THE KENTUCKY SPELEOLOGICAL SURVEY

"To preserve cave and karst data for the Commonwealth of Kentucky"

Why a Speleological Survey for Kentucky?

• The rate of urban and industrial development is accelerating in the karst areas of Kentucky.

• Caves, and other karst resources, will not be spared unless planners are made aware of their existence.

• As the earliest members of the caving community pass away, there is the potential for loss of a large volume of cave survey data.

• Summary or data analysis studies cannot be developed without an accurate data base.www.ksscaves.org

Karst in Kentucky:Fifty-five percent of the state has potential for karst

Areas shown in dark blue have high potential for karst Areas shown in light blue have moderate potential for karst Areas shown in background color have limited potential for karst

www.ksscaves.org

Jarvie Roarke’s

Cave, Carter County

www.ksscaves.org

Kentucky Cave Shrimp

Photograph by John MacGregor

Rare and Endangered Species

The purposes of KSS are:

1. To gather and archive cave and karst data of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to further the study of cave and karst resources for conservation, research, and scientific exploration.

2. To provide a permanent, non-profit, non-sectarian, cooperative organization that works to establish and nurture a professional atmosphere among individuals and organizations that support the foregoing purposes.

www.ksscaves.org

When was KSS formed?

The Kentucky Speleological Survey was incorporated in December 2000 as a non-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

When compared to other cave surveys, the KSS is a very young organization. It has a lot of work ahead of it!

www.ksscaves.org

Just who do these cavers think they are!?!

• They are members of NSS Grottos and other recognized caving groups and are long time cavers. KSS members represent just about every caving group in Kentucky

• They are genuinely concerned about preserving the maps and data

• Many, many hours of time have gone into setting up the KSS. Time the founders would rather have spent caving!!!!

• The time has been used to develop a system of data management that MOST cave data holders can agree with - NOT AN EASY TASK!

KSS Examined the Organization of Many Other Cave Surveys• Missouri• Tennessee• Illinois• Indiana• West Virginia• Texas• And others

www.ksscaves.org

KSS Memberships• Organizational Member

Groups that are directly involved in the acquisition, and research of karst data in the state of Kentucky. Such groups include NSS grottos, surrounding state cave surveys, and environmental organizations. Annual dues are $50

• Individual MemberIndividuals wishing to join KSS fill out an application. Part of this application is an agreement to cooperate with the goals of KSS, a promise not to divulge data held by the KSS, and an acknowledgement that membership does not grant specific rights to information. Annual dues are $5

www.ksscaves.org

Board of Directors

• The members of the Board of Directors are appointed or elected by the organizations they represent

• Two at-large Board members are elected from the general membership by the individual members

• The Board of Directors elects the Executive Committee and the President appoints members of the standing committees

www.ksscaves.org

Executive Committee

Board of Directors

Member Organizations Individual Members

Officer Nominating Committee

Membership Committee

Data Management Committee

Data Access Committee

KSS Organizational Structure

Current KSS Member OrganizationsBlue Grass GrottoCentral Ohio GrottoWittenberg University Speleological SocietyCave Research FoundationKentucky Geological SurveyCarter Underground Speleological SocietyESSO GrottoLouisville GrottoDayton Underground GrottoPinckney GrottoCentral Kentucky Karst CoalitionGreater Cincinnati GrottoPine Mountain Grottoand others www.ksscaves.org

Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky

KGS is an important KSS Partnerhttp://www.uky.edu/KGS/

KSS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with KGS which states –

1. KGS will provide storage space

2. KSS will control usage of the data

3. KGS will assign to KSS the KGS cave map archive

4. KSS will respond to cave related inquiries received by KGS

Affiliations

NSS, CRF, ACCA, SCCIKSS is not an Internal Organization of the NSS. It

is affiliated, however, with several organizations whose normal activities compliment the purposes of KSS. There is no written agreement with these organizations.

www.ksscaves.org

The KSS Facilities!

Hey, that’s expensive office space!

What Does the Kentucky Speleological Survey Do?

