Karst terrain covers 20% of earth’s land surface, and caves are its main feature. Caves and karst are vital resources that sustain 700 million people with drinking water, hold rich archaeological and paleontological remains, contain many bio-diverse regions, and are even targets for settlement and the search for life on other planets. Everyone on earth is connected to this world below.

Dr. George Veni is an internationally known hydrogeologist. He conducts karst management research worldwide. He has been the Executive Director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, chaired 19 international karst conferences, written six books and hundreds of scholarly papers, served as president of the International Union of Speleology, and organized the International Year of Caves and Karst in 2021-2022. Three cave-dwelling species have been named for him!

This program begins at 1:00 PM, both in-person and via Zoom. The in-person event will be held at Pinnacle Living, 45 Forts Ferry Road, Latham, NY. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available starting at 12:30 PM. Please bring your own beverage.