Dark Wilderness a Phenomenological Exploration of the Idea of Cave Wilderness
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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2003 DARK WILDERNESS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF THE IDEA OF CAVE WILDERNESS Patricia E. Seiser Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the Forest Management Commons, and the Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Seiser, Patricia E., "DARK WILDERNESS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF THE IDEA OF CAVE WILDERNESS" (2003). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7991. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7991 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DARK WILDERNESS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF THE IDEA OF CAVE WILDERNESS PATRICIA E. SEISER Dissertation submitted to the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Resources Science Chad D. Pierskalla, Ph.D., Committee Chair Michael A. Schuett, Ph. D., Research Advisor Ronal Kerbo, National Cave Specialist, National Park Service Steven B. McBride, M.S. Henry W. Rauch, Ph.D. Steven W. Selin, Ph. D. Division of Forestry Morgantown, West Virginia 2003 Keywords: Cave Wilderness, Cave Management, Caves, Karst, Wilderness, Stewardship Copyright 2003 Patricia E. Seiser ABSTRACT Dark Wilderness by Patricia E. Seiser It has been almost forty years since the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act and the establishment of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Forty years later, we still have not seen a wilderness that is not a surface environment. There exist neither subterranean nor marine wilderness areas. Efforts on behalf of cave wilderness have focused on the 1964 Wilderness Act legal definition of wilderness. Perhaps what is required is a different concept for the establishment of cave wilderness. This study explored the idea of cave wilderness from a human dimension perspective, via focus groups, using stakeholders from two cave regions of the United States – Carlsbad Caverns and Mammoth Cave. Through this process a definition of cave wilderness, as well as, definitions of wild cave, developed cave, show cave, and commercial use cave were generated. The study reports on a proposed intent for a cave wilderness designation as well as legislation and management prescriptions. Based on study findings the conceptual framework of wilderness was expanded from a two-dimensional model to a three-dimensional model, adding the human dimension to the wild and natural dimensions. A cave continuum model was developed which shows the interplay of these three dimensions of wilderness. Findings of this study clearly indicate the need for an ecosystem management approach in the stewardship of cave and karst resources. iii DEDICATION Some people can’t stand it, but for some the dark feels like home.” Dorothy Allison, Cavedweller “There’s no place like home.” Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz This is dedicated to all those for whom the Dark Wilderness feels like home. And, to my Beloved Stephen. Home is wherever the heart is and my heart lies with you. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all those who participated in the focus groups, without your participation, this study would never have happened. I truly appreciate your willingness to spend a few hours talking about caves and cave wilderness. I would also like to extend my thanks to the many people from the communities of Carlsbad, Cave City, Horse Cave, and Park City for their willingness to talk with me about my research. Thanks go to my committee members for their support and guidance. Mike Schuett was a most excellent research mentor, whose patience and persistence is truly appreciated. I would like to extend special thanks to: Stephen Mosberg, who served as my research assistant extraordinaire, chauffer, and faithful sidekick; the NSS Conservation Committee for the research grant; the ACCA & NSS Bookstore for education material for the focus group participants, Ella Belling & Kim Bjorgo, who showed true friendship by suffering through data coding and analysis for me; Roger Brucker, Paul Burger, Emily Davis, Tom Lera, & Mike Werner for reviewing and critiquing my proposal; Kathryn Greever & Virginia Seiser who reviewed, critiqued, and proofed both the proposal and dissertation; the caving community for their interest and support; Joe Abbott for his friendship and undying curiosity about my research; Christina Arevalo & Emily Raker for being my friends despite my poor communication these last five years; Jim & Val Werker, it is your fault; the Cave Gods, you know who you are; the Colorado Grotto, where “everything I learned about caving and cave protection” began; my family for supporting their crazy sister; and the kitties six – Tequila, Kahlua, Merry Mayhem, Patron, Mescal, & Tesoro – who see in the dark (and helped keep things in perspective). v PROLOGUE What will cave wilderness … mean to the caving public, the general populace, and to the park managers? Hopefully, it will mean the same thing to everyone – that the caves so designated will be held in the public trust in such a manner and by such means that the wildness for which they are currently known will be sustained unimpaired by human alteration and impact into a far and timeless future; the caves will continue to hold mystery and adventure, and that the thrill of original exploration may always be just ahead, just around the corner or through a tight squeeze, out at the limits of time and endurance; that not everything has been inventoried and neatly disked onto a computer; and that the caves have been recognized for what they are - as important - as wild as any surface areas on earth (Ronal Kerbo, 1988, p. 433). vi TABLE OF CONTENTS page Abstract........................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication......................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ iv Prologue .......................................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents........................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ xii List of Figures.............................................................................................................................. xiv Chapter One Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 A New Dimension to Wilderness ............................................................................................... 1 Nature of Problem................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................... 5 Need for the Study .................................................................................................................. 5 Delimitations of the Study ......................................................................................................6 Limitations of the Study.......................................................................................................... 7 Definition of Terms................................................................................................................. 7 Chapter Two Literature Review...................................................................................................... 9 The Unseen Wild Lands.............................................................................................................. 9 Caves, Cavers, and Caving ....................................................................................................... 10 Caves..................................................................................................................................... 10 The Nature of Caves ......................................................................................................... 10 Speleology......................................................................................................................... 13 Speleogenesis.................................................................................................................... 15 Cave and Karst Hydrology...............................................................................................