Symposium Workshops

This 2-day workshop is an "Orientation to Cave Rescue" designed by instructors from the National Cave Rescue Commission. Lunch are included in your registration.

Suitable for cave and karst managers in addition to recreational explorers, this is an intensive two-day introduction to the science and management of cave rescue operations. Led by a team of highly qualified instructors, the techniques and skills you will learn from this seminar may be directly applied to cave rescue scenarios. Day 1 will include class sessions and exercises designed to teach a wide range of concepts and skills unique to cave rescue. Day 2 will deliver an underground mock rescue and debriefing custom-designed by the instructors to test and challenge your new skills.

This is an introductory level program which consists of classroom and field work in all phases of horizontal cave rescue including: underground environment, extrication techniques, communication systems, medical management, and organization and management of cave rescue. The basic orientation course material is presented for students who typically include agency resource managers, recreational cavers, emergency services personnel, and rescue management personnel.

You must attend the full 2 days to receive a certificate of course completion. Additional details will be emailed to you upon registration.

This all-day workshop is a primer for cave geo-microbiology using Monte Neva Hot Spring as an analog site. Lunch is included in your registration.

Microbial ecology is one of the most understudied and underappreciated components of cave systems. This is true for how microorganisms are viewed as part of the ecosystem within the caves and as a force that shapes the lithology of caves themselves. Every cave is slightly different, and the specifics of the local geology, cave hydrology, cave geochemistry, and other associated environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, ect.) set up gradients that will alter the cave ecosystem and change the role that microbes play in shaping the ecosystem and cave around them.

Microorganisms can serve many roles within caves and are predominantly thought of as filling the role of decomposers. Although this is true, microorganisms can also be drivers for geologic change in cave systems with increasing numbers of known microbially-induced mineral formations and examples of microbial metabolisms directly leading to cave formation; with the most dramatic of these examples being Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico and in the Iron Formation Caves of Brazil. Microorganisms' metabolism can directly impact the host rock to solubilize it and enlarge the cave, or form speleothems by precipitating out minerals in a process of biomineralization.

During this workshop we will go on a field trip to Melvin Hot Spring (Monte Neva) and learn first-hand about the interplay between microorganisms, geology, geochemistry, and the role of gradients in microbial ecology. The hot spring setting will serve as an analog cave where we will use a variety of microbiology, geochemistry, and other state-of-the-art geologic tools to analyze this unstudied system. The tools, techniques, and approach used during this workshop are similar to those used in cave microbial ecology studies.

From this workshop you will:

• Understand the foundational role microorganisms play in extremophile ecosystems.

• Gain a first-hand exposure of the intertwined relationship between the geology and microbiology.

• Take part in a geo-microbiology sampling campaign designed similar to cave-microbiology research.

• Conduct experiments that can be performed at your cave to teach visitors about microbial ecology.

Cave microbiology is a relatively new field and in your role as a cave manager, we hope to promote both conservation and science. It is our goal that you will leave this workshop with an appreciation for the wide variety of ways cave microbial-ecology can manifest in your cave system so that you can help to (I) conserve these ecosystems and (II) help cave scientists by being on the lookout for new microbial cave phenomenon.

With the guiding principle of primum non nocere (do no harm), this workshop presents philosophies, methods, and current best practices in cave restoration. This two-hour classroom introduces cave-friendly restoration methods and tools for graffiti assessment/mitigation, speleothem repair, and human impact remediation.

Our emphasis will be on protection of natural and cultural heritage, testing of methods and materials, and consultation with speleologists in relevant disciplines. Training events focus on minimum-impact caving principles, awareness of invasive species, and avoiding cross-contamination.

Workshop information is supported by the NSS manual titled Cave Conservation and Restoration (Hildreth-Werker and Werker). The full 600-page peer-reviewed volume is now a living book, available online.

Classroom discussions explore informed decisioning - to mitigate or not to mitigate - in a given spelean habitat. We'll talk about the pros and cons of various restoration tools, archival materials, and biodegradable-labeled products. We'll also think out loud together about the logistics and practicalities of using minimum-impact caving ethics, tools, and decisions. Although our time does not allow for an in-cave workshop, participants will explore fresh topics and tips during interactive discussions to practice evidence-informed decisioning for sustainable cave conservation-management projects.

Cave resource inventories are essential for understanding, managing, and conserving caves and their ecosystems. This course provides an in-depth look at why inventories are critical for protecting biological, geological, hydrological, archaeological, and geological resources. Participants will gain knowledge and practical skills in documenting cave features, assessing risks, and applying inventory data for conservation, research, and land management.

Who Should Attend?
This course is ideal for:

• Cave and karst researchers

• Conservationists and environmental managers

• Land-use planners and policymakers

• Cavers, explorers, and tour operators

• Emergency response teams

Key Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the role of cave inventories in conservation and resource management.

• Learn methods for documenting biological, geological, and hydrological features.

• Explore how inventories contribute to scientific research and climate studies.

• Examine the importance of cave inventories in sustainable tourism and public education.

