About this GrottoCenter protection updates forum

[Peter Matthews]

GrottoCenter is a web-based global cave database since 2008 provided by the WikiCaves Association. It operates by the wiki principle where anyone can enter any data about any caves in any country. Their aim is to further speleology by the responsible sharing of cave data, which is also one of the UIS aims.

However because caves are vulnerable resources, and some countries have laws and speleo policies about the publishing of cave data, particularly locations, UIS has assisted Grottocenter with a grant to help them tailor their database to make selected data inaccessible, to protect sensitive caves. Accordingly, Grottocenter is sending a letter to all national speleo organisations asking them to advise whether and what restrictions they need for any caves of their country that people may have put into the Grottocenter database.

The role of this forum is to allow discussions between Grottocenter and those people interested from countries to arrive at practical do-able solutions for the Grottocenter's immediate project. These practical discussions might occur before or after a country has formally replied to GrottoCenter's letter.