an ancient link with an animal long gone. The scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden have uncovered a strand of DNA, believed to be 400,000 years old. An international team, comprised of Swedish, Spanish and German researchers, discovered the DNA in a bear's tooth, in a cave in Atapuerca, Spain. Team leader Anders Goetherstroem tells AFP, "It is usually hard to find DNA that is older than 100,000 years, and work on fossilized DNA mostly focuses on material that is a few tens of thousands of years old, at most." Goetherstroem believes the DNA "pushed back the frontier," adding the find "means that it will be possible to subject a large number of extinct animals to DNA analysis." www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004221302
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Post by Taylor on Nov 28, 2006 23:25:14 GMT -5
NKU professor's journey coming to televisionTerry Duennes November 28, 2006 Northern Kentucky University biology professor Hazel Barton will help turn "The Lost World" from fiction to fact in a nationally televised documentary in December. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle conjured up images of dinosaurs still roaming a remote part of Venezuela in his famous 1912 novel "The Lost World." The novel was inspired by real-life 19th century explorations of mile-high, flat-topped mountains there and speculation that the area might be at an evolutionary standstill, some sort of lost world. Barton, along with three other scientists, an explorer and a folklore expert, spent three weeks in "The Lost World" terrain of Venezuela a year ago filming a documentary titled "The Real Lost World." The first hour of the two-hour documentary will be shown Dec. 10 on the Animal Planet cable television network and the second hour shown Dec. 17. The film also will be shown Dec. 14 on the Discovery HD Theatre TV network. Barton and her team didn't find any dinosaurs, but Barton - an expert on cave microbiology - explored caves there and found some heretofore unknown microbial activity that may help explain life on Mars. "I found microbes eating quartzite rocks, chewing into those hard rocks," she said. "The microbes spit minerals into the air, and the minerals float on air currents and land on things like spider webs, creating bizarre formations. It's been known that microbes can do this in hot springs, but it's novel to see this happening at low temperatures. This is an energy-starved environment, but the microbes found ways to generate energy. It might give us a clue about what reactions were happening billions of years ago. It could help us look for microfossils in other environments, possibly Mars, and help us understand activity on Mars that we previously thought not possible." Barton's collaborators at NASA are excited by the recent discoveries and a return scientific expedition has been funded by the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium. Barton said she enjoyed her three-week stay in the so-called "Table Mountains" that include mile-high Mount Roraima near the triple border of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. Full Article
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Post by Taylor on Oct 1, 2006 1:36:54 GMT -5
Rare Nevada fish population reboundsSeptember 30, 2006 LAS VEGAS Federal wildlife officials say a population of rare desert fish has rebounded. A recent count found 85 Devil's Hole pupfish in a water-filled limestone cave near Ash Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. That's more than twice as many fish counted in April when officials found the rare fish population was at an all-time low. Devil's Hole is the only place on the planet this species of pupfish is known to exist. The numbers are good news for wildlife officials. They've often been blamed for bringing the fish to the brink of extinction. Two years ago a mishap involving fish traps killed nearly one-third of the population. The population has never recovered. Officials say the latest count still isn't as high as they'd like. Before the fish trap accident the population ranged from 200 to 250 pupfish in the hole. www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=5479605&nav=9qrx
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Post by Taylor on Oct 14, 2006 10:35:51 GMT -5
History rises from ashesArcheologists find traces of long-gone civilizations in wildfires' wake By Allison Hoffman Published October 14, 2006 DESCANSO, Calif. -- An oak tree was still burning nearby when Margaret Hangan made her way across a wildfire-scorched landscape and spotted to her delight a set of flat-topped granite boulders that served as kitchen counters in an ancient village 2,000 years ago. In the rocks were manmade oval depressions in which acorns were ground into flour. "This place was happening," said Hangan, a U.S. Forest Service archeologist. "They had water, food, grass for baskets--everything they needed." For all the damage they do, wildfires can be a boon to archeologists, laying bare the traces of long-gone civilizations. Around the country, government archeologists often move in to see what has been exposed after the flames have burned away the underbrush; sometimes they accompany firefighters while a blaze is still raging to make sure artifacts are not damaged. "Fires are a double-edged sword," said Richard Fitzgerald, an archeologist for California State Parks. "They can be very destructive, but after a big fire you can find new sites, even in areas that have been surveyed before." During a fire that burned for nearly a month this fall in the Los Padres National Forest north of Los Angeles, fire crews found an abandoned gold-mining camp and an adobe homestead from the 1800s. After a smaller fire there in June, they discovered a cave with rock art and a site with unusual beads made from freshwater shells. David Jurney, an archeologist for the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests in Arkansas, estimated