International Speleological Alpine Karst Group

The research within ISAAK must comply with the Ehrenkodex für die Schweizerische Höhlenforschung. Furthermore, we have established additional specific rules for our work:

Our perceptions about ISAAK and principal rules, which we expect from that every participant respects them.

• ISAAK is a friendly union of cavers with the aim of exploring the alpine karst phenomena. The cavers participating on ISAAK events come from different countries and regions.
  
  
• ISAAK has no boss or a head like a regular club. However, research coordinators make an effective research work possible. Open questions should be directed to the responsible coordinator. Decisions about the participation on a project comes from the whole group and not from a single person.
  
  
• The attempts at profiling of single persons or groups miss the fundamental idea of ISAAK. We reject to define claims for one group. Uncoordinated work of solitary and several groups are not welcome.
  
  
• All new discoveries have to be treated as thrust survey, i.e. there is no thrust without simultaneous survey and making of ground plan and side elevation.
  
  
• For the mapping the elaborated integrative standard is to be used. The survey standard is BCRA 4c; for small objects (length < 20 m, without branching) and underwater passages, BCRA 3b is sufficient.
  
  
• Before being published somewhere else all research results have to be published in the ISAAK journal Bodenlos.
  
  
• Every participant has to be able to master the single-rope technique and needs the fundamental skills about surveying and rigging. The basic training in techniques and surveying takes place in the own club. Research camps are no training camps.
  
  
• We expect autonomous action and team spirit from everybody. Every unneeded risc has to be avoided, since it endangers the whole group and the work. The group is not liable for a single person. If common stuff and equipment is carelessly destructed, this matrial is to be equivalently substituted.
  
  
• Every participant obligates to the greatest possible cave protection. Cave tourism during the research camps is not welcome.
  
  
• ISAAK does not pursue any commercial intentions.

We have formulated the above principal rules, because misunderstandings about the idea of ISAAK occured now and again in the previous research. We expect the notice and regard of these rules from every participant. Further suggestions for these principals are welcome.

(April 27th, 1997)