UIS Commission on Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis

Dear Friends,

The news has been slow for the past couple of weeks, but we are happy to share what we’ve received:

Various News

  • #SPELEOMEDIT Project—Speleology of the Mediterranean: Call for Participation
  • Gazing Deeply: The Art and Science of Mammoth Cave

Conferences and Meetings

  • BCRA Cave Science Meeting 2020
  • 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst: New Date
  • Balkan Cavers Camp: Cancelled
  • List of Upcoming Cave and Karst Meetings

Please contact the people and organizations listed below for more information, and feel free to share this message with anyone who may be interested.

George

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#SPELEOMEDIT Project—Speleology of the Mediterranean: Call for Participation

Dear caving friends:

Here is our idea about the #SPELEOMEDIT project that we are using to promote the International Year of Caves and Karst.

The Speleological Society of Italy, in collaboration with TETIDE, is developing a special book, Speleology of the Mediterranean, dedicated to the countries directly connected with the Mediterranean Sea. This project will be a fundamental contribution to creating a common awareness and strengthening the bonds between caving groups and research organizations of the Mediterranean, while supporting the protection of karst and caves. Our plan is to present the project results at the 18th UIS International Speleology Congress, and at the international meeting .

This collection of information about each nation that borders the Mediterranean will be posted on the web site and used for the creation of a Photography exhibition and a special edition magazine.

This special book may be introduced by four articles on the physical geography and geomorphology, hydrology and water, biospeleology, culture and artificial caves, of the Mediterranean which, as it were without national borders, to give the reader an overview of the karst territories and the mountains overlooking this sea. We have also foresee a closing article on the water and bio-speleology related to the Mediterranean area highlighting the themes of environmental protection, and also a proposal on artificial cave studies.

The publication will be prepared and printed in English and the editorial staff will make texts and photographs available for both an electronic PDF version, and a translation into the language that each national organization will choose to use, so that the editorial product will be a communication tool for each participating country.

We currently have participation for 17 of the 21 Mediterranean countries and hope the remaining four (Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and Syria) will join us soon. More information is here.

If you are interested in participating from any country, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Best to you all

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Gazing Deeply: The Art and Science of Mammoth Cave

The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University, USA, is hosting this museum exhibit on Mammoth Cave, the world’s longest cave. The exhibit will remain up until 15 May 2020. If you can’t go there personally, you can take a 360-degree virtual tour of the exhibit by clicking this link.

Visitors to the exhibition will discover:

How Mammoth Cave has formed and is explored, including how explorers study and document the cave;
What international karst scientists saw when they looked at historic illustrations of Mammoth Cave;
Artistic works by art instructor Julie Schuck and her students about Mammoth Cave and its inhabitants, informed by their tours of the cave and scientific studies;
Mammoth Cave's sister parks and how YOU can help protect these vital regions; and
How WKU is fostering applied, interdisciplinary learning and inspiring the next generation of Science+Arts changemakers.

This exhibition is curated in partnership with Dr. Chris Groves (Geology), Julie Schuck (Art), and Dr. Rick Toomey (Mammoth Cave National Park) and features the commentary and work of numerous karst scientists and WKU art students. For more information, visit this site

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BCRA Cave Science Meeting 2020

The 2020 British Cave Research Association (BCRA) Cave Science Meeting is now confirmed for Saturday November 14th 2020 but will take place using an online portal. It will be hosted by Professor Mike Rogerson at the University of Northumbria. Although we would very much enjoy contributions that discuss how caves have behaved during the lockdown period, we are open to abstracts on any subject linked to cave and karst science, from professional or amateur researchers. We are expecting to have about 10 talks on the day, and would like to see what you have been doing recently. As in previous years we invite contributions across the cave/karst spectrum including archaeology, biology, geomorphology, hydrology and speleothem science. Presentation slots are not limited to those with a connection to the UK - this invitation is to all interested cave and karst scientists worldwide. Please do submit an abstract by emailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible and by Friday 11 September at the latest (put "BCRA abstract" in the email subject to ensure it goes to the right inbox folder!). The template for abstracts is available here (link).

Attendance will be free, using an online portal (likely Zoom) so participants worldwide are invited, although do be aware talks will be during normal UK working hours (9-5, GMT). We are exploring possibilities for a virtual fieldtrip on the 15th November - more soon on that!

Mike Rogerson

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14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst: New Date

Dear Potential Participants of the 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst

As promised, this message announces the new date of the postponed 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst: 22-25 April 2021.

The objectives, organizational conditions and expected program of the Symposium will be very similar to proposed in the First Circular:

Thursday (22th April) : arrival, walk to Chęciny town and castle,
Friday (23th April): scientific session, meeting of the UIS Pseudokarst Commission,
Saturday, Sunday (24-25th April): field sessions in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains,
Monday-Wednesday (26-28th April) – post-Symposium excursion in the Beskidy Mountains.
Therefore, could you, please, reserve the days between 22th and 26th April or 28th April) for the 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst!

Since the pandemic situation is still dynamic, the Second Circular inviting and precising all data on the Symposium will be distributed in October or November 2020. You will find it and more information on the symposium website: 14pseudokarst.wonders4you.com.