his teams make four times as many finds during postfire surveys than they do digging through overgrown stretches of forest. Most finds are small, rock flakes left behind by hunters sharpening arrowheads or piles of rich brown earth, called midden, that remain from prehistoric kitchen scraps. In rare instances, fires unveil large structures. Archeologists discovered fortresslike stone walls after a 2003 fire ravaged Cuyamaca Rancho State Park northeast of San Diego. During fires, archeologists sometimes move with firefighters to help prevent damage to already recorded sites. Bulldozers are often directed to work around settlements, and helicopter pilots are warned against dropping fire retardant on rocks with ancient drawings on them. "The No. 1 goal is to put the fire out, but there's flexibility in how that's done," said Paul Claeyssens, a Forest Service archeologist in Oregon. Fire crews working near known archeological sites can also set backfires that can burn away fuel at lower temperatures than wildfires, which can get so hot that rocks simply explode, obliterating traces of ancient settlements. Hangan knew there were boulders once used by the ancient Kumeyaay Indians in the Cleveland National Forest near Descanso, just outside San Diego. After a fire in the forest last summer, Hangan was relieved to find the rocks intact. She also discovered that the collection of boulders was more extensive than she had realized--indicating a settlement large enough to support as many as five extended families. After fires reveal artifacts, archeologists often recommend closing burned-over areas to the public until new grass begins to screen the exposed sites from looters. "It's a delicate balance," Hangan said. "The public has a right to see what belongs to it, but we have to protect it too." www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0610140205oct14,1,1790112.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
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Post by Taylor on Jul 15, 2006 3:05:48 GMT -5
20,000 year old artifacts discovered in Quang Tri 15/07/2006 Archeologists from the Quang Tri Museum and the Viet Nam Institute of Archeology have unearthed hundreds of artifacts believed to belong to the early Hoa Binh culture dating back to about 15,000-20,000 years ago at an excavation site in central Quang Tri Province. The findings at the Bat Cave (Hang Doi) site in Cam Lo District include axes and chopping and grinding tools made from stone. The scientists also found the remains of two cooking stoves. The excavation is still underway. (Source: VNA) english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/2006/07/591492/
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Post by Taylor on Apr 27, 2006 8:14:47 GMT -5
New archaeological discoveries in Khemisset province By Susan Searight-Martinet 4/25/2006 Moroccan archaeologists working since beginning April on the Zemmour Plateau in Khemisset province have brought to light in the Ifri n'Amer ou Moussa caves remains of structures, graves and objects dating from the Copper Age, in particular the Bell Beaker civilization (3000-1800 BC), said a report Monday from the Ministry of Culture. This discovery will increase knowledge of the copper age cultures in Morocco, indicated the same source. The exceptional character of the cave is reinforced by the discovery of a human skeleton buried in a grave, it added. Metal objects, including a Palmella weapon-head, a bone needle and several sherds of Beaker pottery have been revealed on the site. This discovery in fact represents the first man of the Bell Beaker civilization ever to be discovered in Morocco, declared the same source. The Ifri n'Amer ou Moussa cave (100 m SE of the Souk Sebt cave) is big: 20 m wide, 14.5 m deep, with a gallery prolongation 17.5 m long. The high ceiling has fallen down in the middle, leaving a 4-metre wide skylight. The large stone block that fell occupies the central part of the living-space. The cave has thick sediments rich in ash, with stones brought in from outside, several of which show signs of use. A programme of archaeological prospecting and excavation on the Neolithic and Protohistoric periods on the Zemmour Plateau has been in place since 2005, as part of the research undertaken by the Rabat-based National Institute of Archaeological and Heritage Sciences (INSAP). www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=49&id=14322
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Post by Taylor on Mar 4, 2006 11:49:57 GMT -5
More along the line of genetic study and human sciences, though worthy of a brief note. Researchers say the tradition of blondes having more fun goes back to the end of the Ice Age. A report from the University of St. Andrews, published this week in Evolution and Human Behavior, says north European women evolved blond hair and blue eyes to make them stand out from their rivals at a time of fierce competition for scarce males, the Sunday Times of London reported. Researchers say it appears blond hair originated in the region because of food shortages 10,000-11,000 years ago. Many men died in long, arduous hunting trips for food, leading to a high ratio of surviving women to men. Lighter hair colors, which started as rare mutations, became popular for breeding, the study said. An analysis of north European genes carried out at three Japanese universities has isolated the date of the genetic mutation that resulted in blond hair to about 11,000 years ago. A study by the World Health Organization found that natural blondes are likely to be extinct within 200 years because there are too few people carrying the blond gene, the newspaper said. Photo Copyright Getty Images www.13wham.com/news/weird_news/story.aspx?content_id=002419D7-5B12-4AA7-8E1A-04B314D0D3FB
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Post by Taylor on Sept 17, 2007 9:43:27 GMT -5
Another clean up on Public Lands day will happen at Oregon Caves. Repost:
Hi!
