Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
| Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve | |
|---|---|
  Location within Virginia  Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve (the United States) | |
| Location | Lee County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 36°36′52″N 83°13′36″W / 36.61433°N 83.22672°W[1] |
| Area | 171 acres (69 ha) |
| Established | 2004 |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve is a 171-acre (69 ha)
Powell River.[2]
A rare species of
carabid beetle.[5]
The only known entrance to the seven-mile-long (11 km) cave was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1987, and was the first cave system purchased in Virginia by the organization.[6] The Nature Conservancy gave the property to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2004,[2] although they continue to conduct research at the site.[5]
Although previously popular with spelunkers due to the cave's large speleothems,[6] Unthanks Cave is today gated and inaccessible except for official scientific monitoring and inquiry.[2]
See also
- List of Virginia Natural Area Preserves
References
- ^ "Virginia Conservation Lands Database". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ Hershler, R. (1989). "Holsingeria unthanksensis, a new genus and species of aquatic cavesnail from eastern North America" (PDF). Malacological Review. 22 (1–2): 93–100. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ Dillon, R. T. Jr.; Watson, B.T.; Stewart, T. W. (2006). "Species Account: Holsingeria unthanksensis". Freshwater Gastropods of North America. Department of Biology, College of Charleston. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ a b "About Unthanks Cave in Virginia". Nature.org. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ a b Lazarus, Elizabeth (June 25, 1987). "Conservancy Buys Cave with Rare Species". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.