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EnvironmentGeology12TuesdayApril12014HARDESTWORKINGSMOOTHESTRIDINGFEATURESChoosefromgasenginesupto60HPahigh-torquediesel.Choosefrom2-and4-passengermid-sizedmodelsor3-and6-passengerfull-sizedmodels.AllmodelsfeatureOn-DemandTrueAll-WheelDriveAWDtomaximizetraction.Detailedcustomizationwithhundredsofruggedandreliableaccessories.VisitDiggerzPowersportsonlineatwww.diggerz.ca2AspenRoadHayRiverNTX0E0R6867874-3224CaveexplorertakesstockofhiddenholesinWoodBuffaloNationalParkByMEAGANWOHLBERGParksCanadaresourcemanagementofficerGregHorneadmittedlylikestogetdirtyanddampwhileex-ploringsomeoftheworldsdarkesttightestspacesbutcavesandotherfeaturesofkarstgeologyalsoprovideaplethoraofscienticin-formationbenecialforun-derstandingthehistoryoftheearthandpeopletoo.ThekarstlandscapeexpertfromJasperNationalParkwhohasspent20yearscavingwasinFortSmithlastweekforeldworkexploringthehand-fulofknowncavesinWoodBuffaloNationalParktoas-sesstheirscienticmeritsandpotentialforrecreationaluse.Hornepresentedhis35yearsofknowledgeoncavesbatsandotherfeaturesofthedissolvingrocklandscapetoanaudienceofallagesonThursdayeveningattheParkstheatrefromhowtheyformtowhattheycantellus.AspartofhisworkinWoodBuffalowhichbeganin2012Horneisdoingaresourcein-ventorylookingfortypesofmineralsandevidenceofbio-logicallifefrominvertebratestobatsaswellasahazardsassessmentwhichappliestohumanexploration.CurrentlycavesinWoodBuffaloNationalParkarelocatedkilometresofftheroadandtrailsystemandarenotopentorecreationalusebutHorneishelpingtoreviewthat.Youwouldevaluatethehazardsthatareinthecavewherethehazardsaretherockandthingsfallingtherecanbeoodingbadairtherecanbedustdiseasepossibilitiesfromtheguanoofbatstherecanbesteepterrainthatrequiresropehesaidgenerallyofperformingcavehazardinventories.WhenitcomestocavesinWoodBuffaloHornesaidthetypeofrock-madeofdissolv-inglimestonedolomiteandgypsum-isveryriskywithwallsandceilingsthreateningtocrumblewithevenaslightdis-turbance.Oneoftheparksfewknowncavesactuallyclosedupfollowingamassivesummerwindstormin2013.Photographstakenwithinoneofthecavesshowsalargepieceofrockametrewideandseveralmetreslongcurl-ingoffoftheceilinglikearockshaving.ThestabilityofthecavesinWoodBuffaloisdenitelysuspecthesaid.Yougethereandyoudontwanttotouchthewallsyoudontwanttotouchtheceilingun-lessyouhavetobecauseitcouldbeakindofdominochainreaction.Youbumpthatrockthereandthisthingisreadytofalldownonyou.Sotheycangiveyouprettygoodshivers.ThenumberofknowncavesinWoodBuffaloNationalParkisaroundthreethoughthevastnessoftheparkthedifficultyinaccessingthemajorityofthelandscapeandtheknownpresenceofthou-sandsofsinkholes-themostinCanada-indicatestherecouldbemanymorewithintheparksboundaries.Givenallthesinkholesandallthekarsttopographyinthe-orytherecouldbedozenstohundredsHornesaidnotingthatWoodBuffalohasthemostkarstlandformsofanynationalparkinCanada.Thethingisaseveryoneknowsherethelandscapeishugeandtravelisslowbeforeandafterare.WhileGoogleEarthishelp-ingtondcavesandsinkholesinmorebarrenlandscapeselsewhereontheplanetitdoeslittlegoodinforestedregionsHornesaid.Plushesaidhetendstondmostcavesbyaccident.IneverndcaveswhenIgotolookforcaves.IndcaveswhenImdoingsomethingelseoutonthelandscape.Hornewhohasexploredsomeoftheworldsdeepestandbiggestcavesthroughouthislifesaidtheyarentjustinterestingfromanadven-turerstandpointbutprovidevaluableinformationfortheeldsofpaleontologyarchae-ologymicrobiologyandcli-matescientists.InWoodBuffalothesed-imentandicelayersgivearehistoryahistoryofoodeventsandperiodsofdefor-estationfromrehesaid.Cavesarealsohometomanyspeciesofbatswhoarecurrentlyatriskofex-tinctionduetothespreadofwhitenosesyndromeafun-gusthatinfectstheirnoseandwingsduringhibernationandhaskilledatleast5millionbatssince2006.ParksCanadaiscurrentlyworkingwithotheragenciestoprovideauniedresponsetothespreadofthediseasein-cludingclosingoffbathiber-naculumtorecreationalcaving.AccordingtoHorneNahanniNationalParkboaststhelargestnumberofcavesofanynationalparkinCanadaandalongwithcavesinnorthernAlbertaandWoodBuffalohostthreespe-ciesofbatseachyear.WoodBuffaloNationalParkscientistSharonIrwininvestigatesoneofthreeknowncavesintheparksouthofFortSmithalongwithcavespecialistGregHorne.PhotoGregHorneParksCanada