You are invited to participate in a volunteer cave cleanup day at Oregon Caves on Saturday, September 29 (National Public Lands Day). Individual volunteers and groups are welcome. You must register in advance. Free camping is available to volunteers on Friday and Saturday night. Volunteers will receive a waiver for one entrance fee for public lands, including national parks.
See attached press release. Please forward this press release to people you think may be interested in this event.
Elizabeth Hale =========================== Physical Science Technician Oregon Caves National Monument 19000 Caves Highway Cave Junction, OR 97523 phone: (541) 592-2100 x254 fax: (541) 592-3981
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Post by Taylor on Oct 14, 2006 11:04:13 GMT -5
Howdy, The National Capitol Area Council (NCAC) of Boy Scouts of America is pushing cave safety. This Council heads up the BSA units in the DC/Northern VA area. They just put a web page up for the BSA caving requirements. This is a start and we'll be playing with the web page to make it mo' bettah. See what they've done at www.boyscouts-ncac.org/pages/217_health_safety_committee.cfm Note that caving has top billing at the list on the left of the page. Click onto that to go to the caving site. We are discussing including caving-specific information on the tour permits, and I hope to have defined the "highly experienced" caver as required by BSA. I'd like to expand this to the other councils that cave in this region. The Council has requested a contact person for caving questions and I'd like to have one in the line up for Baltimore as well. Any one want to act as an informational resource (you do not have to line up cave guides for them) for these folks to help keep them doing the right thing? I think the vast majority of contact will be via e-mail. No working with the kids, no cave trips with anybody is required. Just answer basic questions via e-mail and point them to the NSS website for youth groups information. Please distribute this e-mail far and wide. I think we should act on this quickly and take advantage of the opportunity to help improve the safety and caving ethics of this very active group. These folks are doing the right thing and we need to help them out in setting a standard instead of just whining about any problems youth groups may present. If anyone has a cave cleanup scheduled, the NCAC might be a good source of labor. Send me the info if you have one scheduled. The NCAC is starting to move on this. Let's keep the momentum going. Pat Bingham Chair, NSS Youth Groups Liaison Committee
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Post by Taylor on Sept 23, 2006 15:20:09 GMT -5
The New Mexico Geological Society 57th Annual Fall Field Conference —The "Caves and Karst of Southeast New Mexico" will be held in the Carlsbad area of southeastern New Mexico, September 27 - 30, 2006.
The conference will focus specifically on the world-class caves and other karst features of southeastern New Mexico and adjacent areas. The regional geology of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico is of immense economic and scientific importance due to its prolific oil and gas production and its designation by the International Union of Geological Sciences as a Global Stratotype Section for rocks of middle Permian age. The hosts for this year’s conference are Lewis Land (New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources), Penny Boston (New Mexico Tech) and Bill Raatz (Oxy Permian).
