Cave & Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park
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Cave & Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park 2007 Cave and Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park CAVE AND KARST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK March 2007 Recommended By: ___________________________________________________________________ Physical Science Specialist, Date: Wind Cave National Park Concurred By: ___________________________________________________________________ Chief of Resource Management, Date: Wind Cave National Park Approved By: ___________________________________________________________________ Superintendent, Wind Cave National Park Date: 2 Cave & Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park 2007 Cave and Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park Table of Contents I. BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................................................... 4 A. PARK PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................... 4 B. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION & DESCRIPTION OF THE PARK ..................................................................................... 4 C. PARK SIGNIFICANCE ............................................................................................................................................ 4 D. SURFACE LAND MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP TO KARST............................................................................... 10 II. CAVE AND KARST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT........................................................................................ 10 A. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PLAN ................................................................................................................. 10 B. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS ...................................................................................................................... 10 C. LEGISLATIVE MANDATES AND GUIDELINES ...................................................................................................... 11 1) Wind Cave National Park Enabling Legislation................................................................................... 11 2) Wind Cave General Management Plan, 1994 (GMP)....................................................................... 11 3) Statement for Management, 1994 (SFM) .......................................................................................... 11 4) Wind Cave National Park Draft Resource Management Plan, 2003 (RMP) ................................ 11 5) Superintendents Compendium, Compilation of Regulations for Wind Cave National Park ..... 12 III. STATUS OF CAVE & KARST RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 12 A. CAVE & KARST RESOURCES OF WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK....................................................................... 12 1) Wind Cave ............................................................................................................................................. 12 2) Backcountry Caves.............................................................................................................................. 12 3) Karst Features....................................................................................................................................... 13 B. CAVE AND KARST RESOURCE BASELINE DATA ........................................................................................... 13 1) Summary of Natural Resources Baseline Information...................................................................... 13 2) History and Status of Natural Cave and Karst Resource Baseline Data...................................... 14 IV. MANAGEMENT ACTIONS.............................................................................................................................. 30 A. DEVELOPED SECTION OF WIND CAVE .............................................................................................................. 30 B. OFF-TRAIL AREAS OF WIND CAVE & BACKCOUNTRY CAVES ......................................................................... 34 C. SURFACE MANAGEMENT................................................................................................................................... 37 V. MANAGEMENT POLICIES FOR CAVE USE ................................................................................................. 40 A. EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND USE ............................................................................................................ 40 1) Superintendent.......................................................................................................................................... 40 2) Interpretative Staff................................................................................................................................... 40 3) Maintenance Staff.................................................................................................................................... 41 4) Resource Management Staff ................................................................................................................. 41 5) Resource and Visitor Protection Staff ................................................................................................. 42 6) Fire Management Staff ........................................................................................................................... 42 B. WIND CAVE PUBLIC TOUR USE ........................................................................................................................ 42 1) Tour Size .................................................................................................................................................... 42 2) Regulations ................................................................................................................................................ 42 3) Employee Led Informal Tours ................................................................................................................ 42 4) Established Tour Routes ......................................................................................................................... 43 5) Access for Mobility and Visually Impaired Persons.......................................................................... 43 6) Animals in Caves...................................................................................................................................... 44 C. OFF-TRAIL CAVE USE ....................................................................................................................................... 44 1) Flagged Trails in Wind Cave .................................................................................................................. 46 2) Delicate Areas........................................................................................................................................... 46 3) Trip Leaders ............................................................................................................................................... 46 2 2007 Cave and Karst Resource Management Plan, Wind Cave National Park 4) Backcountry caves................................................................................................................................... 47 All backcountry caves are closed to recreational caving activities, as established in the Superintendents Conpendium, (CFR 1.5 (a)) except by authorized permit. Only work or research trips are allowed into these caves.................................................................................................................................................................. 48 D. SPECIAL USE PERMITS ...................................................................................................................................... 51 E. RESEARCH.......................................................................................................................................................... 51 1) General ................................................................................................................................................... 51 2) Proposals................................................................................................................................................ 51 3) Investigator’s Annual Report .............................................................................................................. 51 4) Alteration and Removal of Resources ............................................................................................. 52 F. CAVE SEARCH AND RESCUE.............................................................................................................................. 52 VI. DATA MANAGEMENT POLICIES.................................................................................................................. 52 A. NOTES AND REPORTS ....................................................................................................................................... 52 1) Survey & Inventory Notes...................................................................................................................... 52 2) Trip Reports ..............................................................................................................................................