Caving organizations

There are a number of caving organizations throughout the world.

The Union Internationale de Spéléologie (UIS) is the international umbrella organization for caving and speleology.

The Austrian Speleological Association formed in 1949 represents over 20 caving clubs with some 2500 members and about 30 show caves in Austria and is the Austrian member of UIS & FSE.

The Speleological Society Ponir (SD Ponir) was founded in 1984 in Banja Luka. The main activity of the society is caving, finding, research and studying of underground karst phenomenon - caves. As a part of this SD Ponir conducted training and educating new members through courses and caving expeditions. Training the young cavers includes theoretical courses (training in the form of lectures related to: history of caving, orientation in nature, Speleomorfology, Biospeleology, Topography, first aid, etc.) and practical training (use of caving equipment and mastering verticals, topographic surveys and creating topografic drafts of the caves). During its existence, SD Ponir organized many expeditions and explored a large number of caves in the territory of BiH. SD Ponir is currently exploring the biggest one on the territory of BiH- Jojkinovac (420m deep). For more information and contact visit: http://ponir.org/

The first Bulgarian Speleological Society was founded on March 18, 1929. This was the result of the acknowledged necessity to set up a public organization which, under the conditions prevalent at that time, would begin a systematic investigation of caves, protecting them from destruction and setting the beginnings of cave tourism. The founders of the Society were eminent Bulgarian scientists, people active in the realm of tourism, and cave-exploration fans - office employees and workers. The foundation of the first Bulgarian Speleological Society marked the beginning of a new stage in the development of Speleology in Bulgaria. Though not very numerous in its membership, and despite its limited financial capacities, the Society engaged in huge-scale and useful activities. It made a reappraisal of all that had been done until that time in cave investigation and in obtaining more knowledge about the country's caves. Organized trips and studies were carried out in certain caves and karst regions of Bulgaria. The results obtained were published in the scientific publication of the Society - "Bulletin of the Bulgarian Speleological Society" - Volume One of which appeared in 1936. Active propaganda was also carried out for the protection of the caves. There was a useful and active cooperation between the Bulgarian Speleological Society and the Bulgarian Tourist Union. The first provincial branches of the Society were founded in the Rakitovo village and the towns of Dryanovo and Lovech. The Bulgarian Speleological Society became more active after 1947. New members entered the Society, which included university students as well. In 1948 and 1949 they took part with great enthusiasm in what were known as the cave brigades organized with the generous support of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Detailed investigations were carried out during this period of the karst regions of Lakatnik, Karloukovo, Rabisha (near Belogradchik), and Zlatna Panega in Lovech District. The charts prepared and the materials collected constituted an important scientific contribution. After 1949 the Bulgarian Speleological Society ceased its activities over a brief period of time. A good deal of work was done by the speleologists in the town of Rousse and by university students organized in their Speleological Club "Akademik" in Sofia. Amateur work continued, as well as the research initiated in this field by the various institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and by the Sofia University. However, there was a keenly felt need for a speleological organization in the country. Such an organization was necessary to unite the efforts of amateur speleologists and of the specialists and to promote the development of this branch of science in Bulgaria. Favourable conditions to that effect were created after 1957, with the restoration of the Bulgarian Tourist Union. At that time a number of scientists and amateur speleologists, as well as active supporters of the tourist movement, approached the Central Council of the Bulgarian Tourist Union with a proposal to set up a Committee for Cave Tourism. On July 14, 1958, the Central Council decided on setting up a Commission on Speleology and Cave Tourism. Forty-two clubs were set up all over the country. With the generous support of the Central Council of the Bulgarian Tourist Union, the new speleological organization rapidly grew in strength and became very active. Its objectives became clearly formulated and presented, and a number of enactments were passed. There were also a number of additional initiatives, such as plenary sessions, conferences, gatherings, and international expeditions. Penetration, charting, and survey work in the known caves and in the discovery of new cave sites became more active and on a higher scientific and technological level. The Commission on Speleology and Cave Tourism took on the task of the development and popularization of cave tourism in Bulgaria. After the Fourth Congress of the Bulgarian Tourist Union in 1972, the Commission on Speleology and Cave Tourism was transformed into the Bulgarian Federation on Speleology, which continues operating today. This new and higher form of organization furnished a fresh impetus to the development of Speleology in Bulgaria. Its operation became more active and efficient. New initiatives were undertaken with a view to improving the training and qualifications of the speleologists in the country. The speleological clubs obtained new equipment, and their activity increased. International ties grew stronger and broader. The successes attained were largely due to the correct understanding and to the moral and material support, which was and is still rendered by the Central Council of the Bulgarian Tourist Union. Today, the Bulgarian Federation on Speleology is the only national organization in Bulgaria whose role is essentially devoted to Speleology. The Federation represents the Bulgarian cavers and speleologists. In this capacity it organizes National Congresses, and within the International Union of Speleology it nominates the Bulgarian delegates at the International Congresses. The Federation co-ordinates both the activities of Bulgarian cavers abroad, establishing contacts with the corresponding Societies, and the activity of foreign cavers in Bulgaria. With 900 members in 2009, the Federation is organized on a national level (an executive committee, a board of directors, a head office in Sofia), and on regional level it has 35 speleo clubs. The Bulgarian Federation on Speleology, with its members - research workers and amateurs, is the sole organization in Bulgaria working for the advance of speleology and of cave tourism, and it is also the foremost unit carrying out the requisite research and protection of caves in the country. Bulgarian Federation of Speleology is a member of Balkan Speleological Union, European Federation of Speleology and International Speleological Union (U.I.S).

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