Organizational Committee of the 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst

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Balkan Cavers Camp: Cancelled

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I hope you, your family, and your colleagues are healthy and safe during the COVID 19 pandemic. We are certainly living in challenging times. As far as we can see, at this moment it is difficult to predict the confinement measures in different European and especially Balkan countries. Over the past few weeks, we have been closely monitoring and evaluating the situation around COVID-19, to ensure we are making the appropriate decisions regarding the14th Balkan Cavers Camp 2020. What is the situation?

The Bulgarian government has extended the state of Epidemic Emergency, which was introduced due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, until August 31. New entry restrictions were adopted on July 31, 2020 and extend to August 31, 2020. The restrictions apply to all persons, regardless of their citizenship, and all types of border crossings including by air, sea, rail and road transport. Tourists from Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro, will be allowed to visit the country, however, they must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. In other hand some Balkan countries has issued quarantine orders for anyone (including their own citizens) arriving from the countries listed in the temporary „red list“ COVID infection. Bulgarian authorities have lifted the restrictions concerning the behaviour in all indoor public spaces. The outdoor gatherings remain limited with reduced number of participants and strict requirements for social distancing. At this stage, the pandemic situation in Europe is getting worse and health institutions' forecasts for the future are not optimistic. So far, the organizers of the Balkan Cavers Camp have received only a few applications for participation, all of which were received before the cancellation of the date for the event.

After consultation with our partners, the Organizing Committee Decided to Cancel the Carrying Out Of 14th Balkan Cavers Camp , 9-13 September 2020, Dryanovo, Bulgaria. We hope that all cavers and caving organisations will have the power to overcome this difficult period. They hope to see you all healthy and safe after this crisis.

Nowadays the question is where and when will be the next Balkan Cavers Camp, so we are looking for applications!

Organising Committee of Balkan Cavers Camp

Please spread this information among the cavers' community in your country & organisations & clubs !

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List of Upcoming Cave and Karst Meetings

If you are interested in any of the following events, contact them directly to learn if they are still planned as announced below.

1) Carbonate Critical Zone: an NSF-Sponsored Workshop, August-September 2020 (virtual meeting), undefined

2) Visual KARSYS Online Course, 16-17 September 2020, undefined

3) Geological Society of America Convention/GSA 2020 Connects Online, 25-28 October 2020 (Montréal, Québec, Canada), undefined

4) European Cave Rescue Association Meeting 2020, 12-15 November 2020 (Cantabria, Spain), undefined 

5) British Cave Research Association Science Symposium, 14 November 2020, (virtual meeting), undefined

6) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

7) 1st Karst Science Forum, postponed to 2021 (Bucharest, Romania), undefined

8) International Course and Field Seminar: Characterization and Engineering of Karst Aquifers, postponed to 2021 (Žabljak-Durmitor Mt., Virpazar-Skadar Lake in Montenegro, and in Trebinje in Bosnia & Herzegovina), undefined

9) 7th International Course Characterization and Engineering of Karst Aquifers (CEKA), postponed to 2021 (Montenegro: Žabljak-Durmitor Mt., Virpazar-Skadar Lake, and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Trebinje), undefined

10) 16th Multidisciplinary Conference on the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, 12-16 April 2021 (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

11) 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst, 22-25 April 2021 (Świętokrzyskie [Holy Cross] Mountains, Poland), undefined

12) US Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Meeting, May 2021 (Nashville, Tennessee, USA)

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

14) Karst Waters Institute Frontiers in Karst: Sulfuric Acid Weathering, postponed to mid-summer 2021 (San Vittore, Italy), undefined

15) 28th International Karstological School “Classical Karst”: Regional Karstology - Local and General Aspects, 14-18 June 2021 (Postojna, Slovenia), undefined

16) EuroKarst 2021: The European Congress on Karst Hydrogeology and Carbonate Reservoirs, 22-24 June 2021 (Málaga, Spain), undefined

17) Karst Record IX (KR9) Conference, 11-14 July 2021 (Innsbruck, Austria), undefined

18) 18th International Congress of Speleology, 25 July – 1 August 2021 (Savoie Technolac, Le Bourget du Lac, Savoie, France)

19) Central Asian Speleological Forum, postponed to August 2021 (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), undefined

20) 34th International Geographical Congress karst sessions: Global Karst Critical Zone and Land Use Planning in Karst, 16-20 August 2021 (Istanbul, Turkey), undefined

21) 19th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology, 28 August - 4 September 2021 (Catania, Italy), undefined

22) Fort Stanton Cave Science Conference, September 2021 (Socorro, New Mexico, USA), undefined

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

25) Speleo Kamaraton, 29 October – 1 November 2021 (Marina di Camerota, Salerno, Italy)

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George Veni, PhD
Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI)|
and
President, International Union of Speleology (UIS)

NCKRI address (primary)
400-1 Cascades Avenue
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220 USA
Office: +575-887-5517
Mobile: +210-863-5919
Fax: +575-887-5523
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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UIS address
Titov trg 2
Postojna, 6230 Slovenia
UIS Website
IYCK2021 website