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The John Van Swearingen IV Stewardship Award

stew · ard · ship / 'stü-&rd-"ship, 'styü-; 'st(y)u(-&)rd-/   noun ,  15th century.  1 : the office, duties, and obligations of a steward.  2 : the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care <stewardship of our natural resources.

The Southeastern Cave Conservancy, in cooperation with the Huntsville Grotto, is proud to announce the John Van Swearingen IV Stewardship Award. This annual award is presented each year at the TAG Fall Cave-In.

The award was conceived by the Huntsville Grotto in honor of long-time member, conservationist, cave steward, and SCCi Director John Van Swearingen IV, who passed away in 2001. JV served for many, many years as the Fern Cave Access Coordinator, providing stewardship of the Fern Cave system and preserve for both the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Southeastern Cave Conservancy.

The purpose of the award is to meaningfully recognize the successful stewardship efforts of an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization that has provided significant stewardship activities for one or more caves, cave preserves, or karst properties, personally conducted over an extended time period.

The award, sponsored by the Huntsville Grotto and the SCCI, is also intended to promote long-term cave conservation and stewardship activities and to encourage and thank those individuals and organizations who perform them.

The award consists of a one-of-a-kind certificate, with one of JV's artistic photographic images in the background,  and an honorarium in the form of  a donation in the award amount of $250 or more made to the SCCi in the name of the award recipient. The recipient is also  recognized with honorary ownership of a special plot on an SCCi cave preserve valued at $250.00 or more.