Ocala, FL - October 18, 2004 -- A new defender in land conservation has emerged. Based in Ocala, Florida, The Karst Conservancy is a national level land conservation organization dedicated to protecting karst. Karst regions hold huge stores of fresh water and contain some of the most fragile ecosystems on earth, though most people are unaware that they actually live on karst. The Karst Conservancy protects important karst properties by directly acquiring them, holding conservation easements, and using other tools that permanently protect the land.

Karst is a term geologists use to describe a landscape that is principally formed by the dissolving of bedrock and is characterized by caves, sinkholes, springs, and underground streams. Examples of karst include the huge clear springs of Florida, the large and decorated caves of New Mexico, and the sinkhole plains of Kentucky. Karst is a hollow terrain much like a piece of Swiss cheese coated with a thin layer of soil. These interconnected cavities can range in size from tiny cracks to stadium sized rooms. Because much of what makes karst unique lies underground, karst is effectively a hidden landscape.

"Karst may not be a common word, but it is a common feature across the country," said Bill Walker, President of The Karst Conservancy. "One fifth of the landmass of the United States is classified as karst."

These regions contain some of the largest and most productive aquifers, capable of providing large supplies of fresh, clean water for agriculture, business, and human consumption. Twenty five percent of the nation’s drinking water flows from karst aquifers supplying drinking water to 73 million people across the country. However, karst aquifers are very susceptible to contamination. Bill Walker cautions, "Surface water in karst areas flows into caves and sinkholes quickly, receiving very little filtration. This water, and the impurities it carries -- human and animal wastes, pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products, and other pollutants -- often travel great distances underground through cave systems, contaminating wells and springs." The conservancy preserves these vital water resources by protecting the caves and sinkholes where the water enters the ground.

Karst areas contain some of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth. Many endangered and threatened species are endemic to a single sinkhole or cave. Pollution or disruption to one sinkhole could easily wipe out an entire species.

The Karst Conservancy works to protect karst areas by directly acquiring conservation lands using private donations and grants. They also protect important karst properties by helping landowners find economic incentives to protect their environmental resources.

The Karst Conservancy is the only national, nonprofit land trust specifically targeting the protection of karst areas. The Karst Conservancy joins the nation’s nonprofit, grassroots land trusts seeking to protect America’s open spaces in the face of growing development pressure and shortsighted environmental policies. More than 1,200 local and regional nonprofit land trusts work with landowners across the country to protect open spaces. According to the Land Trust Alliance, local and regional land trusts protect 6,225,225 acres of open space, an area twice the size of Connecticut.

About The Karst Conservancy
The Karst Conservancy is a national level land trust dedicated to protecting karst. The Karst Conservancy protects important karst properties by directly acquiring them, holding conservation easements, and using other tools that permanently protect the land. To learn more about the conservancy or to become a member, visit www.karstconservancy.org.

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