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Post by Taylor on Sept 19, 2006 2:25:56 GMT -5
Cave and Karst contract with architectural firm terminated By Stella Davis September 18, 2006 CARLSBAD — The city of Carlsbad has terminated its contract with the local architectural firm hired to handle the design of the National Cave and Karst Institute. But the firm will not refund the $193,000 already expended by the city for the design work. "We couldn't reach an agreement," said City Administrator Harry Burgess. "Our other choice was to seek arbitration. That would have been costly for everybody. The termination of the contract was a mutual decision. The money we have already paid for the design is basically lost. It cannot be recouped." He said the termination of the contract was through a mutual agreement following a mediation meeting last week between the city and the architectural firm of Durham and Associates Architects Inc. The dispute boiled down to interpretations of two clauses in the firm's contract with the city —who is to blame for delays of the project that led to rising construction costs and money that had already been paid for the design work. Burgess said that the architectural firm was awarded the bid for the original design of the building, which is to be the anchor point of the Carlsbad Department of Development Cascades project along the Pecos River. According to the agreement, the firm would be paid $240,000 or 8 percent of the construction bid, whichever is lower based on the $3 million budgeted for the project. The project went out for construction bid in November, and the low bid came in at $6.8 million. "With deductions, that brought the price down to $6.3 million. At that time, the city had $3.4 million, and the construction bid come in about double that. The Legislature and the Environment Department this year gave us some more money so that brought what we had for the facility to $4.4 million," Burgess explained. "When the bid came high, we pursued some contractual remedies that said if the bid came over the budget, the contractor has to do a redesign. The city felt that the architectural firm should handle the project at no additional cost, or at least very little additional cost. It all hinges on definition. Instead of redesigning a new building, they cut out various portions of the building and the design they brought us suggested the project be done in phases, beginning with the $4.4 million. They suggested that we could add on in time as more money came available." Wanda Durham, Durham and Associates president and chief executive officer, said that there were several factors that led to the parting of ways. "We did what was asked of us," Durham said. "Our contract was to design a one or two story 20,000 square-feet building with actual useable space. In order to accommodate the space requirement, the footage of the building had to be 24,000 square feet plus. We agreed at the time to do a building design carrying through what the city had budgeted, which was about $3 million." Burgess said that when the architectural firm was asked to redesign the Cave and Karst facility, it had envisioned at no additional cost a new design that does not call for construction phases and fits the city's budget. "They said it would cost the city an additional $190,000 for a new design," Burgess said. "We disagreed with that." Burgess said that an option the city plans to explore is the possibility of utilizing the National Park Service's architectural services. The National Park Service and the state of New Mexico have each agreed to pay half for the facility, but the NPS has additional Leadership in Energy Environmental Design requirements for the project. Rest of article: www.currentargus.com/ci_4359430
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Post by Taylor on Sept 23, 2006 14:14:17 GMT -5
Cool avatar. Welcome to the forum.
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Post by Taylor on Aug 5, 2006 3:52:47 GMT -5
Other aspects of Karst continuing By Kyle Marksteiner August 4, 2006 CARLSBAD — While the construction of the National Cave and Karst Institute facility is on hold, again, other aspects of the institute are continuing, said Ron Kerbo, interim director of the program. "I wouldn't say that it is on hold," Kerbo said. "Some of the larger projects are on hold, but among other things, we do have a slate of candidates for the director." Once a new full-time director is selected, that individual will be an employee of New Mexico Tech and work in Carlsbad. NPS will continue to have oversight of the program. This week, the institution renewed its agreement on its temporary location in Carlsbad. The small staff currently operates out of two rooms at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Training Center, which belongs to the Carlsbad Department of Development. The current staff in Carlsbad consists of a handful of paid researchers and volunteers. "We are, right now, working on a budget and looking at money for New Mexico Tech to continue to support the search for director, as well as for creating new positions," Kerbo said. The program is also, Kerbo noted, moving forward with implementing a masters program related to caves at Western Kentucky University. "We're also moving ahead with our karst map project," Kerbo said. "We will have an exhibit up at the upcoming national speleological convention." Locally, the institute has continued with a lecture series first implemented by National Cave and Karst Research Institute director Louise Hose. "But the biggest news right now is that we do have that roster (of potential directors)," Kerbo said. "Hopefully, within a couple months we'll have a new director. We see that as a positive step, but we would like to see building progress." Kerbo was the cave resource specialist at Carlsbad Caverns National Park from 1976 to 1991. He currently serves as the National Cave and Karst Program Director, while acting as interim director of the institute in Carlsbad. While he indicated some frustration with the delays in construction of the building, he seemed less frustrated than other individuals involved. "It's just one of those things that happens," he said. www.currentargus.com/ci_4139060
