Virginia’s rich cave and karst heritage will be celebrated during Virginia Cave Week, Apr. 17-23. At least 27 Virginia localities have landscapes where caves, springs and sinkholes are found.
This year’s theme is “The Hole Truth about Sinkholes.”
Virginia Cave Week is part of activities coordinated by the governor-appointed Virginia Cave Board. The board was established in 1979 to conserve and protect the state’s caves and karst landscapes, and to advocate the wise use of cave-related resources.
In addition to significant karst features, Virginia also supports more than 4,000 caves. They provide habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species, such as the Virginia big-eared bat (Virginia’s state bat) and the Madison Cave isopod.
More information, including free lesson plans for teachers, is available at www.vacaveweek.com.
