Benefits to Having Your Cave Documented
A landowner with a cave on their property recently reached out to me and asked the following, "I have been wanting to get in touch with someone knowledgeable regarding caves and discuss one I have on our property... Just wondering if it would be beneficial for the cave to be assessed by a professional and any advice to preserve it." This is an excellent question, and I probably should have been better prepared to answer it. As someone who frequently explores caves, and who frequently meets landowners with caves, I think the more precise question to ask is "What benefit is it to me that my cave be described?" I'll throw some potential benefits out, which may or may not entirely match the uniqueness of a particular cave. Preservation through Awareness We cannot protect something which we don't know about or understand. Understanding and documenting what lies within caves allows us to craft effective conservation efforts. By knowing the value and