Special Interest Groups


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BCRA > Special Interest Groups

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August 2003: A draft Index to Special Interest Group Journals is now available.

BCRA supports a number of Special Interest Groups that allow BCRA members to associate and communicate in a more detailed way than would be possible amongst the general membership. Some of these groups are 'formalised' where, subject to certain guarantees provided by the Group, BCRA allows the use of its name, and offers some administration facilities. Other SIGs are totally independent of BCRA but are mentioned here for completeness.

Most of the BCRA SIGs produce a regular newsletter. Some of them also produce more substantial publications. The Cave Radio Group produces a quarterly journal; the Cave Surveying Group has a quarterly newsletter Compass Points which is also available on-line; and the Speleo History Group (now dissolved) used to produce a journal called Record. Some SIGs organise regular field meetings and training sessions. Sometimes these meetings are held to coincide with BCRA Regional Meetings or the national caving conference.

In the past, BCRA produced a SIG policy document, and a sample SIG constitution. In the light of the BCRA / NCA consolidation in 2005, these documents have been withdrawn. The latest [Feb 2005] BCRA policy regarding its SIGs is summarised here.

BCRA Special Interest Groups
	Cave Biology bcra.org.uk/biology/Contact Us In June 2000 we resurrected the post of Biological Recorder. Cave Biology is not a formal BCRA special interest group. Our Recorder, Graham Proudlove, and his team of experts will be pleased to field your enquiries about cave biology.	More about these logos

	Cave Radio & Electronics bcra.org.uk/creg/Contact Us 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". It was established in 1987 and now has members in 20 countries. Its membership includes cavers, radio amateurs, electronic engineers and professional & industrial organisations. To achieve its aims, the Cave Radio Group publishes a quarterly Journal (ISSN 1361-4800) which provides a forum for people to discuss ideas and to exchange information. It produces other publications, and organises regular field meetings. The publications include various bibliographies and on-line searchable indexes. CREG's main role is one of information gathering and dissemination, although it is gradually building up a pool of equipment to offer for hire.

	Cave Surveying bcra.org.uk/csg/Contact Us 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 publishes a quarterly 16 page A4 newsletter called Compass Points (ISSN 1361-8962), (see the searchable index and the online archive), organises field meetings, and is involved in current re-surveying and cave-registry projects. 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. Some CSG members are pursuing the setting up of a BCRA standard for the processing of cave survey data, and the definition of a survey data processing language. Members are also involved in the re-surveying work currently being undertaken in the Three Counties System, and have held field meetings at Bull Pot Farm, Casterton Fell.

	Explosives Users bcra.org.uk/eug/Contact Us 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 on explosives-related topics are also available to members. The Group also organises a programme of seminars 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.

	Hydrology Contact Us The Group has not been active for a long time. In 1999 its funds were transferred to the BCRA Research Fund for 'safe keeping'. If anyone is interested in resurrecting this SIG please contact us. You may find some useful information at the Limestone Research Group's site.

	Speleo History Contact Us The Group has not been active for a long time. In 2005 its funds were transferred to the BCRA Research Fund for 'safe keeping'. If anyone is interested in resurrecting this SIG please contact us. The Group used to act as a forum for those who were interested in the historical records of caves; documentary, photographic, biographical, etc.; and for the researcher who wished to communicate with other speleo-historians, who were working on specific topics related to British caves and caving activities. *Also see:* Ric Halliwell's Century of British Caving on the Craven Pothole Club site	More about these logos

Other Special Interest Groups
	Archaeology www.shef.ac.uk/~capra/ The BCRA used to have an archaeological recorder, but this post lapsed some time ago. Several people have expressed an interest in setting up an archaeology SIG but, as yet, a group does not exist within BCRA. The Cave Archaeology and Palaeontology Research Archive, managed by Andrew Chamberlain at Sheffield University, is an on-line journal for Cave Archaeology. In Summer 1999 BCRA donated £200 to this venture, to help ensure that a paper publication, based on the web site, could be produced and archived in the British Library and the National Caving Library. Visit CAPRA at www.shef.ac.uk/~capra/

	Cave Diving Group cavedivinggroup.org.uk The CDG is an independent club and is recognised by NCA/BCA as the representative body for Cave Diving in the UK. In this sense it deserves a mention as a "special interest group".

	Cave Photography caves.org.uk/photography/ In October 1996, David Gibson created, and edited, the first issue of a magazine he called Underground Photographer. The intention was to demonstrate the feasibility of a Photography Group, and to invite an organising team to step forward. Kym ap Rhys and Paul Peppiatt took over the publication of Underground Photographer, and produced 10 excellent issues; the last one was in autumn 1998 (issue 11). Unfortunately organising a Group to take over from Underground Photographer has proved to be difficult. David Gibson, Richard Rushton and Paul Footleg Fretwell have set up the UK Cave Photography Group (Photography, Video and Art in Dark Places) and a discussion forum but the Group needs volunteers to produce a newsletter and to organise events. BCRA has delegated responsibility for organising its annual photo salon to the Cave Photography Group.

	International Society for Speleological Art caves.org.uk/issa/ ISSA's aim is to promote the artistic interpretation of caves and karst landscape which it does by visiting and exploring caves and underground sites, and holding art workshops and exhibitions. The group meets regularly in the UK, with workshops in the main caving areas. There is plenty of activity for those with different levels of expertise, both in caving and painting. ISSA organises the Art Salon at the annual caving conference.

	Librarians The Librarians' Group was an informal way for club librarians to exchange views and to further the aims of speleological literature collection, but it is currently not active. To improve information retrieval from their own libraries, clubs were urged to identify and index all publications produced by themselves, to publish library catalogues and to endeavour to trace complete sets of journals issued by clubs now defunct. The Librarians' Group hoped to compile a national bibliographic database. It was hoped that eventually this would contain historical and other references not necessarily associated with speleological literature. Within the Group, librarians were encouraged to fill gaps in their collections by providing "book swaps". BCRA encourages clubs to deposit their journals and other publications with the BCRA's national caving library, so that a comprehensive national caving collection can be maintained for the benefit of all.

This page, http://bcra.org.uk/sig/index.html was last modified on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 09:58:10 +0000