It is with great pleasure that I can announce the newest cave acquisition for the West Virginia Cave Conservancy. Rick Bantel has donated approximately an acre of land surrounding the Wild Cat Entrance to the Culverson Creek Cave System. Culverson Creek Cave is one of the premier caves in the country and contains around 20 miles of surveyed passage. 

On Saturday, May 22^nd Rick Bantel was honored by cavers from the Virginia Region of the National Speleological Society (NSS) with its prestigious annual landowner appreciation award. The award is given to cave owners who are particularly supportive of cave exploration and preservation. Presenting Mr. Bantel (left) with the award is NSS President Gordon Birkhimer (right), who was in town this weekend to assist the Bubble Cave Conservancy in hosting the Spring VAR caving event that was held at the State Fair of West Virginia in Fairlea. Photo by Carroll Bassett.

Monroe County, WV - Six members gathered up remains of old fencing (wire, etc.) around Haynes Cave entrance, and moved it to a convenient location for later pickup and disposal. 

On January 3, 2010, Ellie Florance and I traveled to the Lightner property for a rou­tine property visit and checkup. The 1/3-mile-long driveway was engulfed in snow­drifts too deep for the average car, so we diverted our travels and took the plowed road to Julian and Joy Arbuckle's house for a shorter hike through the snow drifts to the property.

The five caves that the West Virginia Cave Conservancy owns have no significant bat populations.  Because of this the Conservancy has decided to reopen most of the caves, which are closed due to White-Nose Syndrome (WNS).  At the Conservancy’s Board meeting on March 20, 2010, the WVCC Board voted to adopt the following access policy for all but two of the Conservancy’s properties: