International Journal of Speleology

Federazione Speleologica Sarda

The Sardinian Federation of Speleologists was founded in 1983, after a generational change occurred among the many cave associations at that time, due to an increased awareness that there were more things that united Sardinian Speleology than things that divided it. Today 26 cave associations are actual members of the Federation. The foundation of the Sardinian Federation has provided a great impulse to speleological activities on the Island.

Speleological discoveries have accelerated rapidly and, thanks to the synergy that has been created, conditions have become favourable for complicated explorations, such as the expeditions that have passed eight sumps in the biggest cave system on the Island, the Codula Ilune cave complex with over 43km of development.

Publication of the review Sardegna Speleologica, official journal of the Federation, began in 1992, immediately becoming an essential reference for Sardinian cavers.

The Regional Law that instituted the Cave Register in 1993 depended mainly upon the credibility and the maturity of the Federation. The important financial resources related to this Law have enabled Sardinian speleologists to make one of the most modern cave databases of Italy, comprising digital cave surveys ready to be inserted into a Geographic Information System.

During the past few years the Federation and its cave associations have reached several objectives that represent an extraordinary stimulus to the exploration and research that are being carried out in Sardinian karst areas. The dye tests that ascertained the hydrological connections between the sinkholes of Supramonte and the Su Gologone spring, for example, have given Sardinian cavers the key to discover the inner parts of this enormous karst system that has still to be entirely unravelled. The discovery of a new species of bat, the Plecotus sardus, is also another exceptional example of how Sardinian cavers are able to contribute to the progress of Science on a regional, a national and an international level. These examples show that Sardinian Speleology is more than ever alive, ready to put into practice the enormous efforts made in the past decades to get the karst environment better known to the public.

Within this framework it is worth remembering that, after more than 20 years of hopes and promises, the Regional Law on Speleology is about to be approved by the Regional Government.

Speleological exploration and research have been carried out without significant financial support until recently, but, given the great objectives that are posed for the near future, financial support will be more than necessary, possibly within this new regional legal framework. Some of the important objectives that the Federation is planning to pursue are the institution of an International Centre for the Study of Mine Caves, the elaboration of a GIS within the cave register and the supporting activities for the safeguarding of the karst environment that are subjected to valorization projects.

But the main objective of the Federation, based on the practical and professional experience proven during these years, is to present the Federation to the regional and local stakeholders as reliable partners able to carry out projects for the valorization of natural karst territories. The Sardinian speleologists provide a solid reference for what concerns the valorization and safeguarding of the underground water resources, the natural and geological knowledge of internal mountainous areas and the valorization of the karst areas, within the framework of an integrated and sustainable management of these vulnerable territories. This is the new frontier of Sardinian Speleology that, through geographical exploration and scientific research, wants to share this important treasure of knowledge and emotions with the communities.