Conservation practices

[Leclused]

Hello,

I just want to start up this thread to create some awerness about conservation practices.

Some background :

The following pictures are all taken in a cave that we (several Belgian Clubs) are exploring in the Haute Marne/ Haute Saone region. The cave is called Rigotte.

Conservation is done directly after the first exploration of the cave. Where required a path is marked with poles and fencing tape. Pictograms are placed to inform other caves how to behave from a specific point. In the case of photo 1 the first part is marked with poles and fencing poles. But the rest of the part is markt with small cones. These are removeable.

Photos all taken by Geert de Sadelaer (Sc Cascade)

 

[Ian Ball]

good effort! I often think that it feels like you're in a show cave where routes use elevated markings, but I think that is preferably by many magnitudes to causing damage, however unintentionally.

 

[langcliffe]

good effort! I often think that it feels like you're in a show cave where routes use elevated markings, but I think that is preferably by many magnitudes to causing damage, however unintentionally.

That technique was used in Shuttleworth, and I think it worked pretty well.

 

[Leclused]

good effort! I often think that it feels like you're in a show cave where routes use elevated markings, but I think that is preferably by many magnitudes to causing damage, however unintentionally.

We only mark a path where needed. In the case on photo 2 and 3 we follow the path that the first explorers followed. This is in a huge gallery covered with clay floors and mud concretions. Some of them very fragile. The gallery measure 15-20m wide, 5-15m high and roughly 200m long and ending in huge mud slide blocking the way.

Currently the cave is 6.3km long and about 250-300m is marked.

 

[mrodoc]

The Australians use a similar set up (no pictograms though just trail markers and unobtrusive tape). Clearly in the UK it is thought cavers have poor vision/bad lighting as we tend to uses brightly coloured tape that looks awful in photographs.