The International Congress on "Scientific Reasearch in Show Caves"

will be held from 13th to 15th September 2012 in the Park Skocjanske jame, Slovenia.

The Congress is being organized by

Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU
Park Skocjanske jame, Slovenija
Grotta Gigante S.A.G./Velika jama v Briscikih
Universita degli studi di Trieste, Dipartimento di geoscienze

Venue

All lectures and the meeting point for fieldwork, as well as excursions, will be at Park Skocjanske jame. Detailed information about the meeting and accommodations will be provided in the second circular.

Topics and goals

The Congress will focus on scientific research in show caves. Show caves are a special underground environment with the natural processes characteristic of caves, but with additional human impacts that provide significant common problems and research opportunities. Usually, their infrastructure offers scientists better conditions for research because the many pathways as well as electrical and optical illumination enable easier access and charging of scientific instruments.
Show caves are convenient for studying both natural processes and the human impact. The direct human impact is considerably higher in show caves with several hundred thousand visitors per year or in small passages open to the public. What is the human impact, how is it measured, what approaches are available to minimise it – these are just a few questions to be considered. Human impact on cave biodiversity and its consequences for the cave environment, including lampenflora, will also be discussed. The goals of the meeting are to present and share different research approaches in show caves and to discuss the results and measures needed to improve the management of show caves.
We invite show cave managers, scientists who are involved in research in show caves and other interested experts to participate.

Programme and activities

o keynote presentations
o thematic lectures
o poster presentations
o excursions and fieldwork

Congress topics include research on

o chemical and physical parameters in show caves
o karst hydrology in show caves
o biodiversity in show caves

Programme outline

Day 1
Arrival of participants

Day 2
Morning: LECTURES
Discussion
Afternoon: excursion to Skocjan Caves

Day 3
Morning: LECTURES
Discussion
Afternoon: excursion to Grotta Gigante/Velika jama v Briscikih

Day 4
Morning: LECTURES
Discussion
Afternoon: excursion to Postojna Cave

Day 5
Departure of participants

Practical information
Congress registration fee 400 EUR covers accommodation, meals, refreshments and coffee breaks, conference materials, reception and conference excursions.
Congress registration fee 160 EUR covers refreshments and coffee breaks, conference materials, reception and conference excursions.

Deadline for pre-registration is March 30th 2012.

In May 2012 all the pre-registered participants will receive the Third Circular including the programme of the Congress.

Please note that the meeting is limited to forty participants. You are kindly invited to confirm your participation by returning the filled form attached to this circular.

The official language of the meeting is English. After the Congress, selected papers will be published in Acta Carsologica.

All the information is available at

Institut za raziskovanje krasa ZRC SAZU
Titov trg 2
6230 Postojna
tel.: (+386) 5 700 19 00
fax: (+386) 5 700 19 99
e-mail: izrk@zrc-sazu.si
http://kras.zrc-sazu.si

and/or

Park Skocjanske jame
Skocjan 2
SI - 6210 Divaca

tel.: (+386) 5 70 821 00
fax: (+386) 5 70 821 05
e-mail: psj@psj.gov.si
http://www.park-skocjanske-jame.si