The West Virginia Cave Conservancy was recently formed to: (1) gain and preserve access to significant and/or sensitive caves in West Virginia, (2) protect sensitive cave resources. (3) provide education to landowners, local governments, developers, and the general public on the value of cave and karst resources. (4) organize cave and karst conservation projects such sinkhole cleanups and livestock barrier fences, (5) solicit funding for the above.
The conservancy will consider any legal means to acquire access management rights to caves such as:
- A formal agreement with the land owner to manage access to caves on their property. The Conservancy has such an agreement with Mrs. Freeman, the owner of McClungs Cave in Greenbrier Co. Access permits are issued by WVCC.
- Conservation Easement where, for a significant reduction in property taxes, the land owner agrees to manage his land in manner that will protect the resource.
- Land Trust where actual ownership of the land is held by a land trust organization such as TNC, Trust for Public Land and Southeastern Cave Conservancy. WVCC is such an organization. To find out more about land trusts, visit the WVCC Web Site <http://www.wvcc.net> (or visit the CCMS Land Trust Page)
It is the intent of WVCC to provide maximum access to all caves under its control consistent with the wishes of the owners and the protection of sensitive resources that are known or later discovered.
The current Board of Directors: |
Ed Swepston - President |
Cliff Lindsay - Treasurer |
Tim Brown |
Lonnie Burns |
Dave Cowan |
Sandy Cowan |
Ray Garton |
Tina Hall |
Bob Handley |
Bill Jones |
WVCC is negotiating the purchase of ~4.5 acres of land at the end of a blind valley with >100 feet high cliff and a stream swallet leading into a cave which was dug open in the late 1960s and closed 3 years later by debris washed in as a result of Hurricane Agnes. Maxwelton Cave, aka Cow Shit Pit, had been mapped to ~10 miles before closure. The new owner purchased a 64 acre tract which includes the cave for $175,000 at auction May 16, 1998, as part of the Willard Hedrick Estate. The land is in a prime location for development, <0.5 mile from the Greenbrier Valley Airport near Lewisburg. We have agreed to purchase the land at the per acre price ($2777.78) that he paid for it. We will not have an exact figure until a survey of the parcel is completed. Preliminary survey indicates the parcel to be ~4.5 acres. This will include all of the cliff included within the 64 acre tract, ~10’ wide strip along the top of the cliff (which will include all of the trees along the top of the cliff), the swallet and short section of the stream bed, an acre or two of bottom land, the slope up from the bottom to the base of the vertical cliff and a 50’ wide shared access way from a paved road to the bottom of the valley. The owner also agreed to granting an easement to "explore, map and enjoy" whatever cave passages on the 64 acre parcel that we might intersect underground from the WVCC parcel. The only compromise, with the exception of price, from our original proposal that we were forced to except was the reduction in the width of the buffer zone along the top of the cliff. We proposed a 50’ strip to act as an ecological buffer/Greenway between the cliff and potential developed sites. The access way to the bottom is steep in places but should be easily negotiated with any 4X4 in good weather and is the only reasonable location to move equipment to the valley floor. Assuming we are successful in obtaining sufficient funds from donations to complete the purchase of the parcel, it is our intent to attempt to reopen the cave using heavy equipment.
A 350 acre parcel including all of Rapps Cave (~1 mi.) and most of Buckeye Cave (>4 mi.) is listed for sale for $325,000. WVCC is putting together a package to present to the realtor which would protect access to Rapps and include as much of the land overlying Buckeye and Rapps as we think we can economically justify. Unfortunately most of the land overlaying the caves is potential residential sites and therefore contain a significant portion of the total land value. The realtor is unlikely to want to separate the prime land and be left with a large parcel of less desirable land which would be harder to market. The ideal situation would be to find a rich caver (ha) that wanted to retire in "almost heaven" to buy the whole parcel and develop a caver’s retirement community and cave preserve by selling house sites to cavers and other conservation minded individuals. Unfortunately the property is not overpriced considering the current market and may sell rather quickly.
Classes of Membership in the West Virginia Cave
Conservancy
: Includes a recognition certificate, decal, subscription to the
conservancy newsletter, all for a contribution of $15.00 per year.
Charter, Life, and Benefactor members will be given recognition on the WVCC Web Page during the year they subscribe. Except for the first $15, we believe the additional portion of membership fees of classes 3 thru 6 are tax deductible.
You may copy the following form for use as a membership application or you may subscribe online at the WVCC Web Site <http://www.wvcc.net>.
WVCC Membership Form
Yes, I wish to join the West Virginia Cave Conservancy and help conserve West Virginia caves. Enclosed is my contribution.
| Regular Membership ___ | Family Membership ___ |
| Lifetime Membership ___ | Benefactor Membership ___ |
| Institutional Membership ___ | Charter Membership ___ |
| Please list your family members:
|
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| Name: | ||
| Address: | ||
| City: | ||
| State: | Zip Code: | |
| E-Mail Address: | ||
| Caving Affiliations: | ||
| NSS Number: | ||
| Do you currently receive the WV Caver: | YES ___ | NO ___ |
| Daytime Telephone: | ||
| I would like to pay my membership by Check ___ Visa ___ MasterCard ___ | ||
| Name as it appears on card: | ||
| Card Number: | ||
| Expiration Date: | ||
| Donations: | ||
Since opportunity for the purchase of Maxwelton Cliff came about before we were able to obtain 501©(3) tax status, the Greenbrier Land Conservation Trust has graciously agreed to accept tax exempt donations to WVCC until we obtain tax exempt status. If the sale closes before we get TES they will also except title and make a transfer later. Please make the check payable to GREENBRIER LAND CONSERVATION TRUST and mark the checks for WVCC.
Note: as of 7/27/98 TES has been received and you may make your donations direct to the WVCC.Please send the donations and membership applications to:
WVCC, Inc.
PO Box 243
Frankford, WV 24938
Feel free (with our encouragement) to reprint this message in other newsletters and web sites without further permission.
Dave and Sandy Cowan
Lytewood Preserve
Friars Hill, WV 24938
(304) 497-3553
oma00019@mail.wvnet.edu
This page was last updated 03/11/01.