Past John Van Swearingen IV Stewardship Award Winners:

2008: Buddy Lane

Buddy has served for many, many years as steward of several caves, including Cedar Ridge, Mystery Falls, Valhalla, and Sinking Cove. He has been an SCCi property manager for Valhalla and Sinking Cove, and has managed Mystery Falls for more than 10 years under a private agreement with the owner.

Buddy has also been heavily involved in the management and protection of Cedar Ridge Crystal Cave, working with the Chattanooga Grotto and other cavers. Buddy designed and constructed the cave gate, and has maintained it for more than a decade.

Buddy has also organized and led clean-up efforts in Airplane Cave, and has served as a liaison with state officials at Fall Creek Falls State Park regarding Camps Gulf and other caves in the park. He has filled a similar role at Chickamauga Battlefield Park, working with the National Park Service regarding caves on Lookout Mountain.

While Buddy has had assistance and support from many local cavers over the years, he has been the leader and organizer of these activities, and has funded many of them out of his own pocket.

Buddy has worked diligently for many years raise funds to support the construction of cave gates at Cedar Ridge and Mystery Falls, as well as for other cave management activities conducted through SCCi. He has also given countless hours of his time to the management of these caves, maintaining the preserves and caves, issuing and tracking permits, constructing and repairing gates, meeting and working with cave owners and neighboring landowners, and acting as tour guide for visiting cavers. When funding for a gate or other project was not available, he paid the expenses out of his own pocket.

Buddy’s activities in managing and protecting caves are in the tradition of JV’s example as the manager and liaison for Fern Cave.