[GeoStL] Caves and Mines on Forest Service Land

From: Glenn Nash <glenn.geocachingadmin@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Geocaching Freelist <geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:31:03 -0500
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I have been asked by the Forest service once again to ask cache owners to make 
it vary clear to cachers that the caves and mines on the Forest service land 
are closed because of some sort of bat nose disease. Getting caught  going into 
caves could be very expensive. I told them I would do what I could  to let 
folks know about caves. 

I made a reasonable post on one of your cache pages as requested by the forest 
service explaining that the caves are closed. If you could post a small "Please 
stay out of the caves"   note in the text of your cache page, it would please 
the forest service to no end.  

I am afraid that if the MTNF suspects we (geocachers) are encouraging folks to 
explore the closed caves, our caches will be archived. 

 I would rather post a note than see our Forest service caches archived. 


So, here goes. 

Just a note for all the cave explorers out in geocaching land.... 

 Please do not go into any caves or abandoned mines as they have been closed.

ALERT! "Mark Twain National Forest caves have been closed to visitors due to a 
threat to bat populations that has been discovered in the northeastern United 
States, click here for poster. White-nose syndrome or WNS, as it is called, has 
not been found yet in Missouri, but is killing bats of several species in at 
least 6 northeastern states. If you plan to visit other caves off the Mark 
Twain National Forest, please read the information on WNS at this website." 
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/marktwain/recreation/caves/


Please help spread the word to other back country travelers and cave explorers. 
MORE INFO: 

All Caves and Mines on National Forest System Lands on the Mark Twain National 
Forest Under the authority of the Act of Congress dated June 4, 1897, as 
amended (I 6 .U.S.C.551) and pursuant to the Secretary of Agriculture's 
Regulation as set forth at 36 CFR Part 261, Subpart B (26 CFR 261.50 (a) and 
(b)), the following acts and omissions are prohibited on all National Forest 
System lands, administered by the Mark Twain National Forest:

1. Entering any cave or mine on National Forest System lands within the Mark 
Twain National Forest, unless the cave or mine is posted open. 36 CFR 261.53 
(a), (b) and (d) These restrictions are necessary to protect endangered, 
threatened, and sensitive bat species. They are in addition to the general 
prohibitions set forth in 36 CFR Part 261. This emergency closure will be 
effective for one year from April 24, 2010, through April 24, 2011, unless 
tenninated earlier by the Forest Supervisor.

Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50 (e), the following persons are exempt from this order:
I. Persons with a permit from the authorized Forest Service Officer 
specifically authorizing an otherwise prohibited act or omission.

2. Any Federal, State or local officer or member of an organized rescue or 
firefighting force working in the performance of an official duty. 

[b]Violation of these prohibitions set forth above is punishable by a fine of 
not more than $5,000 for
an individual and $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more 
than six (6) months, or both (16 U.S.C. 551,18 U.S.C. 3559 and 3571).[/b]



Your friendly Missouri Geocache Review team,
Glenn (*gln) & Reviewer of the Cache (RotC)




 

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[GeoStL] Caves and Mines on Forest Service Land

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