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Post by Taylor on Aug 20, 2006 10:14:58 GMT -5
Cave and Karst Institute needs out of Purgatory August 8, 2006 In the world of computer programming there is a software phenomenon commonly referred to as an infinite loop. An infinite loop occurs when the programming language, intentionally or otherwise, self references back to the beginning of the code. A simple example in BASIC, from the online dictionary Wilkepedia, looks like this: 10 XX+1 20 Print X 30 GoTo 10 This simple three-line program runs endlessly because the last line loops back to the beginning. But there is perhaps another lesser-known example of an infinite loop: the project called the National Cave and Karst Institute, which, theoretically, is to be located here at some point in the future. This project bears an uncanny resemblance to the mathematical principle of an infinite loop. Here's how it might look in seven short lines of BASIC: 10 Request money to build facility + additional costs 20 Get cash from federal and state government 30 Request plans for facility 40 Experience delays + get input from National Park Service 50 Receive plans that are out of step with project's budget 60 Change project's staff 70 GoTo 10 Well, okay, maybe this project won't take an eternity to finish. But with the city and architectural firm squabbling about contractual language it sure feels something like a perpetual political purgatory. State Representative John Heaton was correct when he said, " There needs to be a better process when people come to (the state) and ask for money." Here's a rational first step: all future requests for proposals by the city should include specific language that compels the architect/contractor to tie the plans directly to the project's budget. A detailed outline of costs associated with the scope of the plans — at a real and specific point in time — should keep Carlsbad from looping off to infinity and beyond. Otherwise, it will be deja vu all over again. www.currentargus.com/ci_4153283
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Post by Taylor on Aug 5, 2006 3:47:49 GMT -5
Research headquarters construction delayed By Kyle Marksteiner CARLSBAD — The construction of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute headquarters in Carlsbad has been delayed, pending a contractual disagreement between the city of Carlsbad and the architectural firm hired to handle the project. The city recently requested arbitration, asking for Durham and Associates Architectural Firm to complete a redesign of the institute or refund the $193,000 already paid to the firm. The arbitration process, city manager Harry Burgess said, will lead to a legally binding decision that will prevent expensive court costs. The arbitration delay is the latest of a series of roadblocks that have seemingly plagued the project since its inception. The current dispute essentially boils down to interpretations of a pair of clauses in the firm's contract with the city. The dispute is heightened by a disagreement over who is to blame for delays, which have led to rising construction costs. Durham and Associates was awarded the bid on the original design for the building, which is meant to be the anchor point of the Carlsbad Department of Development Cascades project along the Pecos River. According to the agreement, the firm would be paid $240,000 or 8 percent of the construction bid, whichever is lower. The project went out for a construction bid in November, and the low bid came in at $6.8 million. "We had about half that," Burgess said. "In order to do (a construction rebid), the architect had to redraw some plans." The city feels the architectural firm should handle the project at no additional cost, or at least very little additional cost. "Their onus was to design this building within the perimeters (of cost)," Burgess said. "They didn't do that job they were asked to do. Our contract states they have to (handle the construction) rebid for us at no additional cost." Members of Durham and Associates, meanwhile, say they don't want to work for free on a completely new project that costs significantly more than the original project they bid on. The amount of state and national funds set aside is around $5 million. The firm's original contract was for a $3 million facility that the firm has already designed. "They say it's a fixed fee," said Wanda Durham, of Durham and Associates. "But there's a clause in the contract that says if you change the scope of the work, then the architect is to be compensated." The original $3 million project, Durham said, was assigned with the understanding that elected officials were going to try to get more money for the project. Recently, Gov. Bill Richardson approved an additional $850,000 in capital outlay funds for the project. Durham said she could not comment extensively due to the legal aspects of the arbitration process. "But there is another side to this story," she said. Complicated enough? There are a few more difficulties: Many of the original players in the project are no longer involved. Architect Beryl Durham passed away earlier this year. Burgess replaced retired city administrator Jon Tully, while National Cave and Karst Research Institute director Louise Hose has been replaced by interim director Ron Kerbo, who works in the National Park Service office in Denver. Additionally, NPS and the state have each agreed to pay for half of the facility, but NPS has additional Leadership in Energy Environmental Design requirements for the project. That means aspects of the building must meet certain environmentally-friendly requirements. After arbitration, Burgess noted, it would still be months before a new design and construction bid would be in place. Complete Article: www.currentargus.com/ci_4139059
