cave corner


Cave Maids of Fort Stanton

     October 2000 the founders of EcoServants began the challenge of creating a new caving culture based on Stewardship, not exploration, of these great resources. This year we will pass 3,000 hours of permitted in-cave interpretation, restoration, management, and protection. These hours do not count preparation, travel, and administration hours. All hours have been volunteered. The restoration work we do involves removing mud and other debris from cave formations that were placed there by human hand or foot during travel through the cave. The tools are hand pressured water bottles, wooden clay sculpting tools, scrub brushes, sponges and water. The clay on top of Platter Ridge’s formations was over half an inch thick in some places when we started the project in 2002. The clay was removed with the sculpting tools with no water placed on it. We use wood because Calcite , on of the building blocks of stalactites, stalagmites and other speloethems, is very soft by a rock and minerals standard and will scratch. When the excess mud is removed then water is sprayed on the formation and lightly scrubbed, tooth brush to hand brush, to remove the clay hanging on to the flowstone. The sponges are used to pick up the water and clay; these will separate when left alone for the night and the water can be reused. We have found lantern glass and pieces of old torches under the clay we are removing. The reason we do this is so the water that is dripping out of the earth can continue to deposit the calcite and other minerals that decorate the cave with formations like it has done for hundreds of thousands years before we crashed the party with our 38ish microbes that are not native to the cave that we carry, in addition to our boots and portable lights.

ecoservants.org

Who are Ecoservants?

Ecoservants is a non-profit organization based in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Ecoservants is a community service leader that involves the community in a wide variety of projects including light town projects, cave restoration work, and site cleanup. Ecoservants is dedicated to making a cleaner, better, more enjoyable community to live in and be a part of. Ecoservants does not only involve youth, but everyone in the community, to build strong and lasting ties while improving the environment!

Get involved! Ecoservants would love to hear from you. Please contact:

Stephen Carter
505.808.1204
scarter(at)ecoservants.org

Or click "SBSC" (Sierra Blanca Service Corps) to download a membership application.

Bureau of Land Management
the Village of Ruidoso Forestry Department
USDA forest service

New Mexico Community Foundation
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC)
Youth Conservation Corps
Daniels Fund
McCune Foundation

New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community

In order to view this site best, we recommend upgrading your browser to the latest version.
Firefox 2 Internet Explorer 7