Special Interest Groups
This page is an overview of BCRA's Special Interest Groups. If you are looking for
information on BCRA's Cave Science Datasets, please navigate to Cave Science Datasets.
BCRA supports a number of Special Interest Groups that allow BCRA members to
associate and communicate in a more detailed way than is possible amongst the general membership.
Some SIGs produce a newsletter or journal; some organise regular field meetings and training
sessions. Some of the Groups are less active than others.
Click/Tap a link or scroll on down.
Cave Archaeology
- Web site: cag.bcra.org.uk (The Cave Archaeology
Group web pages are not currently being maintained, but they remain online as an archived BCRA
resource. If you would like to volunteer to take on the active maintenance of this site, please
contact the BCRA secretary).
- Web forum: no
- Mailing List: no
- Facebook
- Email: see BCRA List of
Contacts
- Status: Quiet –
Activity currently limited to Facebook Page.
This status comment last updated: July 2023.
BCRA's Cave Archaeology Group (CAG) was launched in October 2011 to promote interest and
understanding of archaeology in and around caves. The Group's target 'audience' are members of the
caving community, who regularly visit or explore caves and who are in an ideal position to
identify archaeological or paleontological material within cave environments. The creation of CAG
has come about following the achievements of the Upland Caves Network - a discussion group of
experts and interested parties drawn from various areas of discipline within cave research. The
UCN was given a finite two-year lifespan and was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research
Council.
The group hopes to enlist support and interest from anyone who spends leisure or
professional time in caves, or who require a 'first stop' point of contact for advice,
information, or other help with finds of potential archaeological material in caves. It is hoped
that group activities will be developed over time to include guided site visits, lectures, and the
dissemination of information on cave archaeology projects. The success of CAG will depend largely
on the level of interest and support shown by those with an interest in cave archaeology, who are
also invited to come forward with their own suggestions regarding the development of the
group.
The online journal, Cave Archaeology and Palaeontology Research Archive (CAPRA)
(1999 to 2007) was originally sponsored by BCRA. The journal is no longer active, but an archive
copy is available via the Wayback Machine at web.archive.org. A brief index to the CAPRA journals, linking
to that archive, can be found on the UBSS web site at
caveburial.ubss.org.uk/capraindex.htm.
Cave Biology
BCRA now hosts Andy Lewington's Cave life of Britain
website. The site is aimed at helping cavers to identify the organisms they see whilst visiting
the caves of Britain, and to help them understand the relationships between these organisms. The
site includes life around cave entrances, temporary visitors to caves as well as the inhabitants
of the dark zone. The scientific terminology has been kept to a minimum to help the non specialist
- there is a glossary to help with the unfamiliar words. Each region has pages written
specifically for that area along with photographs taken from caves in that region.
The regions currently include Devon, Mendip, Wales (includes the Forest of Dean), Peak
District and Yorkshire (includes parts of neighbouring counties such as Lancashire, Cumbria and
County Durham). The caves are predominantly in limestone.
Hopefully the site will inspire you to take a second look at the creatures you see
underground - many caves do not have a comprehensive list of organisms and there are many new
discoveries to be made.
Cave Radio & Electronics
The UK-based Cave Radio & Electronics Group (CREG) is probably the world's leading
organisation of its kind. Its aims are "to encourage the development and use of radio
communication and other electronic and computer equipment in caving and related activities". CREG
is the most long-standing special interest group of BCRA, being established in 1987. Its followers
include cavers, radio amateurs, electronic engineers and professional & industrial
organisations.
CREG publishes a quarterly Journal (ISSN 1361-4800) that provides a forum for people to
discuss ideas and exchange information, as well as publishing some innovative and original
articles. The journal is available on paper and online. Online access is free to BCRA members and
costs a small amount for non-members. CREG also produces other publications, organises field
meetings and, although its main role is one of information gathering and dissemination, it also
has some items of equipment for hire. From 2007 to 2012 the Surveying and Cave Radio Groups
organised a 'Cave Technology Symposium' in the spring. Currently (2018) CREG organises at least
one field meeting per year.
The CREG journals are searchable using CREG's Search
Engine. There is also a separately compiled 'legacy'Index
Cave Surveying
- Web site: was:cavesurveying.org.uk but that seems to be no longer available (June
2024)
- Web forum: no, but occasional discussion on
UK Caving Forum
- Mailing List: no, but occasional posts to
Cave-Surveying list
- Facebook: no
- Email: see BCRA List of
Contacts
- Status: Active –
arranging the occasional field meeting.
This status comment last updated: June 2024.
Also see... BCRA Survey
Grades
The UK-based Cave Surveying Group (CSG) was established in 1993. The Group is a forum for
the discussion of everything "surveyesque" - techniques, data capture & processing, standards,
survey archiving policy, instruments etc. The Group used to publish a quarterly 16 page A4
newsletter called Compass Points (ISSN 1361-8962). This is
available online with a
searchable index. The Group organises field meetings and
training sessions, is involved in current re-surveying projects and administers the
Cave Registry Data Archive. Members of CSG have been involved in the development of a
comprehensive software package for survey-processing and production. This is known as Survex, and
this open-source software is available for free download from www.survex.com. CSG members were involved in the setting up of a
BCRA standard for the processing of cave survey data, and
the definition of a survey data processing language. The CSG web site is at
cavesurveying.org.uk. A couple of articles from an
older website are archived here. The Group currently
communicates with its followers online, with occasional postings to the
UK Caving Forum and the
cave-surveying mailing
list, but these are not CSG forums.
Explosives Users
- Web site: eug.bcra.org.uk
- Web Forum: no
- Mailing list: contact EUG
- Facebook: no
- Email: see BCRA List of
Contacts
- Status: Active –
with chat on private mailing list. Arranges occasional training sessions.
This status comment updated: July 2023.
The UK-based Explosives User Group was set up in 1991 to act as a forum for the benefit of
cavers using explosives for cave exploration and rescue. The Group has developed links with the
Health and Safety Executive, the Police, the Institute of Explosives Engineers and with
manufacturers of explosives. The Group operates by means of a private Internet-based mailing list
- please enquire. Occasional publications are also available to members and a programme of
seminars is organised around the country. The principal objectives of the Group are
- To create links with the Police, the Health and Safety Executive and with other
authorities in order to demonstrate to them that cavers using explosives are competent and present
no safety or security risks.
- To provide the authorities with a means of communication with the caving community for
the purposes of consultation and to represent cavers views when necessary (e.g. during the
drafting of new legislation).
- To organise meetings and publish a newsletter to allow Group members to give one another
the benefits of their experience in using explosives and related technology, and to keep members
informed of developments and changes in legislation where possible.
In addition the Group attempts, where possible, to give individual advice to members on
matters related to explosives such as the design of stores, application for licences and the
installation of security systems. But please note that the Group does not seek to have control
over the issue of any individual's licence: this is the responsibility of the Police. The Group
can put potential licence holders in touch with individuals who might act as referees to an
application, but will not recommend the issue or denial of a licence to any individual.
Groups no longer active or dissolved
- Cave Photography
- Hydrology
- Speleo-History
- Librarians
Also see some old SIG logos.
Rules and Guidelines for the SIGs
The latest set of rules and guidelines for the SIGs are available as a PDF,
here.
