Our Partners

Our partners are vital to our mission, together we accomplish more than ever imagined. Together, we do great things.

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

The Blue Grass Grotto, a local chapter of the National Speleological Society, meets in Lexington, Kentucky on the third Thursday of each month. The Blue Grass Grotto encourages safe/responsible cave exploration as well as the conservation and study of caves.

The Grotto is affiliated with the Southeastern Regional Association, an Internal Organization of the NSS. BGG members volunteer their time supporting the work of the American Cave Conservation Association, Kentucky Speleological Survey, National Cave Rescue Commission, NSS Vertical Training Commission, and various caving projects. BGG also supports a variety of cave education and conservation efforts.

We welcome new members and hope to see you at our next meeting!

www.bluegrassgrotto.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/eeas

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

In existence since 1996, the Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto of the National Speleological Society has supported the ACCA and assisted with volunteer activities since their founding. SUCG cavers also are current participants in Mammoth Cave restoration, the Cave Research Foundation, the Karst Conservancy of Illinois, the Indiana Karst Conservancy, the NSS News monthly magazine, Old Timers Reunion and several other caver events and activities
www.SUCG.org

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

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.