Conservation & Education Links

Please visit the links below to learn more about cave conservation and eductional resources. If you see a link that’s missing and should be included, please contact us!

The National Speleological Society has promoted safe and responsible caving practices, effective cave and karst management, speleology, and conservation for over 70 years.

With 7,200+ members and 200+ grottos, the National Speleological Society is the largest organization in the world working every day to further the exploration, study, and protection of caves and their environments, and foster fellowship among cavers.
www.caves.org/

The Cave Research Foundation is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to: facilitating research, management and interpretation of caves and karst resources; forming partnerships to study, protect and preserve cave resources and karst areas; and promoting the long term conservation of caves and karst ecosystems.
www.cave-research.org

The Western Kentucky University (WKU) Center for Human GeoEnvironmental Studies (CHNGES) is an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in the WKU Ogden College of Science and Engineering Applied Research and Technology Program. The mission for CHNGES is to establish itself as a leader in applied research and student engagement at the national and international levels to address human-geoenvironmental challenges.
www.wkuchnges.com

The Louisville Grotto is the local chapter of the National Speleological Society. They are dedicated to cave exploration, education, and conservation. They live by the caver motto, “take nothing but pictures, leaving nothing but footprints, and kill nothing but time.”

Louisville Grotto also owns and maintains the The Lone Star Preserve, an educational nature preserve near Bonnieville, Kentucky. www.louisville.caves.org

WKU Dept. of Earth Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences

The Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences (formerly Geography and Geology) (GEO) offers three undergraduate programs, one undergraduate certificate and one graduate program, which include a B.S in Environmental, Sustainability, and Geographic Studies, a B.S. in Geological Sciences with two concentrations (Geology and Environmental Earth Science), a B.S. in Meteorology, an undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and an M.S. in Geoscience. These programs are designed to meet the career goals of students in a wide variety of geoscience areas such as atmospheric science, environment / sustainability, cultural/physical geography, geology, environmental earth science, and GIS-geospatial science. www.wku.edu/geoweb

The Cleveland Grotto’s members are active cavers, and regularly take trips–both with club members and with other grottos–to explore caves in the region. While Ohio has relatively few caves, the surrounding states of Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia make up one of the most highly concentrated regions of caves in the world.

Education is an important cornerstone of The Cleveland Grotto’s activities. In addition to our library of cave-related materials; our newsletters, meetings, and outings are an important way for us to share information on caving , cave safety, and other relevant topics. www.clevelandgrotto.org/ClevelandGrotto/Welcome.html

The Windy City Grotto is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society.

We are dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and conservation of the subterranean ecosystem. Our membership includes individuals at all experience levels. We welcome anyone who is concerned with the conservation and care of these fragile cave environments, and who wish to pursue a safe and rewarding caving experience.
www.windycitygrotto.org

Kentucky Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C. Kentucky Humanities is supported by the National Endowment and by private contributions. We are not a state agency, but are proud partners with Kentucky’s cultural, heritage, arts, and tourism agencies. www.kyhumanities.org

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. www.neh.gov/

McMaster University conducted groundwater studies with Western Kentucky University in Hidden River Cave. By 2015 these studies concluded that Hidden River Cave’s water quality had recovered to near drinking water standards. www.mcmaster.ca

Caver and Photographer, Dave Bunnell lets you “browse the wonders of the underground from the comfort of your keyboard.” This site is packed with photos and information on different types of caves and cave formations. www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtcave

Become A Partner

The American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) is a National 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit Organization.
Donations and Memberships are Deductible to the Fullest Extent Allowed by Law.