GrottoCenter Blog

Feeling adventurous  ?   How about  joining a caving project in Kyrgyzstan ?  Following this year's expedition, the Foundation  for the Preservation and Exploration of Caves ( www.speleo.kg )   has some new topographic plans for a numbers of new caves in Kyrgyzstan. That is  30 new caves explored and to be explored .  The Foundation  for the Preservation and Exploration of Caves is  eager to invite cavers and scientists  to join  their projects in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.  That would be 5 projects for Kyrgyzstan in unexplored karst areas :Summer and autumn reconnaissance expeditions have shown  great prospects in these areas.  In May-June of 2018,  A speleological expedition to Chatkal (south-western Tien Shan). is stting up  which  so far already involoves a team of 10 cavers from Israel.  Anyone who wants to take part in the expedition to Chatkal is  welcome join the expedition.  In addition, another  interesting project is planned for the Moldo-Too area.

    Hello , As you might  have seen  or read in the IUS report ,  Wikicaves and its database Grottocenter  are evolving  and expanding . We were wondering if  you would be willing to take part  in this project initiated in  2016  by the  the UIS and the UIS- Wikicaves Working group  to  ascertain what level of locational precision for caves  you are  ready to  accept for your  country and if you would be willing to su pply information about some of  your caves in order . to expand the world database which is slowly expanding  .  Once more,   thank you for your  contribution to the  caving community Didier Borg  for the UIS- Wikicaves Working Group  http://www.uisic.uis-speleo.org/wikicaves/

The Belgian and Dutch caving organisations have the pleasure to invite you to the 11th EuroSpeleo Forum from 15 th to 17 th September 2017. The EuroSpeleo Forum will be held during the so called Caving Days that are organised by the Belgian and Dutch cavers every two years. The EuroSpeleo Forum is supported by the European Speleological Federation FSE. The event will take place at the Collège SaintRoch (ASBL Bernardfagne) in Ferrières in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes. Registration for the EuroSpeleo Forum is now open . The regsitration form in english can be found at: https://www.speleovvs.be/ vvsforms/index.php/ speleodagen/registration/en-GB All information on the EuroSpeleo Forum in english and french can be found in the first circular at: http://www.eurospeleo.eu/ images/stories/docs/ eurospeleo-forum/Circular% 2011th%20ESF%20EN-FR.pdf Or at the website at: https://www.speleovvs.be/ index.php/en/caving-days We welcome you all in september in Be

Visitors can search and access information on the caves available on Grottocenter.   Some caves are  under specific provisions imposed by a legal authority, which may restrict access to some types of  information and possibly also to the cave itself. All users can carry out all operations on the range of information available on Grottocenter, except that data subjected to the specific provisions as mentioned above in article 1 The administrators of Grottocenter (the board of Directors of the Wikicaves association) can sign agreements with partner organizations. The partner organizations will be sent information on modifications carried out on the caves according to a predefined criterion (area, club, etc.). These agreements  may include specific measures aiming to restrict access to some information. These restrictions will need to be specifically motivated. Contributors can display a ‘ Restrictions ’ window  regarding  access to a cave. A new field is then acti

Dear all,          We are pleased to invite you at the fourth edition of the International Female Caving School that will be held this year in Padis area, Romania, in the period 16.09. - 24.09.2017 The school addresses especially to girls, but boys are welcome too.          More information about the event you can find in the invitation, on our website  www.speleofeminin.com   and also on our facebook page  www.facebook.com/SpeleoFe minin . If you want to join the event please send the registration form at  speleofeminin@gmail.com We are hoping to make this not only a school but also a big meeting event, so, we are waiting  for you in large numbers. Please distribute across your contacts.  All the best, Team SpeleoFeminin

The Bulgarian Federation of Speleology would like to invite you to an International Caving Competition of speleo-disciplines. The competition has been organized regularly for a number of years for Bulgarian cavers, but this year we decided to open it to other countries as well. It will take place on 29 April and 30 April 2017 in Karlukovo village, Bulgaria. There will be 3 separate competitions: A technical competition for a 2 person team that includes: rigging and derigging of a pit, passing through a pre-rigged vertical rope system, knots knowledge, self-rescue. Cave survey and preparation of a complete map of a small cave by a 2 person team Speed climbing For the best performers in each competition there will be awards, provided by local equipment shops. You can find more information here. www.speleo-bg.org https://www.facebook.com/ BulgarianSpeleologicalFederat

The  France HABE Prize  is awarded by the  Department of Karst and the Cave Protection of the International Union of Speleology  (UIS).    Its purpose is to promote the protection of karst and caves for generations to come. Their natural legacy are proven sources of increasingly rich information about the history of our planet and humanity, enabling people to act more thoughtfully, efficiently, and sustainably for the future of our environment. Nominations must reach by May 20 , 2015. For more information: http://uis-speleo.org/index. php?option=com_content&view= article&id=79&Itemid=383

The Brazilian Society of Speleology (SBE) and Sociedade Excursionista & Espeleológica (SEE) are holding the  34th Brazilian Congress of Speleology (34º CBE), the biggest caving event in Brazil . It  will take place from 13 to 18  June  2017 , in the Metallurgic Park – Center of Arts and Conventions at the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), in Ouro Preto MG. check their website : http://www.sbe.com.br/34cbe.asp contact  : 34cbe@cavernas.org.br

The Fund for the   Preservation and Exploration of Caves (FPEC) offer   cavers the opportunity to take part   project on caving research in almost   non-explored caves in Kyrgyzstan. In Kyrgyzstan   , the caving potential is huge. Almost all prospective regions are poorly explored or unexplored at all. Cave systems which were discovered previously require further exploration. In connection with this we think that the co-operation with colleagues from other countries with the aim to make joint researches in Kyrgyzstan may bring good results.   This year we are planning researches in the perspective regions of the Turkestan Range located in the south-west of Kyrgyzstan and associated with the Pamir-Alai Mountain system.             For the time being those regions are insufficiently explored and that provides good opportunity for the wide search of caves.    Besides, there is an ancient cave-mine having the known length of tunnels of about 6000 m. The further researc

The beginning of a new   year ..   a new caving year too !   How about a   caving calendar with great pictures ?   Check out   the Descent magazine webpage at :  http://www.wildplaces.co.uk/goods/548-underground-worlds-2017.html   and      http://www.wildplaces.co.uk/6-descent

  Dr. Alex Dudashvili   and the Fund of Preservation and Exploration of Caves are leading a scientific project with the Kyrgyz-Russia Slavic University The aim of the project is   to estimate of paleoearthquake frequency in the Kyrgyzstan area   and get more data   on the frequency or recurrence of the ancient earthquakes which shook   Central Asia. Scientists try    to understand   the   correlation of cave morphology with tectonic movements and   to improve    interpretation and reconstruction of paleo-seismic events .   Sponsors, partners and scientists interested in the project are   most welcome !   Contact : info@speleo.kg