Projects

Projects SENSITIVE CAVE PROTECTION, RESTORATION AND INTERPRETATION Except as noted, all work detailed below was conducted entirely by volunteers, mostly cavers concerned for the welfare of the subject caves. ONGOING The CCC provided grants to and in support of the following: 2025 - • Into the Summit for Mental Health (C. Stenner) o This is the sixth event for this project and the fourth which has focused on a cave experience. We take veterans, serving military members and cadets into the cave to have a meaningful physical and mental challenge. The experience is facilitated with learning about overcoming challenges which might relate to occupational stress injuries. • Canyon Creek Ice Cave Project o After 44 years, the ice plug in Canyon Creek Ice Cave has melted enough to allow human passage to the back part of the cave. This cave is likely the most visited cave in the Rockies, owing to its ease of access and non-technical terrain. This project is centered on cave conservation. 2024 - • Old Growth Forest on Karst Analysis Project o Evaluating Old-Growth Forest Tree, Shrub and Plant Diversity on Adjacent Karst and Non-Karst Substrates in Vancouver Island, Canada. PhD thesis, University of Northern British Columbia Preliminary findings reveal significant differences in biodiversity between karst and non-karst environments, evidenced by variations in tree species characteristics and understory richness. This study underscores the urgent need to address the impacts of losing British Columbia's old-growth forests, particularly those on karst substrates, highlighting their role in forest-based climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. • HRA Hobo Project o This will provide a baseline for actual underground temperature through which changes, perhaps as a result of climate change/human disruption, might be compared. • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC o The CCC has provided grants in support of a multi-year cave meteorology monitoring project, including purchase of equipment for the project. The water level recorders needed replacement, for which the CCC provided funds. This is the 6th year of year-round climate data logging at 7 sites and the project now has shown linkage between individual surface storms and underground streamflow response.  2023 - • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC o The CCC provided grants in support of a multi year cave meteorology monitoring project, including purchase of equipment for the project. 2018 – • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC o The CCC provided a grant and support to install a new cave gate and security at Cody Caves Park. 2017 – • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC - o The CCC provided funding support for interpretive signage on a trail built by Friends of West Kootenay Parks and the park operator. • Speleological Society of Manitoba - o The CCC approved funding for a grant supporting a cave conservation, signage and clean-up project. 2010 - • the CCC entered into a public/government/conservancy partnership to assist with cave management and educational programs at Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, BC. To see the progress on this work, just follow this link: Horne Lake Caves Project 2023 - • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC o The CCC provided grants in support of a multi year cave meteorology monitoring project, including purchase of equipment for the project. 2018 – • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC - o The CCC provided a grant and support to install a new cave gate and security at Cody Caves Park. 2017 – • Cody Caves Provincial Park, BC - o The CCC provided funding support for interpretive signage on a trail built by Friends of West Kootenay Parks and the park operator. 2017 – • Speleological Society of Manitoba: o The CCC approved funding for a grant supporting a cave conservation, signage and clean-up project. 2009 – • The CCC provided funds for the purchase of concrete to plug an unauthorized entry into Renaissance Cave. Entry had been gained by digging through a nearby sink, bypassing the existing gate. The cave has subsequently suffered serious damage. Concrete and metal reinforcing material were installed in the excavation to plug the illegal entry and protect the cave from further damage. 2008 – • The CCC paid the expenses to gate Liquid Sky, a vulnerable cave with fragile speleothems that was assessed by local cavers to be at risk from vandalism. The funds covered gate materials & the services of a professional welder; all other work was done by volunteers. 2007 – • The CCC provided the funds required to construct and install a new gate on Iron Curtain Cave, a highly vulnerable cave with delicate speleothems. New locks were also installed and debris removed from inside the cave. The original gate and lock had been severely damaged and removed by vandals. 2005 – • the CCC and the Ministry of Forests jointly funded the installation of a gate on Renaissance Cave, a highly decorated and very vulnerable cave located within a very popular recreational area. PUBLIC INFORMATION AND AWARENESS Signage Project ▪ With an expectation that much of the non-industrial damage of caves and karst results from a lack of information, the Canadian Cave Conservancy has been funding installation of signage at popular cave sites around Vancouver Island. This effort is continuing. ▪ Science World Display & Demonstration – In 2008 The CCC participated in a display and demonstration at Science World in Vancouver, ▪ B.C. The goals of this activity were to promote an interest in caves & caving by the general ▪ public and to gain support for a BC Cave Protection Act. INTER-AGENCY LIAISON & INFORMATION SHARING Vancouver Island Cave Park Planning & Vancouver Island Cave/Karst Strategy Between 2003 and 2006, with support from the BC Ministry of Water Land & Air Protection (currently Ministry of Environment) and access to the Ministry of Forests and Range cave inventory database, the Canadian Cave Conservancy prepared a Cave/Karst Strategy for Vancouver Island. The project consolidated existing inventory information on Island caves and karst, and compared the recreational and conservation values of the most significant caves and areas, as well as presented recommendations for management. It also prepared draft Interim Management Statements for Artlish River Caves Park, Weymer Creek Park, Clayoquot Plateau Park and White Ridge Park. Review of Commercial Cave Guiding Practice One of the few uses of caves which generate revenue is the operation of cave tours. These could range from full-scale developments with walk-ways and electric lighting to the wild cave tours more commonly practiced in Canada. Responding to a need for a review and for cave guiding standards, Mark Hassel produced an excellent set of recommendations on cave guiding standards in March 2003. These standards have since been referenced by Alberta and British Columbia government agencies when authorizing commercial cave guiding in provincial jurisdictions. A PDF is available here: Cave Guiding Standards. Nahanni Karstlands Protection In 2006, the CCC joined the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Dr. Derek Ford (a leading Canadian geologist) and many others, calling for an expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve and World Heritage Site in order to protect the entire South Nahanni Watershed and the spectacular limestone features of the Nahanni karstlands. Langford Lake Cave /Karst Protection In 2008, the CCC participated in extensive liaison with the City of Langford in an unsuccessful effort to save this area from disturbance/destruction as a result of a proposed highway interchange development. Redemption Cave Baseline With support from Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), a baseline biological survey and photomonitoring network was established in a newly discovered alpine cave in south-central British Columbia. A report on the results were forwarded to MEC, and the project leader Kirk Safford prepared a series of web pages describing the project. Fundraising Dangerous Dick and The Duckbusters Since bursting onto the underground music scene in fall 2003, Dangerous Dick and the Duckbusters have produced three fantastic CD recordings. Proceeds from the sales of these CDs have been instrumental in funding for important Conservancy projects and have created a world-wide speleo-sensation and profile for both the Conservancy and the band! Expert Advice Members of the conservancy have expertise in areas relating to local cave and karst management, and are often called on for advice. When this evolves into a formal contract with a funding agency, a portion of the proceeds are routed to support and promote projects by the conservancy. Donations The Canadian Cave Conservancy is a fully registered charitable organization under Canadian tax laws, and any donations are tax-deductible. Contact the CCC at CCC@canadiancaveconservancy.ca for info. Funding The Canadian Cave Conservancy is in a position to consider modest funding requests for cave and karst conservation in Canada. Ideally, these requests would be multi-partner funding opportunities where conservancy funding would provide a "seed" for approaching other potential funders. For more information, send an email to the Canadian Cave Conservancy.