Is this something that really needs to be publicized?
> From: amylouis...@gmail.com > Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:24:05 -0500 > To: Texascavers@texascavers.com > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Beck Ranch Cave Update (UNCLASSIFIED) > > I talked to my friends in the film industry. They're interested in a new > reality show called Cavers Behaving Badly. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Sep 28, 2012, at 2:51 PM, "Pekins, Charles E CIV (US)" > <charles.e.pekins....@mail.mil> wrote: > > > Classification: UNCLASSIFIED > > Caveats: NONE > > > > Any gate at a bat cave should be approached cautiously. Bat emergence > > patterns, season of use, population estimate, and type of use (e.g. > > maternity, migration-only, hibernaculum) should be determined before > > putting in a gate. Well intentioned "bat-friendly" gates placed in a poor > > location or with an improper design can do more harm than good. If the time > > comes for a bat gate, I would be happy to help determine bat use at the > > cave and recommend the best design. I have worked with Crash Kennedy in the > > past studying and protecting central Texas bat caves. > > > > Cheers, > > Charles > > > > Charles E. Pekins > > Wildlife Biologist > > Fort Hood Natural Resources Branch > > office: 254.286.5941 > > cell: 254.535.6249 > > fax: 254.288.5039 > > > > "Theatricality and deception are powerful weapons." > > -Bruce Wayne > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Aimee Beveridge [mailto:aim...@yahoo.com] > > Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 1:45 PM > > To: George D. Nincehelser; C Tiderman > > Cc: Andy Gluesenkamp; wesley s; texascavers@texascavers.com > > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Beck Ranch Cave Update > > > > > > All, > > > > I gleaned from Freddie's that there is a problem of dissatisifaction with > > local cavers not assisting with the Cave Day events and apparent public > > display of exposured flesh. I can totaly see how that would be frustrating > > and even chap some people's hides, but this seems like a seperate issue > > that I do not care to comment on. I would like to offer some suggestions > > about the problems with trespassing, drainage issues, and protecting the > > sensitve habitats within the cave. This is an interesting topic. > > > > I'd like to further Carol's suggestion that a debris barrier in the form of > > cobble-sized agregate encased in chain link (the one I am thinking of has > > dimesions of 1.5 ft high x 1 ft wide) could be used to surround the larger > > sinkhole feature and create a permable barrier that would restrict large > > debris yet still allow important recharge to occur. I have seen some very > > nice debris walls installed outside caves in South Austin. It could even be > > designed to include a compost colletion area where the debris would > > breakdown naturally. > > > > About 8 years ago I recall seeing bats roosting in a low passageway in > > Becks. At the time, Mike mentioned that that the cave had no evidence of > > being used by bats historically. I recall thinking that it was pretty > > exciting to see them expand their habitat into the newly protected > > preserve. My memory is sketchy but I recall that the low passageway is > > along the major route to the lower parts of the cave and when someone > > crosses, it invariably disturbs the bat roost. Also, after passing through > > the low passage, one must bellycrawl over a series of water-filled rimstone > > dams (is this true?). I can't quite remember but I believe there were > > isopods in the rimstone lined pools. It got me thinking that maybe a cave > > gate could be installed just outside the low passageway so that only the > > sensitive areas are protected. Cavers could still redily access the other > > muddy low rock strewn passageway. Perhaps those more familiar with the cave > > to know if my memory serves me correctly. > > > > I'd also venture to say that most cavers are responsible and feel that > > protecting natural resources is of the highest priority. > > > > > > Respectfully, > > Aimee > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: George D. Nincehelser <george.nincehel...@gmail.com> > > To: C Tiderman <cti...@ymail.com> > > Cc: Andy Gluesenkamp <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com>; wesley s > > <mudmal...@hotmail.com>; "texascavers@texascavers.com" > > <texascavers@texascavers.com> > > Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 12:37 PM > > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Beck Ranch Cave Update > > > > > > The entrance is basically a hole straight down. There's really nowhere to > > divert the debris. > > > > George > > > > > > On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 11:48 AM, C Tiderman <cti...@ymail.com> wrote: > > > > > > Hi, > > > > i am trying to intrude on a local situation, but I was wondering if there > > is a way to install a debris diverter that would be set at an angle to the > > cave entrance to trap and channel material off to the side where it can be > > removed after a heavy rain? > > > > Carol > > > > > > From: George D. Nincehelser <george.nincehel...@gmail.com> > > > > To: Andy Gluesenkamp <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com> > > > > Cc: wesley s <mudmal...