La Sicilia ospiterà la Conferenza Internazionale "Man and Karst 2024"

Il CIRS celebra il suo cinquantennale con un evento scientifico di rilievo sulle tematiche del carsismo e delle grotte

La Conferenza Internazionale “Man and Karst 2024” si svolgerà a Ragusa dal 24 al 29 giugno 2024, organizzata dal CIRS (Centro Ibleo di Ricerche Speleo-Idrogeologiche), associazione a carattere scientifico e culturale fondata a Ragusa nel 1974.

L’evento ha lo scopo di approfondire le conoscenze sulle diverse manifestazioni del fenomeno carsico, sia a livello superficiale che sotterraneo, e sulle sue implicazioni ambientali, idrogeologiche, biologiche, archeologiche e culturali.

La conferenza vedrà la partecipazione di numerosi esperti provenienti da diversi Paesi, che presenteranno le loro ricerche e le loro esperienze sulle tematiche del carsismo e delle grotte.

Tra i temi trattati ci saranno: la geomorfologia carsica, l’idrogeologia e la protezione delle acque carsiche, le grotte e la speleogenesi, la biospeleologia e la paleontologia, le grotte e l’archeologia, le miniere in aree carsiche, le grotte vulcaniche, la protezione delle aree carsiche, le grotte marine e le aree carsiche costiere protette.

La conferenza sarà anche l’occasione per celebrare il cinquantennale del CIRS, che dal 1974 svolge attività di ricerca, divulgazione e tutela del patrimonio speleo-idrogeologico della Sicilia, in particolare della zona iblea.

Il CIRS ha contribuito in modo significativo alla conoscenza e alla valorizzazione delle grotte e dei fenomeni carsici presenti nel territorio, sia dal punto di vista scientifico che turistico.

Il CIRS ha inoltre promosso numerose iniziative di formazione, sensibilizzazione e cooperazione, sia a livello nazionale che internazionale, sulle tematiche del carsismo e delle grotte.

Gli interessati a partecipare alla conferenza possono scaricare la prima circolare e il modulo di registrazione sul sito del CIRS RAGUSA. Per ulteriori informazioni, è possibile contattare il CIRS all’indirizzo email info@cirs-ragusa.org.

FIRST CIRCULAR

info@cirs-ragusa.org – www.cirs-ragusa.org

PRESENTATION AND AIMS
Encouraged by the appreciated events, organized in 2019 in Ragusa and in Custonaci in 2022, which saw the presence of numerous participants, such as university professors and researches from prestigious universities, speleologists, hikers and nature enthusiasts, in the context of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the CIRS – Hyblean Center of Speleo-Hydrogeological
Research, the third edition of Man and Karst in Sicily is organized and will take place in Ragusa (Sicily) from 24 to 29 June 2024.

In the magical historical location of Ragusa, chief town of the southernmost province of Italy, as well as Tunis, the Hyblean foreland in the center of the Mediterranean, as if to underline its geological belonging to the northernmost sector of the African platform; UNESCO world heritage site for its
splendid baroque, enclosed between two fluviokarst valleys, in this fascinating historical-geographical context we will return to discuss of Man and his relationship with the Karst, to share and enrich ourselves with new research experiences, to review old friends and making new ones.

And taking advantage of this geographical centrality, how could we not explore, from 24 to 29 June, some of the most interesting karst contexts of this extreme south-eastern sector of Sicily, and not only by looking, with the excursions proposed by us, in the hyblean fluviokarst canyons, then to the west
fascinating landscape scenery of the evaporite basin of central-southern Sicily with its gypsum caves, and northwards on the slopes of the highest active volcano in Europe with its lava tubes.

Man and Karst 2024 in Sicily, in the same way as the previous past editions, wants to give a
contribution to the knowledge, enhancement and safeguard of the karst landscape and caves with their ecosystems and historical-anthropological resources as a whole, as an instrument and optimal function of scientific research, not as often for its own sake or for the sake of a few users, but rather, at the service and for the benefit of the whole community.

VENUE AND TIME
The event will be held in Ragusa Ibla (Sicily), from 24 to 29 June, a magical and fascinating baroque historic town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

MAIN ORGANIZERS

Municipality of Ragusa
C.I.R.S. – Hyblean Center of Speleo-Hydrogeological Research, Ragusa, Italy
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università di Bari Aldo Moro
Dipartimento MIFT, University of Messina,
DMG di Matematica e Geoscienze, Università di Trieste,
Department of Earth Science, University of Benghazi
Ordine Regionale Geologi di Sicilia
UNESCO Chair on Karst Education, Vipava, Slovenia
ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Postojna, Slovenia
TETIDE APS, Italy
TOPICS OF THE CONFERENCE
Karst geomorphology
Karst hydrogeology and water protection
Speleology and Cave conservation
Archeology and paleontology in karst caves
Biospeleology and ecology
Vulnerability, protection and fruition of karst landscapes and caves
Mines in karst areas
Karst geohazards
Caves in volcanic areas
PROGRAMME OUTLINE*
Date Programme
Monday, June 24th
Registration
Sessions
Welcome party
Tuesday, June 25th
Sessions
Poster session
Field trip to the Asphalt mine of Tabuna and/or Streppenosa
Wednesday, June 26th
Full day excursion
Field trip to the Pantalica fluviokatst valley (Natural Reserve)
Visit to Monello cave (Natural Reserve)
Gala party for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of
CIRS Ragusa, Hyblean Center of Speleo-Hydrogeological Research
Post conference excursions*
Thursday, June 27th
Visit of Realmonte/Ravanusa Salt Mine, Scala dei Turchi
Trekking between gorges and caves in the Vallone del Ponte (Sant’Angelo Muxaro)
Friday, June 28th
Trekking to the fluviokarst Cava Grande del Cassibile (Natural Reserve)
Saturday, June 29th
Trekking to Mt. Etna*, lava tube caves, Valle del Bove
The aforementioned program and post-conference excursions will be confirmed with possible variations and/or additions with the second circular.
REGISTRATION, FEE AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Deadline Student Non Student
Early Bird April 30th 70 € 120 €
Late No Deadline 100 € 150 €
Accompany person No Deadline 90 €
The fee includes conference materials, coffee breaks, participation at Gala party, visits and excursions of the days 25th and 26th of June.
Partecipants are invited to present their contributions in oral or poster form.
Abstract / extended
abstract and poster must be communicate with the pre-registration and submitted in English to info@cirs-ragusa.org by April 30th 2024.
The official languages of the event are English and Italian.
ACCOMODATION IN RAGUSA:
Hotel: https://www.comune.ragusa.gov.it/turismo/dormire/alberghi.html
B&B: https://www.comune.ragusa.gov.it/turismo/dormire/bed.html
More detailed information will be provided with the second circular available in late May 2024.
CONTACT:
Dr. Rosario Ruggieri PhD
Tel: +39 3519863290
info@cirs-ragusa.org
www.cirs-ragusa.org