The Black Hills is home to some of the world’s longest caves. But for three years now most of them have been off limits to spelunkers as the threat of White Nose Syndrome loomed over the area’s bat population.
The Black Hills caving ban is now being lifted–with some stipulations.
SDPB’s Charles Michael Ray has more.
White Nose Syndrome is fungus that kills bats. The disease decimated the bat population in the eastern part of the United States. As a precaution the Forest Service closed all wild caves in the Black Hills in 2010. But because the fungus has not spread very far west – officials are now re-opening some caves during the summer months. Brad Phillips is with the Black Hills National Forest. He says anyone can get a permit to cave in the Black Hills–but they need to prove their gear and clothing are decontaminated.
“The decontamination is most important because that’s trying to be preventative,” says Phillips.
Phillips says White Nose Syndrome is still a concern and anyone who’s been in caves in the Eastern US can’t use that same equipment in Black Hills.
“A lot of cavers are nationwide. These guys will cave in Arkansas and Tennessee then they’ll come out to the Black Hills and with that has the potential to move cave dirt from one system to another and that’s our biggest fear,” says Phillips.
Philips says the new permit system protects fragile cave resources and bat species while allowing for fair and open public access. He adds that the permit system also give the Forest Service new data on how many people use Black Hill caves each year.
Forest Service officials say the required online registration helps increase white-nose syndrome awareness, improves their understanding of recreational cave-use patterns, and provides cavers the opportunity to file a post-trip report.
You can go here to register with the Forest Service online.