DCA agreed to pay for this particular gate, after discussion at a DCA Council meeting, because the request to gate the extension came from DCA itself, not from Orpheus.
DCA would not normally pay for gating a cave in such a way that it requires restricted access/lock/leadership system unless it was at the express request of the landowner. Our preferred method of protecting caves/mines where there are conservation issues or the landowner expresses concern is to install a gate/lid fitted with nut/bolt which requires a large adjustable spanner to undo it: "a Derbyshire key", so that it is accessible to all cavers who know the system but casual visitors are deterred.
This particular situation arose at Water Icicle because an Orpheus member made a detailed presentation on the new discovery to a meeting on Cave Conservation at which a Natural England representative was present as well as DCA representatives and cave scientists. The scientific importance of the discovery was immediately recognised and all those present at this meeting were concerned that the new section should be conserved as far as possible in view of its scientific importance. However, the meeting did not specifically request that it be gated.
Following this meeting, DCA representatives, including those who had been at the conservation meeting, discussed the matter and agreed that a gate was the only practical solution; we had in mind the recent vandalism at Giants and the fact that persons unknown had already been into the new section, despite a polite request from the diggers to stay out for the time being. It was agreed the matter must be raised at the DCA Council meeting due to take place shortly afterwards. The situation was explained to those present at the DCA meeting and it was agreed that this was an exceptional situation and that Orpheus should be asked if a gate could be installed, which DCA would pay for. It was also agreed that if, a gate was installed, Orpheus should be asked if they would manage the access.
The matter was raised at an Orpheus Committee meeting later the same day, which accepted the need to gate the discoveries while scientific work took place and on the understanding that DCA itself would pay for the gate. Orpheus also agreed to manage the access and have now set up the system which allows this to happen.
This is an exceptional situation and all those involved have thought long and hard about how best to deal with it - the decision to gate the newly discovered section was not taken lightly. Any future decisions about the gate will also involve full discussion with everyone concerned with the scientific work and the conservation of the new section.
Jenny Potts
DCA Hon. Sec.