Fern Cave is one of the most significant (and magnificent) caves in the southeastern US, and even the country. It's over 15 miles long, is three separate caves connected into one cave system, has fantastically beautiful formations, incredibly complicated passages, important deposits of ancient animal bones, one section of the cave is the winter home for over a million endangered gray bats, and the cave used to be one of the favorite destinations for experienced cave explorers (most of the cave is now closed to any caving--that story is included in the book). The story of how cavers discovered and explored this cave is incredible, especially since when cavers discovered Surprise Pit, modern vertical caving gear did not exist. This book also explains how the US Fish and Wildlife Service bought 4 entrances to the cave in 1981 and teamed up with cavers to responsibly manage the cave to protect both the massive cave itself and the bat colony. The story continues by explaining how that partnership has almost disappeared in the era of white-nose syndrome cave closures. This book is a tale of discovery, exploration, adventure, wonder, politics, nature, biology, science, and beauty.
Saddle up and ride on! The adventure continues with JL and Maddie, set in the times of the Old West in the Oregon Trail town of the Dalles. Their lives and adventures take them to many far-flung places and some unexpected predicaments. Life now is a series of physical, emotional, and spiritual adventures that they never could have imagined—but God knows best. In this story, JL finds himself in a place called the Stronghold, an unexpected place of trial, victory, and joy. As with the other books, this story happens in real places you can visit today. Get ready for the fourth installment coming soon, which is Fort Rock.
Published by the Boy Scouts of America for all BSA registered adult volunteers and professionals, Scouting magazine offers editorial content that is a mixture of information, instruction, and inspiration, designed to strengthen readers' abilities to better perform their leadership roles in Scouting and also to assist them as parents in strengthening families.
"Knowledge and understanding of cave and karst systems have evolved dramatically since the creation of the Geological Society of America in 1888. This book, which came out of a session during GSA's 2013 Annual Meeting, highlights the changes in the study and application of cave and karst systems since GSA's origin, while looking ahead to future advancements"--
From the high plains of Canada to caves in the southeastern United States, images etched into and painted on stone by ancient Native Americans have aroused in observers the desire to understand their origins and meanings. Rock paintings and engravings can be found in nearly every state and province, and each region has its own distinctive story of discovery and evolving investigation of the rock art record. Rock art in the twenty-first century enjoys a large and growing popularity fueled by scholarly research and public interest alike. This book explores the history of rock art research in North America and is the only volume in the past twenty-five years to provide coverage of the subject on a continental scale. Written by contributors active in rock art research, it examines sites that provide a cross-section of regions and topics and complements existing books on rock art by offering new information, insights, and approaches to research. The first part of the volume explores different regional approaches to the study of rock art, including a set of varied responses to a single site as well as an overview of broader regional research investigations. It tells how Writing-on-Stone in southern Alberta, Canada, reflects changing thought about rock art from the 1870s to today; it describes the role of avocational archaeologists in the Mississippi Valley, where rock art styles differ on each side of the river; it explores discoveries in southwestern mountains and southeastern caves; and it integrates the investigation of cupules along Georgia’s Yellow River into a full study of a site and its context. The book also compares the differences between rock art research in the United States and France: from the outset, rock art was of only marginal interest to most U.S. archaeologists, while French prehistorians considered cave art an integral part of archaeological research. The book’s second part is concerned with working with the images today and includes coverage of gender interests, government sponsorship, the role of amateurs in research, and chronometric studies. Much has changed in our understanding of rock art since Cotton Mather first wrote in 1714 of a strange inscription on a Massachusetts boulder, and the cutting-edge contributions in this volume tell us much about both the ancient place of these enduring images and their modern meanings. Discovering North American Rock Art distills today’s most authoritative knowledge of the field and is an essential volume for both specialists and hobbyists.
Caves and other subterranean habitats with their often strange (even bizarre) inhabitants have long been objects of fascination, curiosity, and debate. The question of how such organisms have evolved, and the relative roles of natural selection and genetic drift, has engaged subterranean biologists for decades. Indeed, these studies continue to inform the more general question of adaptation and evolution. However, interest in subterranean biology is not limited to questions of evolutionary biology. Both the distribution and the apparent ancient age of many subterranean species continue to be of significant interest to biogeographers. Subterranean ecosystems generally exhibit little or no primary productivity and, as "extreme" ecosystems, provide general insights into ecosystem function. Furthermore, the simplicity of subterranean communities relative to most surface-dwelling communities makes them useful model systems for the study of species interactions such as competition and predation, as well as more general principles of ecosystem function. The rarity of many cave species makes them of special interest in conservation biology. The Biology of Caves and other Subterranean Habitats offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave ecology. Whilst there is an emphasis on the organisms that dominate this unique environment, conservation and management aspects are also considered. The book includes a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats; it also provides a clear explanation of specialized terms used by speleologists. This accessible text will appeal to researchers new to the field and to the many professional ecologists and conservation practitioners requiring a concise but authoritative overview. Its engaging style will also make it suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in cave and subterranean biology.
Thanks to its breathtaking waterfalls, mysterious caves, and thrilling roller coaster--rumored to be one of the first in the United States--the High Bridge Glens and Caves Park, located along the banks of the thundering Cuyahoga River, made the northeast Ohio community of Cuyahoga Falls one of the leading tourist destinations in the state in the late 1800s. At the height of its popularity, the park attracted more than 8,000 visitors per day. Guests ranged from future US president (then congressman) William McKinley to internationally known trapeze artists. Although reporters quickly dubbed the park "the Niagara of Ohio" and predicted it would become famous abroad, by the early 1900s the High Bridge Glens had faded into obscurity, ultimately leaving behind little evidence that it ever existed at all.
