Dates: Tuesday, April 7th OR Thursday, April 9th

Location: Check your e-mail for the link!

Cost: Free

This week we are talking to the Jewel Cave National Monument. Located in South Dakota, the monument protects one of the longest caves in the world, with approximately 200 miles of mapped passageways and geological formations. Not discovered until 1900, this cave system is a wealth of historical, scientific, and environmental resources!

About the Cave

Jewel Cave is known as a ‘breathing cave’ which means that changes in outside air pressure can cause air to flow in and out of the cave, so it seems like its ‘breathing’. The cave was discovered in 1900 when two prospectors felt cold air blowing out of a home in a canyon. They blasted an opening with dynamite and tried to sell it as a tourist attraction. But they didn’t make enough to hold on to the land and they sold their mining claim back to the government. In 1908, President Theordore Roosevelt declared the cave a National Monument. As of 1959, less than 2 miles of the cave had been mapped, but now we have more than 220 miles mapped with more to go! 

Exploring the Cave

You can also listen to some great podcasts about the cave system and its ecosystem! They have discussions with rangers about everything from the pollinators of the Black Hills to the Black Hills gold rush, to the bats living in Jewel Cave. Check out the wonderful podcasts and pick your favorite topic here:

Parks and Monuments and Forests, Oh My

So, what exactly makes an area a National Park, or a National Monument, or even a National Forest? Aren’t they all the same thing? Turns out, no! We have a myriad of ways we protect and designate lands and places. Read on to learn what’s what in the National Landscape. 

National Park

A National Park doesn’t just happen overnight! There is a lengthy process to determine if an area should become a park. But to even begin, an area must meet the standards below.

To read more about the process for becoming a National Park, click here: http://npshistory.com/brochures/criteria-parklands-2005.pdf

National Monument

Unlike National Parks, which are created by an act of Congress, national monuments are established or expanded through executive action, designated by a president of the United States. The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorized the president to proclaim national monuments on federal lands that contain “historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest.” So, national monuments are nationally significant lands and waters set aside for permanent protection. While some monuments are natural landscapes, some are buildings or culturally important places. However, some places that begin as national monuments can actually become National Parks later! President Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon as a national monument in 1908 and Congress designated the site as a national park in 1919.

To read more about the differences between parks and monuments, click here: 

https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/national-parks/8-rv-road-trips-that-will-get-you-off-the-beaten-path/

National Forests

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The greatest difference between parks and forests is that parks are for the purposes of preservation, while national forests may be managed and used for resources, in responsible ways. 

To read more about national forests, click here: https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/what-are-the-differences-between-national-parks-and-national-forest

If you want to explore cave types and all of the different formations and features in caves, check out the virtual caves here: 

If you would like to learn more about the Black Hills area, click here: https://blackhillsparks.org/black-hills-history-the-people-and-events-that-shaped-black-hills-national-forest/

Tune in this week to refresh and test your cave knowledge! 

https://sciencenotes.org/lava-tubes-formation-facts-safety/

https://www.koyuncusalt.com/en/salt-library/salt-caves

https://usaheaven.com/articles/deepest-caves-usa

https://thetouristchecklist.com/jewel-cave-national-monument/

https://www.nps.gov/podcasts/discovery-hour-podcasts.htm

https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/blogs/just-go-travel-blog/jewel-cave-national-monument-south-dakota#ruffruff-table-of-contents-item-1