The Sierra Club considers that caves provide an important and irreplaceable natural resource of scenic, scientific, educational, recreational, and historic interest. The use of caves in public ownership should be so regulated as to preserve unimpaired, for perpetual enjoyment, their geological values and their flora and fauna.
Scientific Protection: Damage to caves and their contents is generally related to inadequate public knowledge of their value and to destructive use of them. The Club therefor supports scientific measures to protect individual caves, such as public interpretive facilities, installation of gates, guided supervision of cave use, and routing of travel so as to minimize impact. Publicity regarding the location of caves not so protected should be restricted and public use discouraged.
Almost all species of cave fauna and flora are endangered species, which the Club will seek to protect as provided for in the Policy on Wildlife.
Research: The Club believes that caves should be made available for research projects, whether under public or private sponsorship, provided the research is consonant with preservation requirements.
Ownership: The Club supports acquisition by suitable public agencies of caves that are of notable scenic, scientific, educational, recreational, or historic importance.
Adopted by the Board of Directors, November 8, 1958