We are dedicated to the protection of European caves.
The European Cave Protection Commission (ECPC) is formed by the European Speleological Federation (FSE).
We have an objective to concentrate collective activities, in order to prioritize cave and karst protection within the European efforts to preserve natural and cultural heritage.
We are composed of speleologists from the FSE member countries organized in several working groups or action teams.
Why bother protecting caves?
The subterranean realm is fragile, vulnerable and has a slow evolution. Any degradation, intervention or improper activities lead to irreversible effects.
Protecting a cave means to know and to appreciate its values, and being responsible means to be aware that the cave is a natural and cultural chronicle that we must protect and preserve for future generations.
Who we are – Commission members 2023-2027:
Jean-Claude Thies, LU – President of the Commission
Ferdinando Didonna, IT – Secretary of the Commission
Ruđer Novak, HR – Vice-secretary of the Commission
Valentina Balestra, IT
Katharina Bürger, AT
Stanimira Deleva, BG
Philippe Fleury, FR
Oier Gorosabel, ES
Hannes Köble, DE
Christa Locke, DE – social media moderator
Ioana Meleg, RO
Kaloust Paragamian, GR
Fabio Stoch, IT
Jure Tičar, SI
Jan Urban, PL
Bärbel Vogel, DE
Alex Weigand, DE
ECPC Working Groups
Biospeleology
Clean Up the Dark
Sensitive Caving
ECPC Action Teams
Euro Speleo Protection Symposium
Euro Speleo Protection Label
ISO Standardisation
Lost Caves
European Environmental Cave Outlook