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Post by Taylor on Jul 15, 2006 2:29:19 GMT -5
Surprises aplenty caving By Liz Price July 15, 2006 Taman Ethnobotani KM3, Jalan Persiaran Raya Gua Musang, Kelantan There are two popular stories, and both relate to the huge cave in the hill behind the town. One account says that a group of superstitious hunters were camped out here, when a storm destroyed the hunters’ attap huts. A bolt of lightning struck the hill and almost split it in two. The hunters thought the guardian spirit of the cave was angry and begged for mercy. As they prayed they saw a pack of civet cats run into the cave, so they lay in wait for them to come out again. However, the animals never reappeared. The hunters then named the hill Bukit Gua Musang and the town, Gua Musang. The second story refers to a rock formation inside the cave, which reportedly resembles a civet cat, hence the name. Today, this famous cave in Gua Musang, Kelantan is a fairly popular attraction. When we, a group of cave explorers from the Malaysian Karst Society, went up for a weekend recce, we were pretty sure we would see no signs of musang here. But imagine our surprise when one in our party went into a small passage in the cave and came face to face with a furry creature. At first we assumed it was a civet, but it turned out to be a porcupine. The porcupine was also startled and disappeared into a small dark hole. The cave of Gua Musang is located immediately behind the town’s railway station and is reached by a steep scramble up the hillside. We got some funny looks for our caving helmets and lights, and our muddy clothes. After a steep climb following the track up the hill, which was slippery from a recent shower, we reached the cliff face and saw a small slot. This is the cave entrance. The main cave chamber is huge, but the entrance passage is a very narrow ascending rift. There is an amazing amount of graffiti adorning the walls of the entrance chamber – it’s a shame that so many were so thoughtless in defacing the cave. Inside the cave, we found lots of wings belonging to Atlas moths strewn around the floor in some places. Probably the porcupine had eaten the moths, leaving just the wings. We explored all the passages we could find. The chamber goes through the hill to a back entrance and you can climb up to the top of the hill, but we felt it was a bit dangerous to attempt it as the ground was slippery. The next day we ventured out to Pulai. Pulai, south of Gua Musang, is an old gold mining area. It is said that Pulai was founded in 1425 by two brothers, Lim Pak Yen and Lim Ghee Yee, who fled China. The brothers came here in search of gold. Once word got out, there was a gold rush and a small settlement was created. As the gold supply slowly diminished, people started planting padi to survive. Pulai has a temple reputed to be 400-500 years old, reportedly the second oldest temple in the country after the Cheng Hoon Teng temple (1646) in Malacca. The Pulai Swee Nyet Keung Buddhist temple and its surrounding village was burnt down by the Japanese in 1941. The temple was rebuilt in 1970 and is quite small, but it has an interesting collection of ancient cannon parts. Across the river from the temple is a limestone hill with a new temple. Bukit Tok Cu is also known as Princess Mountain and a temple is being constructed on top of it. The workers told us that a man had a vision of steps being built up the hill in 1984, but work on the temple only started in 1997. However, a shrine was already in existence in the upper cave when an archaeological team dug there in 1991. The upper part of the cave is not very extensive but we were able to look straight down some open shafts to the cave chamber back down at ground level. We couldn’t see any obvious way down so we retraced our way down the steps and entered the main chamber at ground level. Looking around, we found an easy climb up inside the cave and found ourselves back in the new temple again, much to the surprise of the workers. We had our base in Taman Ethnobotani, where there are rooms and chalets for rent. The park was set up in 1997 for the collection and propagation of medicinal herbs. This recreational and nature park is administered by the Kelantan Selatan Development Authority (Kesedar). Some 3km from Gua Musang, the park covers 38ha of lush greenery and limestone outcrops. One small hill is located right at the entrance of Taman Ethnobotani, and here we got to watch climbers practise their moves. The park holds many climbing routes. Apart from climbing, there are other outdoor activities like rope and wooden obstacle courses, and flying fox and abseiling. Visitors can also learn to make traps and pick up jungle survival skills. Nature lovers will enjoy visiting the deer and ostrich farms and the medicinal herb garden. Gua Musang has three limestone hills that run parallel to the main road leading into town. One was burnt by a fire last year, and its odd appearance with the patchy vegetation growing back made it look like a mangy dog. And that’s what we called it: Mangy Dog Hill. Most of the Gua Musang limestone hills house caves, but they tend to be quite short. Gua Madu, located on the edge of town, is now in a recreational park. Further away in the Sungai Nenggiri area are the famous archaeological caves like Gua Cha, Gua Peraling and Gua Chawan. thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2006/7/15/lifetravel/14316289&sec=lifetravel
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Post by Taylor on May 13, 2006 5:04:07 GMT -5
