National Park Service

Description

The Cave Research Foundation (CRF) in cooperation with the National Park Service has been working within Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR) since 1973 mapping and studying caves and other karst features. This organization has a unique and in-depth knowledge, including protected species information, of the resources, logistics, and geography of caves in OZAR. CRF also operates the singular, authoritative database that details the locations of many sensitive cave species in Missouri. CRF has been successful at developing and maintaining cooperative relationships with many other state and federal agencies, non-government organizations, volunteer groups, and private landowners such as The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, LAD Foundation and the Missouri Speleological Society. Projects are planned jointly during annual meetings. NPS staff provide updates on technical goals, safety requirements, logistical support, resource management priorities, and outreach/interpretive priorities. CRF staff provide the park with recommendations and provide action plans on how to address the park priorities. NPS staff are especially focused on providing the latest guidance for prevention of the spread of white-nose syndrome. CRF will be responsible for annual monitoring and surveying the biota of selected caves within the park, mapping caves, general cave management activities such as but not limited to designing and installing cave gates, restoring cave floors in conjunction with cultural resource specialists, writing cave restoration project statements for funding, writing articles per request of OZAR staff related cave geology and/or biota, assisting OZAR Resource Management staff with annual inventories of endangered bat species and in providing management recommendations/monitoring goals, providing necessary cave monitoring training sessions and services to OZAR Law Enforcement and Resource Management staff, assist with providing technical information regarding NEPA reviews affecting caves/karst and associated species, assisting with the maintenance of the state’s Cave Life Database, provide support for interpretive programs and educational cave tours as needed, assist in reviewing or designing new wayside displays and/or brochures for karst-related areas, and coordinate volunteers for cave monitoring and mapping.

Who can apply

• Others

Contact

Noel Miller <br/>Grants Management Specialist <br/>Phone 402-661-1658
noel_miller@nps.gov