"Our world’s caves are places of wonder, mystery and majestic beauty. Show caves around the world are embracing their role in protecting and preserving caves and providing a place for people to learn about these special, natural, cultural and historical resources.

Show caves also play another important nature tourism role of sustainable economic development, providing jobs, and helping the economy of their regions.”

President's Newsletter #34

DRAFT RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES

As promised, in the previous President’s Newsletter No. 33, a copy of the latest draft of the “Recommended Guidelines for the Development and Management of Show Caves” is attached to the emails of ISCA members.

It is important that I stress that this document is very much a living document, and that it is still being written. This document will be a production of ISCA, and it is important that it is adopted by the Association at the coming Congress in November, 2014. The purpose of sending you a copy of the draft at this stage, is to let each one of our members see the format and content of this proposed document in good time before the General Assembly in November, 2014.

As also promised in the previous President’s Newsletter No. 33, a copy of the final draft will be sent to you on Friday, 17th October, 2014. Time will be allocated during the General Assembly in November, 2014, for a full discussion on this important document.

What I can assure you is that the attached draft is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work, not only by myself, but also by the diversified Task Force team that has been assisting me with this draft. The attached draft is only a small fraction of what has been written, and worked, and reworked.

Every effort has been made to produce a set of Guidelines that will serve ISCA well. I believe that all the concerns that were raised in 2010, and since, have been addressed and remedied.

It is critical that ISCA adopts a set of acceptable guidelines in November, 2014. The world of caves is waiting for this to happen. We cannot expect the world to wait for another four years.

Feel free to contact me direct if you see anything in this draft that concerns you.

 

ISCA CONFERENCE 2016

It is with great pleasure that I can announce that the ISCA Board of Directors have approved the holding of an ISCA Conference in Oman in the months of October and/or November, 2016. The Conference is tentatively proposed to be held over five days. More details about this exciting event will be provided in the near future.

 

REGIONAL MEETING 2015

A great Regional Meeting is currently being planned for October, 2015, and hopefully this meeting will be approved by the ISCA Board of Directors in October, 2014. This meeting will have to be renamed an “ISCA Meeting” if the proposal to change the name of this type of meeting is approved by the General Assembly on 3rd November, 2014. Stand by for more news about this proposed meeting.

 

ISCA 7th CONGRESS, NOVEMBER, 2014

Those of you planning to attend the coming Congress at Jenolan Caves, over 2nd to 8th November, 2014, must be getting excited by now. For those of you still thinking about it, you need to jump into gear and contact Dan Cove at dan.cove@jenolancaves.org.au as time is starting to run short. I am looking forward to seeing you there.