• Gain insight into risk assessment and emergency response planning using cave data.

Course Topics

1. Introduction to Cave Resource Inventories
   - Purpose and benefits of cave documentation
   - Overview of cave ecosystems and their significance

2. Conservation and Protection
   - Identifying and preserving cave biodiversity
   - Protecting geological formations and hydrological systems
   - Documenting and safeguarding archaeological and cultural resources

3. Land and Water Resource Management
   - Role of cave inventories in groundwater protection
   - Sustainable land-use planning in karst areas

4. Scientific Applications of Cave Inventories
   - Studying cave formation and evolution
   - Climate records found in caves
   - Long-term monitoring of environmental changes

5. Cave Inventories and Public Engagement
   - The role of inventories in education and awareness
   - Sustainable cave tourism and visitor management

6. Risk Assessment and Emergency Planning
   - Understanding cave hazards and safety measures
   - Using inventories for rescue operations and disaster preparedness

Why Take This Course?

• Gain practical skills in cave documentation and data management.

• Enhance your ability to contribute to conservation and land management efforts.

• Connect with professionals and experts in cave research and protection.

Join us to explore the critical role of cave resource inventories and learn how to contribute to the protection and sustainable management of these unique environments.

If you manage, own, or visit a cave, you may feel better knowing that if someone falls or gets sick in a cave, there's already a pre-plan to get that person out of the cave. This workshop concentrates on developing that rescue pre-plan.

Participants are encouraged to select a cave (developed or wild) that they know. Then, using a cave map and knowledge about the cave and area where it's found, they will start filling in a template that will help rescuers during an emergency.

Objectives:

Participants will leave knowing:

• Key information that will help a cave rescue go smoother.

• How a cave rescue is run, who responds, what happens to the cave, to the patient, the caving party, the landowner, the rescuers, the agency having jurisdiction.

• Basic steps of how a cave rescue should happen for the cave they are focused on.

• Understanding your cave and its risks better.

• How to maximize cave conservation while prioritizing human safety.

• How to read a cave rescue pre-plan and help put it into action.

Prerequisites:

Before attending, participants need to:

• Send a map of a cave you would like to work on a pre-plan at least two weeks before the workshop.

• Be able to read cave maps. How to Read a Cave Map: Illustrated guide to all symbols See: startcaving.com

• Bring a device that can connect to wifi to look up data during the class.

• Be ready to write on your printed cave map and/or a digital version of it (if you're working digitally, know how to annotate the map with whatever program you're using; if you're using printed cave maps, bring at least two copies, and make sure that you have large enough versions of it so you can identify obstacles).

• Ideally have photos of some of the rescue obstacles in the cave you are working on.

• Optimally, have attended some kind of cave rescue training in the last 20 years.

This 2-part workshop includes 2 hours in class, and 2 hours in the field.

Karst landscapes are estimated to constitute about 15% of the earth's ice-free land surface and supply water resources to up to 25% of the world's population. But karst hydrogeology is challenging and complex, and karst aquifer systems can have problems both with access, as surface water can be lacking, and quality, as available groundwater is susceptible to contamination.

Fluorescent dye tracing is one of the best tools available to study karst groundwater movement. This methodology is usually the first step in obtaining information about karst aquifer characteristics to support monitoring, pollution prevention, water resource management, contaminant source tracing, and remediation planning. This workshop series will briefly introduce karst hydrogeology principles but will primarily focus on the process of planning and conducting a dye trace investigation for a variety of applications. We will spend two-hours in the classroom discussing dye tracing techniques and case studies, followed by an afternoon session where we will review field methods. Attendees will assist in conducting a dye trace to test stormwater infrastructure right in the heart of Ely. Participants should be prepared to walk ~ 1 mile roundtrip along sidewalks from the conference center to nearby locations.

This course is appropriate for resource managers, scientists, engineers, and other environmental professionals and is certain to be helpful to those new to dye-tracing or the experienced hydrogeologist looking for a refresher.

How will the attendee and their organization benefit from the information?

• Understand how fluorescent dye tracing can be used in karst and non-karst areas.

• Step-by-step instructions from desktop to fieldwork to interpreting results.

• Pro-tips on the most important factors in dye selection and dosage.

• Hands-on practice in field methods including dye injection, dye receptor exchange, sample storage and transport and avoiding cross contamination in the field.

If you are attending NCKMS it is likely you are already captivated by caves, but how do you get attention from the general public?

Science can be a dense subject that can be difficult to grasp for newcomers and scare away or disinterest potential cave allies. Whether you are managing a show cave, a preserve, or an organization centered on caves & karst, getting your team AND the community at large interested in cave science can be critical.

Making cave science entertaining and palatable for the general public not only increases visitation, but can gain appreciation and buy-in for the efforts we make to study, explore and protect cave and karst environments.

This workshop will introduce methods to make cave science entertaining and more accurate without getting bogged down in heavy terminology, as well as address common misinterpretations of cave science and how to mitigate those misunderstandings.