CAVE PRESERVATION

Cave Conservation

Removing or destroying cave formations and disturbing cave wildlife is illegal and just bad practice! Here are some guidelines to remember while underground.

• Destroy nothing.
• Take nothing, except pictures and / or memories.
• Leave nothing behind, except footprints.
• Pack food crumbs out with you.
• Leave the wildlife alone. Avoid shining your light on bats.
• Don't urinate (or worse!) in a cave.
• Don't touch any formations, especially with bare hands.
• Respect the land around cave entrances. Never damage gates or leave trash.

NSS Policy For Cave Conservation
From NSS Board of Governors Manual

The National Speleological Society believes: That caves have unique scientific, recreational, and scenic values; That these values are endangered by both carelessness and intentional  vandalism; That these values, once gone, cannot be recovered; and that the responsibility for protecting caves must be assumed by those who study and enjoy them.

Accordingly, the intention of the Society is to work  for the preservation of caves with a realistic policy supported by effective programs for: the encouragement of self-discipline among cavers; education and research concerning the causes and prevention of cave damage;  and special projects, including cooperation with other groups similarly dedicated to the conservation of natural areas. Specifically: All contents of a cave--formations, life, and loose deposits--are significant for its  enjoyment and interpretation. Therefore, caving parties should leave a cave as they find it. They should provide means for the removal of waste; limit marking to a few, small and removable signs as are needed for  surveys;and, especially, exercise extreme care not to accidentally break or soil formations, disturb life forms or unnecessarily increase the number of disfiguring paths through an area.

Scientific collection is  professional, selective and minimal. The collecting of mineral or biological material for display purposes, including previously broken or dead specimens, is never justified, as it encourages others to collect and  destroys the interest of the cave.

The Society encourages projects such as: establishing cave preserves; placing entrance gates where appropriate; opposing the sale of speleothems; supporting effective protective  measures; cleaning and restoring over-used caves; cooperating with private cave owners by providing knowledge about their cave and assisting them in protecting their cave and property from damage during cave visits; and  encouraging commercial cave owners to make use of their opportunity to aid the public in understanding caves and the importance of their conservation. Where there is reason to believe that publication of cave locations  will lead to vandalism before adequate protection can be established, the Society will oppose such publication.

It is the duty of every Society member to take personal responsibility for spreading a consciousness  of the cave conservation problem to each potential user of caves. Without this, the beauty and value of our caves will not long remain with us.

December 28, 1960