Information for Cave Owners
So you own
a cave…
·
How
many caves are there?
There are more than 12,000 known caves in the southeastern United States.
Several hundred new caves are discovered and explored each year.
·
Where
are these caves?
Caves are found almost anywhere there is limestone, which includes much of the
southeast. There are caves in towns and cities, in backyards, fields, and
pastures, on hillsides, and in valleys. When the right kind of limestone is
present, caves are literally everywhere you look.
·
What's
in there, and what’s not? Caves are natural erosion features. They are formed by water flowing
through cracks and crevices over thousands of years, hollowing out passages and
chambers. So you usually find streams in the caves, and mud, and mineral
formations from the dissolving and depositing of rock. Caves harbor many
species of wildlife, including bats, salamanders, rodents, and insects. Many of
these creatures are beneficial to humans. Bats, for example, eat millions of
moths, flies, and mosquitoes as they forage at night. Caves do not contain
buried treasure, precious mineral or jewel deposits, monsters, or aliens. The
people who explore them do so because they enjoy discovering new passages,
admiring the formations, and experiencing a special underground world that few
people know.
·
Is
it worth anything?
Not to most people, unfortunately. Caves have very little economic value. Very
few caves are attractive enough to justify the tremendous expense of
development as a show cave, and even fewer are located near enough to a city,
major highway, or tourist attraction to make them commercially viable. But to
the people who care about them, caves are very special. They are an underground
wilderness, and an important part of our natural heritage. That's why we work
to protect them and keep them in their natural state.
Why care about caves?
Caves are an important
natural resource. They are conduits for groundwater - the water that we draw
from wells, springs, and aquifers. By protecting them and keeping them free
from pollution we help preserve and protect the water quality of our
communities. Caves also harbor beneficial and in some cases endangered species
of wildlife. In addition, some caves are important archaeological or historic
sites that teach us about our history, about early native Americans, about
geology, or prehistoric animals. They provide opportunities for recreation,
exploration, and scientific study. Caves are a special kind of wilderness and
an important part of our natural heritage.
What about my liability?
·
Am
I protected by any law? In most states landowners are not liable for accidents in their caves
as long as they do not charge visitors or do anything to endanger them. But
relief from liability is not the same as immunity from lawsuits. You can still
be sued, and you may have to bear the cost of answering the suit.
·
My
land is posted - isn't that enough? Unfortunately, no. Trespassers are difficult to control, and
nothing prevents them from suing you if they sneak into your cave and get hurt.
·
What
if I gate it or seal it? Even the strongest gate can be breached by a determined vandal. Sealing
a cave is difficult and expensive, in addition to being environmentally
unsound.
Are caves protected by law?
In most southeastern states
vandalism of caves, including breaking or removing rock formations, painting
graffiti, or harming cave wildlife, is a violation of a state cave protection
law. Punishment can include fines or imprisonment. Unfortunately, most vandals
are unaware of these laws, so they are not effective as a deterrent.
Land development sometimes
poses another threat to caves. Conservation easements and similar measures can
be used to protect caves in areas undergoing logging, construction, or other
forms of development. These legal agreements can preserve the natural state of
the cave and its surrounding area and can help guide development so that
adverse impact is avoided. They may also provide tax benefits to the cave
owner.
In addition to legal
protection, caves are sometimes protected against vandalism by gates or access
restrictions. However, gates are expensive and time consuming to build and
maintain and can interfere with natural cave processes such as airflow and bat
flights.
The Southeastern Cave
Conservancy works with local and national conservation organizations as well as
government agencies, scientists, and cavers to identify and protect sensitive
or threatened caves.
What is the Southeastern Cave
Conservancy?
The Southeastern Cave
Conservancy (SCCi) is a tax-exempt non-profit corporation that acquires and
manages caves for conservation purposes. It was incorporated in Georgia in
1991, and is one of the leading cave management and protection organizations in
the USA.
SCCi owns or manages more
than 50 caves on 22 cave preserves. These caves are open to exploration by
qualified cavers except where visitation might harm sensitive cave resources
such as historic artifacts or endangered species. SCCi is financed by donations
from its members and supporters - people who are interested in the
conservation, exploration, study, and protection of southeastern caves.
What can SCCi do for cave owners?
·
liability
relief - SCCi
maintains liability insurance policy on all its cave properties.
This coverage is provided at no charge to cave owners who lease their caves to
the Conservancy. Donation or sale of a cave to the Conservancy transfers all
legal liability from the landowner to the SCCi.
·
management
services - The
Conservancy has broad experience in cave management issues, and can help
control visitation, manage wildlife, and protect caves from vandalism and
abuse.
·
tax
benefits - Donation
of a cave or a conservation easement to the Conservancy can result in
substantial income and estate tax benefits for the cave owner.
·
purchase - The Conservancy also buys caves
from owners who are willing to sell and prefer a cash payment to a lease
arrangement or a donation for tax benefits.
Would you like to contact us?
Our mailing address is:
Southeastern Cave
Conservancy, Inc.
737 Glass Road
Lafayette, GA 30728
You can use the form below, or send us email at info@scci.org
May we contact you?
If you would like more
information on caves and cave management, or would like to discuss ways in
which the SCCi can help with a cave you own, please fill out and submit this
contact form. A representative of the Conservancy will contact you to discuss
your interests and concerns.