The Western Cave Conservancy is dedicated to securing permanent protection for threatened caves in the western United States.
Why?
The mystery and allure of caves pull us into one of the last unexplored frontiers on earth. New caves are found every year, and new discoveries are made in caves long known. The cave environment is unique, harboring highly specialized life forms, some found only in a single cave. Many caves preserve evidence of the distant past… clues to the ancient landscape and climate, remains of animals extinct since the Ice Ages, and evidence of ancient cultures.
But, particularly in the west, where caves are relatively uncommon, this unparalleled opportunity for exploration and study is severely threatened. There are no laws to protect privately-owned caves if their owners permit harm to come to them. Population growth and urban expansion put ever-increasing pressure on this unique resource.
How?
One way to do this is to purchase threatened caves directly. Another way is to manage a cave owned by a government agency or private landowner that doesn’t have the resources or experience to manage it themselves. Our intent is to manage caves in a way that permits reasonable public access while protecting the resource from development and environmental degradation.
WCC started with the acquisition of the 15-acre Weller Natural Preserve, the heart of which is Rippled Cave. Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Rippled is the second most extensive cave in Amador County, California, after Black Chasm, a nearby commercial cave.
Discussions with the US Forest Service led to WCC actively managing Windeler Cave in the central Sierra Nevada. This cave is a wonderful resource that has been protected since its discovery, and WCC is proud to be helping protect it.
Cave of the Catacombs is a relatively small cave in the Mother Lode managed by the WCC. Since this cave is often filled with water, it can only be visited during the dry season.
The most recent acquisition of the WCC is the Volcano Natural Preserve, near the town of Volcano. This 150-acre preserve was purchased in 2021, with the help of many generous donors. One can visit caves found here via contacting the Manager of the property.
The WCC has an MOU with the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and the Sempervirens Fund to manage the karst aspects of a large tract of wild lands near Davenport, California. It is important to follow the management goals of POST and the Sempervirens Fund to help protect this resource.
WCC provided personnel and management expertise in cooperation with the National Park Service during restoration at Clough Cave in Sequoia National Park.
In addition to future acquisitions, WCC also seeks to protect caves through conservation easements and public education. We publish a newsletter 2-4 times yearly, full of news about threats facing caves in the west and information that empowers you to help. We have brought our message to public events such as the California Academy of Sciences’ 150th anniversary celebration and the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History’s Cave Capers family fun day. WCC has brought their message to national events, including the National Speleological Society conventions and the National Cave and Karst Management Symposium, and more local events like regionals in California, Nevada, and Washington.
Who and When?
The Western Cave Conservancy was incorporated in 2002 by a group of dedicated cave enthusiasts. The WCC is run by an all-volunteer staff, including seven to eight Directors of varying scientific and caving experience, as well as an Executive Board that runs day-to-day operations. The Board of Directors is assisted by a large Advisory Board. In addition, various volunteer committees take on specific work such as managing Windeler or Rippled Caves, generating promotional materials and producing a newsletter.
For more information, please contact us at mail@westerncaves.org, or via USPS at:
Western Cave Conservancy
PO Box 230
Newcastle, CA 95658