texascavers Digest 21 Nov 2011 00:11:36 -0000 Issue 1438
Topics (messages 19081 through 19083):
Shameless plea for a gear loan...
19081 by: Mallory Mayeux
New preserve created to help warbler, Edwards Aquifer, caves, and Camp Bullis :
19082 by: Jerry
New NCKRI website!!
19083 by: George Veni
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Hello fellow cavers!
I was wondering if anyone in the Dallas or Houston area had a foot ascender
(Pantin, CMI, left foot, right foot, whatever) that I could borrow over the
Thanksgiving holidays. I will be going pit-bopping and really hoped to try
one out, but forgot to order one before today....which is pretty last
minute. :(
If so, please contact me off-list! Thanks y'all...have a wonderful
Thanksgiving, and happy caving to everyone who's getting underground next
week!
Mallory Mayeux
225-933-9885
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Preserve created to help warbler, Camp Bullis
By John W. Gonzalez, [email protected]
Updated 02:02 a.m., Thursday, November 17, 2011
An intricate land deal has been completed that will protect the military
missions of Camp Bullis as well as habitat of the endangered golden-cheeked
warbler north of San Antonio, officials said Wednesday.
Three years in the making, the pact involves the Army, Bexar County and the
Nature Conservancy, which now is the owner and permanent guardian of 1,244
undeveloped acres about 10 miles east of Camp Bullis.
Creation of the Cibolo Bluffs Preserve eases pressure on Camp Bullis to retain
warbler habitat areas that are needed for combat and medical training, military
officials said.
Bexar County gave $5 million and the Army contributed $2 million to purchase
the tract from Forestar Group Inc., and for its future management by the
conservancy.
The land in Comal County near Cibolo Creek was acquired for $6.3 million —
about $1.5 million less than appraised value, officials said.
At least $500,000 was earmarked for perpetual maintenance of the preserve,
although the nonprofit has to raise more funds to fulfill its conservation role.
The deal has the blessing of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees
warbler habitats.
The protected tract over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone also will provide a
buffer for the adjacent Bracken Bat Cave, home to the world's largest bat
colony, officials said.
“It's just great to finally get it done,” said Jeff Francell, land protection
manager for the conservancy.
The venture is the group's first preserve in San Antonio. It owns a 4,000-acre
preserve near Austin that has been open to scouting, birding, naturalist and
other groups. Here, however, “we don't have the staff just to open the gate,
but we will provide as much access as we can without having a negative impact,”
Francell said.
“If groups want to get together and come see it, in the near future we will
have the capacity to provide that,” Francell said.
The county agreed to provide $500,000 to start an endowment for the land's
management, Francell said, but “that's not really enough. Over time, this will
take a full-time position. We'll have to fundraise for that.”
The conservancy must provide periodic reports on the land's warblers to Fish
and Wildlife. The endowment “will at least cover those obligations that we've
taken on,” Francell said.
He credited Precinct 3 Commissioner Kevin Wolff with achieving a deal that had
“many moving parts” to the end.
“The whole goal was to protect the military missions at Camp Bullis. Not only
did we protect the missions, we also were able to protect over 1,200 acres over
the recharge zone,” Wolff said.
Attorney Jim Cannizzo, administrative and civil law adviser to the Army, said
the service now can remove cedar trees from about 900 acres at Camp Bullis. The
work must be done by the end of February, when warblers return for nesting.
Appearing before Commissioners Court on Sept. 6, Col. John Lamoureux, commander
of the 502nd Mission Support Group at Fort Sam Houston, assured officials that
the county's investment was worthwhile.
The Dierks land acquisition “and several other transactions we are working on
will generate enough endangered species mitigation credits to resolve our
short-and medium-term management of the golden-cheeked warbler habitat,”
Lamoureux said. Credits earned across the area have enabled the Army to clear
about 1,500 other acres, he said.
“As an example of how valuable this mitigation is, we always needed a staging
area next to our airstrip and our combined arms collective-training facility,
which is essentially a mock village,” Lamoureux said. “With the mitigation
exchange program, we were able to thin cedars to create large staging areas.
Both facilities provide essential military training for our soldiers, sailors,
airmen and Marines who will be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in the future.”
Read more:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/A-land-deal-that-s-for-the-birds-2272052.php#ixzz1e4SxNB11
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Preserve-created-to-help-warbler-Camp-Bullis-2272052.php
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Dear Friends,
I'm delighted to announce that the National Cave and Karst Research
Institute (NCKRI) has launched its new website at www.nckri.org. In it
you'll find much information about NCKRI, its programs and projects, how to
join or support NCKRI, its staff and board, and more. And even more is
coming! In the next few months we'll add information on conferences we are
leading and hosting, plus other news and information. Now that we've
finished giving the website a great new look and better structure, we will
keep building and updating it for years to come.
The website also has our new Annual Report, which covers NCKRI's activities
from July 2010 through June 2010. You'll find it on our publications page
(in our "About NCKRI" tab).
I also have two short announcements:
First, the holidays are coming and everyone at NCKRI sends you their best
wishes for the season and New Year. Please be aware that we will all be on
vacation starting on December 23 and we'll return to the office on January
3.
Second, about a month ago many of you participated in a fun fund-raising
activity for NCKRI by going to www.philanthroper.com and donating one dollar
each to support NCKRI. We recently received the results from Philanthroper,
which totaled nearly $700! Thank you for showing your support for NCKRI. By
visiting www.nckri.org and reading our Annual Report, you'll see that NCKRI
is a strong believer in partnerships and will put your funds to good use. I
hope you will consider joining NCKRI soon.
George
* Please post this message or share with anyone you think may be interested.
***************************
George Veni, Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Cave and Karst Research Institute
400-1 Cascades Avenue
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220-6215 USA
Office: 575-887-5517
Mobile: 210-863-5919
Fax: 413-383-2276
[email protected]
www.nckri.org
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