Outdoors Caverns: Electronic field trip was successful effort Submitted to the Current-Argus May 11, 2006, CARLSBAD CAVERNS -- What does it take to successfully get 37 million students and teachers, First Lady Laura Bush and National Park Service Director Fran Mainella to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park all at the same time? It took nearly four miles of cable snaked down a 750-foot elevator shaft and around the Big Room; Ball State University's electronic field trip behind-the-scenes staff of 10, plus two camera operators, four audio engineers, a technical director, a satellite engineer, a lighting designer, an engineer-in-charge, a video shading/color technician, and four floor directors; nine on-camera students from Indiana, Minnesota and New Mexico; the vision of Ball State and the support of the National Park Foundation and Best Buy Children's Foundation; help from Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park staff; and dedicated Caverns' staff. "In the year that we've been working with Ball State to make this field trip a reality, there was never a time that anyone on the staff said, 'No, that can't be done,'" said Marjorie Thomas, education specialist at the park. "Park staff was very supportive of the project with everyone pitching in to help out -- whether they were on camera, answering e-mails, laying cable, or covering schedules for others." On April 25, in celebration of National Park Week and this year's theme of connecting children to national parks, nearly 37 million students and teachers from all 50 states and seven countries participated in "Exploring Nature's Plumbing System," broadcast live from the Cavern's natural entrance, four locations in the cave and Boston National Historical Park. The first lady participated live from the Charlestown Navy Yard with 23 fourth grade students, Mainella, National Park Foundation President and CEO Vin Cipolla, and Ball State President Jo Ann Gora. During the 90-minute "field trip," students asked park staff questions and learned how caves develop by creating a "cave" out of clay and sugar cubes. Through the field trip, an on-line game and curriculum developed by teachers and park staff, students learned caves are much more than nature's plumbing system -- they are sites of exploration, adventure, shelter and research. It was only the second national park to be featured by Ball State's electronic field trip program. The archived broadcast may be viewed at http:// ali.apple.com/ali_sites/ali/exhibits/1001737. www.currentargus.com/
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Post by Taylor on Apr 17, 2006 1:13:48 GMT -5
Kids Make History With Largest Simultaneous National Park Visit National Park Foundation and Ball State University Celebrate National Park Week by Connecting 37 Million Kids in an Electronic Field Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park The National Park Foundation, Ball State University and almost 37 million children and community members from 49 states and seven countries will make history on April 25, during National Park Week, by participating in the largest-ever simultaneous "visit" to a National Park. The virtual visit is part of Ball State's Electronic Field Trip "Exploring Nature's Plumbing System" which includes two interactive 90-minute live broadcasts from Carlsbad Caverns featuring National Park experts on the ground, as well as students and teachers from across the country. "Our Nation's Parks were given to us as a gift with the expectation that we would safeguard them for future generations," said Vin Cipolla, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "There is no better way to celebrate National Park Week across the nation and around the world than connecting our children with our Parks so that they can develop the sense of ownership and pride necessary to become the stewards of these great places." "Ball State is excited to partner with the National Park Foundation to present this Electronic Field Trip," said Ball State University President, Jo Ann M. Gora. "Through the innovative use of interactive technology, millions of children will explore one of our national treasures guided by leading experts and using Web-based educational games and lesson plans based on national standards." In addition to participating on-site in Carlsbad, NM, there are opportunities for members of the media to participate in local schools across the country or to access the satellite feed for broadcasts, which air at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (EDT). Information about the field trips can be found at www.bsu.edu/eft www.prnewswire.com/
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Post by Taylor on Apr 8, 2006 12:22:40 GMT -5
Adventure tours to take in Phong Nha – Ke Bang 03/04/06 VietNamNet – Central Quang Binh Province and the Hanoi University for Natural Sciences have teamed up to design nine adventurous tours to the Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park. One of the nine tours, taking in Doong Village - En cave - Khe Ri, and therefore considered the most attractive, will be put into operation in the near future. From the entrance to the park, visitors can take the two-hour walk through the forest to Doong village. Doong lies in a gentle sloping valley with virgin forest and many species of rare animals and plants. Doong is the only village of the Van Kieu ethnic group that is located inside the Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park. The forest there is the home to the gayal, an ancient tree which is as tall as 12 men. Off the path, many stone blocks cut odd forms, while sharp cliffs keep visitors from disturbing the surroundings. After the first stage, visitors will walk under the leaf canopy of virgin forest in Rao Thuong valley, through which run gentle streams, which gouge out long rock benches and a nook of caves. The area has many streams, which disappear into the dense and wild woods. En (Swallow) Cave is the home for thousands of swallows over the autumn. It is over 1.6km long, 100m high in some places, and 170m at its widest. Yet, to get to this cave, visitors must tramp for 12 hours with another 4 hours set aside just for crossing streams. Visitors can set up camp along the sandy banks in front of En Cave to spend a quiet night under the stars. But beware, as tigers – although shy – may appear any time during the night just outside the camp. After a night at En Cave, tourists will take in the Khe Ri water cave. Khe Ri streams start from the limestone mountain peaks thousands of meters above, and run fast to the entrance of Khe Ri cave. The road to the cave zigzags and is slippery, giving a hint of danger mixed with serenity among the many deep lakes and small caves. This tour is only designed for 8-10 people with one or two skilled tour guides, and takes three days. Each visitor will be equipped with specialized tools for the adventurous tour. english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2006/04/556515/
