Bigfork Cave Club
We worked on four basic areas of conserving natural caves across the state of Montana. These areas include graffiti and trash removal from vandalized caves, monitoring of resources in caves in good condition, computerizing our data into ArcGIS, and a non-collective method of studying invertebrates. We chose to do this because the cave club started as a recreation club and then we noticed a lot of trash and graffiti in caves. As a result we decided to focus our club on the conservation of caves, which was just a stepping stone to more in depth cave conservation methods.
Overall the trip to Washington D.C. was an eye opening and life altering experience. We were able to meet many unique and interesting people from around the country, we even made a few friends. We met iconic figures such as President Barack Obama, Philippe Cousteau, and Xabier Arzuaga; this was all a great honor and a humbling experience. Besides meeting such amazing and highly renowned figures, we also were served food by a woman who had been starving in Ethiopia and were driven to the airport by a Somalian immigrant who was eternally grateful for government. These experiences made us realize how lucky we are to live in America.
This award meant a lot to us and the ceremony couldn’t have been better. Everyone was saying what an inspiration we were, but we were the ones who were truly inspired by everything that happened on the trip. The President’s Environmental Youth Award made us realize that our efforts are not in vain and that this is something that should be continued. PEYA was a defining moment in what we want to do with our futures. We both plan to incorporate conservation in our future careers with the conservation of coral reefs, caves, and all of the world’s natural resources.
About the Authors: Tia Bakker and Ernie Cottle are high school students in Big Fork, Montana. They are EPA Region 8’s President’s Environmental Youth Award recipients in 2009, and recently paid a visit to Washington, D.C. to receive their award from Administrator Jackson.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
If we see caves, they show to us that evolution does not stop. The future always changes and changes go beyond border that we don’t know when it will finish. We are only bring those until great grand child and after that they should bring to the other, too. Continually……. Dynamics…..but Sweats !!!!
I am very pleased to hear that good people are helping the world so I would just like to say thank you to everyone that is helping out and maybe someday I could be a part of this organization. But if their is anyway I could help do such things please inform me I do not have any money but I am hard working and would love nothing more than to lend a hand in doing such amazing projects to help keep the world clean.
Me parece una labor muy necesaria y por eso recibe lo que merece un gran trabajo SRES.Espero que pronto en España se hagan cosas de este tipo que falta nos hace.ALTAMIRA seria un buen ejemplo,hablo de mi pais claro,como ejemplo,MUCHA SUERTE Y SALUD para todos,hasta pronto y gracias
I’m interested in getting involved with the Bigfork Cave Club. I find the organization to be very intriguing.
I don’t know of anyone else doing the conservation work in caves so this is great. There are a hugh amount of resources in caves across the country that need protection. This is great. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.
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