Recommended Guidelines for the Development and Management of Show Caves

By: Brad Wuest ISCA President Developed By:

• International Show Caves Association (ISCA)

• International Union of Speleology (UIS)

• International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

• Adopted : November 3, 2014 Prehistory Pre-Show

Cave Prehistoric Man/Cave Art Man/Cave Prehistoric Vilenica Cave Slovenia 1633

• One of the earliest show caves Purpose is • Guidance in Best Practices to provide: • NOT rigid rules or mandates • NOT to be construed or interpreted as laws

• Standards that can be worked towards over time

• Must be updated from time to time to take into account new information and findings • Recommendations for show caves to Contingent aspire to. & Limiting • Goals that show caves can work Conditions towards as provided by their circumstances & economic ability

• NOT to be construed or interpreted as standards that must be complied with as a legal requirement in any jurisdiction or for membership

• Suggestions & guidance on scientific & practical matters to assist show cave managers Development of Cave into “Show Cave”

• Benefits  Profit for cave and region.  Jobs  Can protect Cave  Educate  Create awareness

• Carefully study first to determine  Cave & location suitability  Impact on environment  Economic sustainability

• Abandoned Show Caves become unprotected Safety

• The safety of visitors & employees is top priority  Above ground: roads, parking areas, walking paths and facilities  Building code standards

 Below Ground: good walking surfaces, adequate headroom, handrails where needed and proper lighting.  Some building code standards inside the cave are applicable and some not.

 Local Emergency Services

 Rescue and first aid training for employees Site Plan: It is essential to relate the surface topography & improvements to the cavern system below.

Avoid constructing improvements over the cave or where they will negatively impact

Know where the water goes! Natural percolation into the cave Asses flooding potential and develop accordingly Prevent pollution from entering the cave Access into Show Cave

• Don’t change the airflow!

• Artificial Access  sometimes excavating a new entrance, or a tunnel is necessary

• Airlock

 A decision NOT to install an airlock – only after special study

Pathways in Cave

• Walking surfaces  Concrete  FRP (fiber reinforced plastic)

• Curbs  Kick plates  Place to hide cables & conduits  lights

• Handrails  For safety & cave protection  Stainless, FRP, etc. Visitor Capacity

maintain cave environment & protection for guest safety and experience efficiency and maximize revenue

Find the proper balance! Lighting

Great lighting provides safety, experience & efficiency!

Low heat, low energy - LED

Zones

Safe well balanced circuits

Emergency Lighting

Back up power supply battery generator Lampenflora

The infamous scourge of show caves!

Control by lighting system design

-separate circuits

-distance from light to cave wall

-wave length selection

Treatment with:

-diluted chlorine bleach -hydrogen peroxide -ethanol alcohol -good old water & brush RADON know your countries standards monitor by a competent specialist if required limit working time in caves of high concentration Bats do not disturb proper gates minimize human contact New Age Materials

• Stainless Steel

• LED Lighting

• Plastics like FRP Materials that USUALLY DO NOT belong in a cave • Galvanized Steel • Dissimilar Metals

• Non-ferrous Metals

• Untreated Iron & Steel

• Wood (Ice caves OK)

• Asphalt (bitumen) Cave Managers Cave Guides Signage ISCA is here to help

• http://www.i-s-c-a.com/documents you can find the Recommended Guidelines here!

• Scientific & Technical Committee: Chair Friedrich Oedl, [email protected]

• International Commission on Prehistory in Show Caves: Joëlle Darricau [email protected]

• Renata Marinelli, Secretary / Treasurer: [email protected]

• Brad Wuest, President: [email protected] THANK YOU!