@hotmail.com>; "texascavers@texascavers.com" > > <texascavers@texascavers.com> > > > > Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 8:59 PM > > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Beck Ranch Cave Update > > > > > > Washing out of park trails for a start. > > > > I'm not talking about damage to a gate. Any gate I've seen would just plug > > up with debris, restricting water flow and bat access. > > > > Are you actually familiar with the situation? Have you been there when it > > is raining heavily and flooding? Have you been on any of the clean-up > > trips? > > > > If someone has a solution, I'd be happy to hear it. As a local resident, > > member of the MUD, and member of the TCC I'd be happy to champion one. > > > > If there is one. I know just putting up the typical bat-friendly gate over > > the opening isn't going to work. > > > > George > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 7:40 PM, Andy Gluesenkamp > > <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > What damage? Isn't there a perimeter fence? What is going past the fence > > that would damage a gate? Are you saying that debris/trash ( now going in > > the ungated entrance) would be a greater problem if it didn't? > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > On Sep 27, 2012, at 7:34 PM, "George D. Nincehelser" > > <george.nincehel...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > Unfortuntely that's not a practical solution. Not unless the MUD is willing > > to clean out the entrance and repair the flood damage after every big storm. > > > > As a resident, I can tell you that's just not going to happen. As an > > engineer I can tell you there is no easy fix. > > > > George > > > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 7:29 PM, Andy Gluesenkamp > > <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > Any gate must be maintained. Any cave in a dense residential area is an > > attractive nuisance. Gate the cave and keep the trash (literal and > > figurative) out. > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > On Sep 27, 2012, at 7:24 PM, "George D. Nincehelser" > > <george.nincehel...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > My house is less than a block away from the entrance, and I've thought > > about this problem for years. > > > > Lots of water and debris flow through the entrance, and it is sometimes > > completely submerged during heavy rains. It's a major drain for the area. > > > > What kind of bat-friendly grate would you recommend that wouldn't keep > > plugging up with debris and cause flooding as well as blocking bat access? > > > > George > > > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 3:23 PM, wesley s <mudmal...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > Wow Mike, > > > > Sure sounds like a decent bat friendly gate install would have saved you a > > great deal of public and caver goodwill and protected the cave a hell of a > > lot better. I hope other cave managers are taking note of the difficulties > > you are having and learning from them. > > > > Wes~ > > > > > > From: mikewaus...@austin.rr.com > > To: Texascavers@texascavers.com > > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:24:59 -0500 > > > > Subject: [Texascavers] Beck Ranch Cave Update > > > > > > Beck Ranch Cave Update > > > > > > In 1999, the Texas Cave Conservancy entered into a cave management > > agreement with the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. This is one of > > the few caves under TCC management that does not have a cave gate. The cave > > entrance was not gated in order for the bats to be able to enter and exit > > the cave. A high quality nine- foot tall iron fence was build to attempt to > > control access. Local teenagers were using it for a party cave. The fence > > allowed us to greatly reduce the party traffic so we could protect the > > cave. > > > > Today, locals continue to trespass and go into the cave. Texas cavers are > > going in without permission as well. Both the locals and the cavers have > > been confronted by law enforcement and issued citations for trespassing. In > > addition, the TCC has not been able to prevent the authorized caver groups > > from creating problems such as changing cloths in the parking lot of a > > public park. Cavers in their underwear, and less, have made it difficult to > > keep cave open. > > > > As a result, all authorized trips will be for cave management activities > > such as cave clean up, the bi-annual monitoring, fire ant control and > > inspection, etc. These trips will be set up by the Texas Cave Conservancy. > > We will host an annual cave clean up and restoration visit. The next clean > > up day will be Saturday -February 23, 2013. If you are interested in > > assisting us in conducting the cave management activities, send us your > > name in an e-mail to tcc-ca...@austin.rr.com We will place you on the list > > and contact you prior to our work project. > > > > Further, the TCC would like to make it very clear to Texas cavers that > > steps have been taken to alert law enforcement when unauthorized visitation > > is taking place. The TCC now has to notify the cave owner prior to each > > authorized visit. A Neighborhood Watch system is in place to observe the > > cave. A house near the cave can easily observe people entering the cave and > > call for law enforcement. In addition, electronic monitoring should greatly > > increase the number of trespassers arrested. We have been notified that all > > unauthorized visitors that are detected will be arrested and charged with > > trespassing. This will include cavers. > > > > We want to thank all of the cavers that worked with us to protect the cave. > > Your work has made a difference. The TCC has done everything possible, > > short of these new actions, to prevent problems. I will be at the Texas > > Caver’s Reunion in October if you would like to ask questions. Once again, > > Thank You for working with the Texas Cave Conservancy. > > > > > > Mike Walsh President-Texas Cave Conservancy > > > > 512-249-2283 > > > > mikewaus...@austin.rr.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Classification: UNCLASSIFIED > > Caveats: NONE > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com >
