JUNE 29, 2023
NCKMS Steering Committee Chooses Ely, Nevada as Host City for 2025 Symposium
ELKINS, WV —
During their annual meeting, the National Cave and Karst Management Symposium (NCKMS) Steering Committee unanimously approved a bid from the Western Cave Conservancy to host the 2025 event in Ely, Nevada.
As a coalition of federal and private land agencies responsible for cave and karst resources, the NCKMS includes representatives from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, the US Geological Society, and the National Cave and Karst Research Institute.
Under the leadership of Jim Kennedy from the National Speleological Society, the NCKMS Steering Committee includes representatives from organizations and agencies with a formal interest or responsibility for managing cave and karst resources nationwide.
The biennial symposia are week-long conferences dedicated to promoting, advancing, and sharing effective management concepts for cave and karst resources. This event serves as a valuable platform for land managers and natural resource scientists to network and exchange insights into current trends in research and management of these delicate ecosystems.
The Western Cave Conservancy, a non-profit land management organization established in 2002, focuses on preserving caves in the western United States. The WCC owns several cave properties and collaborates with other organizations on the management of caves held by external entities.
Formed in 1990, the NCKMS Steering Committee ensures the biennial occurrence of the NCKMS. The committee selects hosts for each symposium through a bidding process, offering guidance for event development, sponsorships for attendance, publishing symposia proceedings, and supporting key conferences addressing cave and karst management issues.
The 2025 NCKMS is scheduled for October 6-10 at the Bristlecone Convention Center in Ely, Nevada.
Ely, Nevada, and the surrounding Great Basin National Park offer unparalleled scenic beauty that captivates tourists and nature enthusiasts alike. Nestled in the expansive Great Basin region, Ely boasts breathtaking landscapes characterized by rugged mountain ranges, vast desert vistas, and unique geological formations. The pristine beauty of Great Basin National Park complements Ely's charm, featuring ancient bristlecone pine forests, majestic Wheeler Peak, and Lehman Caves.
The inaugural NCKMS took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, and symposia have been consistently organized since then.
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Internal organizations of the National Speleological Society are welcome to reprint these news items in regional newsletters and grotto publications without further permission. External organizations should contact the NCKMS team for approval. Additional artwork is available upon request.
The official event schedule for the 2025 NCKMS has now been updated. Please check our schedule page or download a PDF to your mobile device.
The Karst Waters Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit institution whose mission is to improve the fundamental understanding of karst water systems for professionals and the public.
The institute works to engage professionals in small conferences and workshops to advance karst science; increase recognition and publication of karst science; foster development of karst professionals; and to communicate and disseminate information to the public.
The ghost town of Belmont Mill was established following a silver strike in 1865. Other minerals, such as copper lead and antimony were also mined here. The boom brought in settlers and Belmont grew. The town boasted four stores, two saloons, five restaurants, livery stable, post office, assay office, bank, school, telegraph office, two newspapers, and a blacksmith shop.
As the price of metals fluctuated, so did the fortunes of the town. By 1887, several of the mines closed. Like many towns which are now ghost towns, this one lasted for only a short time.
Some of the buildings are still standing, including the courthouse, the Cosmopolitan Saloon, the Monitor-Belmont Mill, and the combination mill.