• Management Tasks:• Policy decisions• Finance decisions• Decisions on collaborative

projects• Public Relations with:

• Cavers• Landowners• Industry• Government

• Cave Map and Data Archive:• Cave map cataloguing• Cave location database• Survey Data, digital and

hardcopy• Miscellaneous:

• Sinkhole Topographic Map• Digital photographs online

www.ksscaves.org

What do Individual Members Get?

• You get to help decide the policies of the KSS and propose changes you think should be made

• You get a newsletter (we need a permanent editor!) that provides basic information about KSS projects

• You are automatically recognized as being a caver who contributes to the science of speleology

• You don’t get to “browse” the files or have automatic approval of requests, but you do get quicker review of your request

www.ksscaves.org

KSS has Been Criticized for being too Restrictive with Information!

IF KSS were to give cave locations to anybody who asked, would you trust KSS with your data?It was the consensus of the founding Board of Directors that more data will ultimately be archived and protected if cavers trust that access will be conservatively managed.

www.ksscaves.org

KSS has been Criticized for Being too Liberal with Information!

If KSS did not let anyone have cave data what would be the purpose of collecting the data?

KSS recognizes that for conservation reasons some data are so highly sensitive we agree the person who submits the data has the final say on who uses it.

www.ksscaves.org

Why doesn't KSS give out locations for recreational caving?

• What KSS calls RECREATIONAL CAVING, other cavers call “speleobopping.”

• KSS refers RECREATIONAL CAVERS to the GROTTOS, where they can get training and go on trips

• If you’re surveying a cave, or ridge running in an area to start a project, or otherwise recording data, it would be worth your time to contact us.

Triple-S

Coral

Martin Ridge

www.ksscaves.org

SUBMITTING DATA TO KSS IS NOT A ONE WAY TRIP INTO A SWALLOW HOLE!

Short Creek Karst Window, Pulaski CountyPhotograph by J.C. Currens, April, 2001

Organizations and Individuals Who have Received Data

• Dr. David Culver (Biological Study)• Dr. Bill Pearson (Environmental Impact Statement)• HMB Professional Engineers, Inc.• Dr. Nick Crawford (Environmental Assessment)

There are no cavers listed because to date no cavers working on a project have made a data request!

www.ksscaves.org

OK, How do Cavers get Information?

1. Fill out a form available at www.ksscaves.org2. We need your contact information and your affiliations.3. Tell us what you want. For example, entrance locations in a

specific valley, a specific cave map, copies of original survey notes, etc

4. Tell us what is your intended use of the data (for example a cave mapping project)

5. Talk to us about your request. We can suggest adjustments that improve your chances of it being approved

6. Be patient – KSS is a volunteer organization!There is no charge to individuals, except photocopying

How Do Cavers Submit Data?1. Fill out a form available at www.ksscaves.org2. We need your contact information and your

affiliations.3. Tell us what data you want to submit. For example,

entrance locations on a specific quadrangle; a copy of a cave map; copies of the original survey notes, etc.

4. Tell us what level of access you want to allow– Non-Sensitive (open access)– Sensitive access –KSS committee approval only– Proprietary – by submitters’ approval only

5. Be patient – KSS is a volunteer organization www.ksscaves.org

MAJOR DATA CONTRIBUTORS TO KSS

• Bill Andrews

• Roger Sperka/John Thrailkill

• DASS

• Center for Cave and Karst Studies

• Dr. Nick Crawford

• David Schang

• Kentucky Geological Survey

• Bill Walden

• Western Kentucky Speleological Survey

• Lou Simpson

• Lee Florea

• Jim Currens

• Jon Jasper

• Keith Ortiz

• Don Coons

www.ksscaves.org

So Far, So Good - What’s Next?

• KSS has set a goal to keep the caving community better informed of its purpose and policies

• KSS wants to build a positive reputation with both data applicants and potential contributors

• KSS plans to expand the collection by actively recruiting contributors

• KSS will continue the never ending task of cataloguing the collection and building a computerized “card-catalogue” or database

www.ksscaves.org

How Important Are YOUR Maps?Cavers should ask

themselves the following question. “When I die, will anyone care about all of the hard surveying trips I made and long hours drafting cave maps, or will my maps end up in the garbage?”

SECRECY is no longer the best option!

www.ksscaves.org