The FSE, European Speleological Federation, announces this year’s call for cave and karst protection projects to receive the “EuroSpeleo Protection Label” (ESPL) from the European Cave Protection Commission of the FSE (ECPC).
Since its origin in 1990, the FSE has been trying to promote cave and karst protection in Europe and introduced the ESPL in 2007. Many projects have been awarded since that time.
The “EuroSpeleo Protection Label” is a European speleological award managed by the ECPC and financed by the FSE. The EuroSpeleo Protection Label will help to promote amongst the speleological clubs of Europe, cave and karst protection activities that are designed in an integrated ecological way, taking into account besides FSE charta and rules also EU environmental directives, the principles of administration of the Natura 2000 sites and the IUCN Guidelines on caves and karst protection.
With what kind of project can you apply?
The EuroSpeleo Protection Label will be awarded every year to one unique cave and/or karst protection project.
A European speleological jury established by the ECPC Board will make the selection. Any project aiming at protecting caves and/or karst developed by a club, a local committee or a national commission from a member country of the FSE can apply.
What are the criteria to receive the FSE EuroSpeleo Protection Label?
There is no need for participation of cavers from different countries, but the application should be a quality project and the broadcasting of the project presentation and results should be made in a spirit that can be reproduced in other European regions and countries. The application has to be sent to protection@eurospeleo.org before the 1st of June 2022 in English language.
A project proposal consists of:
1. The Application Form that need to be filled completely and with correct data.
2. Presentation of the protection relevant needs in the context of European Speleological Charta for
Cave Protection (FSE) and implementation steps (250 words);
3. Expected results of the project and long-term integrated ecological sustainability (200 words);
4. Involvement of cavers, co-organisations, partners and stakeholders (100 words);
5. Media and public outreach (50 words).
6. Project Budget (in EUR) with a breakdown for main budget categories (i.e. income, travel, equipment, etc)
7. A letter from the national speleological organization, member of the FSE, certifying its support for the project.
What prize can be awarded for the Label?
For the label 2022 there will be 800.- Euro as financial assistance for the winning project plus one caving gear from our sponsors AV Equipment, Korda’s, or Scurion depending on availability and choice of the FSE Bureau. The winner receives a certificate indicating the project that has won the award.
What are the winner’s obligations after receiving the confirmation of the “EuroSpeleo Protection Label”?
As soon as the winner has been announced, before receiving the sponsoring equipment, the EuroSpeleo Protection Label prize winner must send a contribution in form of half a page with a narrative description of the event in English, together with a few general images outlining the project to be posted on the Social Media sites of the FSE and/or its Official Partner and sponsor .
Both, text (in pdf and doc fileformat ) and images (in jpg format) should be sent at the latest 3 weeks after the ESPL Prize Awarding to protection@eurospeleo.org. If photographs are to be credited please provide a list with their names. Copyright of images remains with the photographer who has to be acknowledged.
After having received the sponsored item the ESPL winner should deliver a few pictures showing the sponsored item in action. Further it would be an added value if the winner is announcing this sponsored prize on his own social media sites.
Under this agreement, the FSE Official Partner is granted a licence to reproduce the photos for promotion (e.g. in catalogues or advertising). Also FSE is granted a licence for internal use of the images in all its media. FSE Official Partners licences are limited to a period of five years from the date of transmission of the photos. If any FSE Official Partner or FSE itself wishes to use any image outside this agreement (e.g. after five years) further agreement will need to be negotiated with the photographer(s).
In case the afore-mentioned deadline or other financial rules are not met the FSE Bureau reserves the right to reduce its financial grant to the EuroSpeleo Protection Label prize. Any publication done after beeing awarded, shall include the sponsor’s logo beside the FSE and ECPC special ESPL logo and should mention the “FSE EuroSpeleo Protection Label”.
The prize certificate with the equipment will be handed over at a major speleological event supported by the FSE and the financial assistance will be made available after receipt of the report
Very Best Speleo Wishes,
FSE-European Cave Protection Commssion
protection@eurospeleo.org
All documents may also be found on the FSE website: http://www.eurospeleo.eu/en/commissions-en/cave-protection/ecpc-activities/eurospeleo-protection-label.html
versione in italiano: https://www.scintilena.com/eurospeleo-protection-label-2022-bando-e-linee-guida-per-progetti-di-protezione-di-grotte-e-del-carso/12/28/
Version francaise: https://www.scintilena.com/eurospeleo-protection-label-2022-appel-et-guide-pour-projets-de-protection-des-cavites-et-du-karst/12/28/