In the text of his email, Justin said he was asking that June 21 be
William H. Russell Austin Cave Heritage Day, but in the text of the
petition, it says June 30. Since it also says June 30 on the petition
web page, I'm presuming that is in fact correct. In any event, I've
signed the petition.
Markl Minton
[email protected]
On 2019-04-28 12:34, Katherine Arens wrote:
justin, all posted: TSS, TSA, UTG, and NSS community (that pending
approval)
THanks again for doing this, whatever the outcome. Bring back good
crowbar stories!
katie
On Apr 27, 2019, at 10:01 AM, Justin Shaw <[email protected]> wrote:
Greetings Cavers,
Let’s get the City of Austin to recognize the contributions of
William.
Let’s continue William's mission.
Let’s get the City of Austin to rename the Blowing Sink Research
Management Area as the William H. Russell Karst Preserve and engage
the local caving community as the most knowledgeable stakeholders in
further exploration and documentation of its karst resources.
Let’s also get the City of Austin to issue a proclamation that
June 21st is William H. Russell Austin Cave Heritage Day.
If I’m frank, I think that a majority of people in decision making
positions within the City of Austin are severely lacking in an
appropriate appreciation of William's contributions. I say this as
someone who has been involved with the mechanics of City of Austin
owned caves for over 25 years.
I’ve started a Change dot org petition, inspired by the wonderful
response to a recent caver-related petition.
http://chng.it/jdbRTRY7tg [1]
The landing page is an explainer on William's vast contributions to
speleology, written to appeal even to those who never knew William
or why a cave is important, much less why it necessitates
excavation.
The actual wording of the petition is hard to sleuth out on the
site, so I’m including it here:
We the undersigned are petitioning to honor William H. Russell for
nearly 60 years of providing innumerable valuable contributions and
incalculable hours of credible service to the caves and karst of the
City of Austin.
In recognition of his sustained dedication, and in keeping with his
intentions when he originally lobbied to have the City of Austin
acquire this tract of land, we are asking the City of Austin to
rename the Blowing Sink Research Management Area as the William H.
Russell Karst Preserve and engage the local caving community as the
most knowledgeable stakeholders in further exploration and
documentation of its karst resources.
We would also like to ask the City of Austin issue a proclamation
that June 30th be William H. Russell Austin Cave Heritage Day.
Whereas the City of Austin was founded where it sits due to the
presence of Karst.
Whereas William H. Russell dedicated nearly 60 years of his life to
exploration, documentation, and preservation of the caves and karst
of Austin.
Whereas through deliberate filling and human-caused erosion, the
Austin area lost almost all of its caves by the turn of the 20th
century.
Whereas William H. Russell excavated and documented more caves in
the Greater Austin area than any other person.
Whereas William H. Russell provided a culturally significant
contribution to the Austin community by serving as a brother,
father, and grandfather figure within the Austin caving community;
he mentored and/or inspired possibly every cave scientist and cave
digger working in Central Texas.
Whereas nearly every cave currently managed under the Balcones
Canyonlands Conservation Plan required excavation for exploration;
the BCCP was the first Regional multi-species Habitat Conservation
Plan in the nation and continues to serve as a national model for
community-based conservation that seeks to balance a healthy economy
with healthy ecosystems.
Whereas from 1997 to 2000, William H. Russell lobbied to have land
donated to the City of Austin as a preserve so that Blowing Sink
Cave, Brownlee Cave, Sinky Dinky Cave, Sunspot Cave, Williams Well
Cave, Winter Woods Cave, and Wyoka Cave could be protected and
further explored by local cavers.
Whereas since acquisition by the City of Austin the exploration of
the cave resources within the Blowing Sink Research Management Area
has essentially stopped and none of the caves have been fully
explored.
Whereas the City of Austin's rich heritage of protecting caves and
associated wildlands for the preservation of water quality can be
attributed to many people, but to no one more so than William H.
Russell.
Therefore the City of Austin may recognize the innumerable valuable
contributions and incalculable hours of credible service to the
caves and karst of the City of Austin through the renaming of the
Blowing Sink Research Management Area as the William H. Russell
Karst Preserve.
Therefore the City of Austin may engage the local caving community
as the most knowledgeable stakeholders in further exploration and
documentation of its karst resources.
Therefore the City of Austin may issue a proclamation that June 30th
is William H. Russell Austin Cave Heritage Day.
Sincerely,
Please add your name:
http://chng.it/jdbRTRY7tg [1]
Justin Leigh Shaw
[email protected]
512-593-CAVE (2283) - mobile voice & text
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