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Post by Taylor on Apr 2, 2006 14:27:01 GMT -5
Threat to caves of BombaySunday, April 2, 2006 The Maharashtra Tourism Department has adopted the Trimurti statue of the Elephanta caves as its logo. But little has been done to ensure that the sculptures inside these five groups of caves are well protected, writes Vinaya Kumar A view of the Kanheri caves, Bombay Caves of Bombay! Yes! I am referring to more than two hundred heritage caves with sculptures rivalling that of the famous Ellora, within 20 km of the city centre of Bombay! Does commerce alone makes a global city? This is the question the Archaeological survey of India or the Tourism Department of Maharashtra and the city planners of Bombay have to decide, for around Bombay are six groups of caves — Mandapeshwar, Kanheri, Jogeshwari, Karla, Mahakali. and Elephanta — with exquisite rock sculptures. And the sad fact is that with the exception of Elephanta, which has been declared as a World heritage site by Unesco, the other five caves are fast disintegrating due to lack of maintenance. The area around Bombay was a part of the Magadha empire ruled by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. The sculptures of the Kanheri caves, Jogeshwari caves and the Mahakali caves date back to this era. The Hindu cave temples of Siva, on the island of Elephanta, in the Bombay harbour, contain some of the most magnificent examples of stone carving in India. The dating of all these caves seems to be controversial. They were probably finished some time between 450 and 750 AD. Believe it or not, the local mafias — in collusion with politicians and bureaucrats — have moved into these precious sites, threatening and intimidating those who have tried to raise a voice in protest or to protect them. The staff of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is in charge of these national treasures, have revealed a genuine fear and inability to monitor these sites due to lack of policing power/ and the capability of the ASI to protect their lives if they try to control the encroachers. Let us examine the present condition of some of these caves. Today the Karla caves are a picnickers’ haven, with any individual able to enter the shrines without paying entrance fee or accompanied by caretakers who will ensure that the artistic treasures are not damaged. Incidentally the Chaitya (stupa) inside caves is the largest in India. Further the ASI states that the chhatri atop the Chaitya caves is of wood. That means this wooden chhatri has been in existence for more than 2000 years! In any historically conscious nation, even if it is only 200 years old, there would have been an attempt for its preservation. Here in Bombay collegians spend their time in hurling coins and other hard stones at the chhatri to see, if their aim is strong enough! In Mahakali caves you can hardly walk in, due to discarded condoms used by couples seeking private moments, charred remains of drug users’ fires, plastic and cellophane garbage of visitors and last but not least the amorous graffiti engraved on the walls by heartless Indian tourists. In the Jogeshwari caves a group of "developers’ posing as Jogeshwari Mata Mandir Trust are the de facto owners of these 6th century AD caves and have altered the interior for placing the idols of deities for commercial exploitation. Experts point out that the quality of craftsmanship at Jogeshwari is so similar to Elephanta, that it is believed the same group of artisans probably worked on both caves. Unfortunately it is the site most encroached upon. Not only has a colony been built on top of it, but the sewage water that constantly drains into the cave from the colony is rapidly eroding the rock. Mandapeshwar cave sculptures are a difficult site for political reasons as two religious groups claim ownership of the site. But the authorities should not make it a reason for neglect. There are 101 numbered caves in the Kanheri complex – a working Buddhist monastery – ranging from full temples to simple living quarters. The earliest caves may have been excavated in the first century AD and the latest date from the 11th century. The ASI had allotted Rs 25 lakh for the development of the Kanheri caves, but precious little has been done due to the powerful lobby of real estate agents and encroachers. At Elephanta, for example, where the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has been working to improve local conditions and the cave site, local vested interests who had violated all encroachment laws had made every effort to thwart, threaten, and malign the efforts. It was only the intervention of Unesco that managed to save the site from gross abuse. As a first step, the ASI should immediately stop the construction of housing colonies near these caves. Once these steps have been taken, a larger plan to develop the sites for their tourism potential can be taken up. The Maharashtra Tourism Department has adopted the Trimurti statue of the Elephanta caves as its logo. But precious little has been done to ensure that the fabulous sculptures inside these five groups of caves are well protected and taken care of for posterity. www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060402/spectrum/main2.htm
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