Jamaican Caves Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Jamaican Caves Organisation (JCO) is an all-volunteer caving
organisation devoted to the preservation, exploration and documentation of cave
s in Jamaica
. It is currently the only non-profit group in Jamaica dedicated to education, research and advocacy about caves.
From 2002 onwards, projects have been carried out in St James, the Cockpit Country, and St Ann under a National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) wildlife research permit. Sites in other parishes, outside of the project areas, have also been visited and assessed in collaboration with NEPA, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the Archaeological Society of Jamaica (ASJ), the University of the West Indies (UWI), and various external research groups.
The JCO maintains the current version of the Jamaican Cave Register, now at about 1200 sites. Reports and data are welcome.
The current membership includes most of the principal cavers active in Jamaica during the last four decades, including Dr Alan G Fincham, Dr David Lee, Dr Donald McFarlane, David Eastwood, Guy Van Rentergem, Jan Pauel, Andreas Haiduk, Elizabeth Slack, and Adam Hyde.
Notable events in the history of the group include the first descent of Smokey Hole Cave
, Manchester in March 2006, which established a new depth record for Jamaica of 194 metres, and the removal of the remains of Carlton Rose from the notorious Hutchinson's Hole
, St Ann, in February 2004.
Non-caving underground activities have included the exploration and mapping of Stamford Hill Mine, Clarendon, abandoned in 1863, under contract to PanCaribbean Minerals.
Collaboration has included the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica (NEPA), and The Nature Conservancy
(TNC).
Media coverage has included the Travel Channel and the Jamaica Observer, which has written several articles about the JCO, its activities and its members.
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
organisation devoted to the preservation, exploration and documentation of cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. It is currently the only non-profit group in Jamaica dedicated to education, research and advocacy about caves.
History
The Jamaican Caves Organisation (JCO) was established in 2002 by Stefan Stewart, Ivor Conolley, and Martel Taylor, with partial funding and technical assistance from The Nature Conservancy, and the Windsor Research Centre.From 2002 onwards, projects have been carried out in St James, the Cockpit Country, and St Ann under a National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) wildlife research permit. Sites in other parishes, outside of the project areas, have also been visited and assessed in collaboration with NEPA, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the Archaeological Society of Jamaica (ASJ), the University of the West Indies (UWI), and various external research groups.
The JCO maintains the current version of the Jamaican Cave Register, now at about 1200 sites. Reports and data are welcome.
The current membership includes most of the principal cavers active in Jamaica during the last four decades, including Dr Alan G Fincham, Dr David Lee, Dr Donald McFarlane, David Eastwood, Guy Van Rentergem, Jan Pauel, Andreas Haiduk, Elizabeth Slack, and Adam Hyde.
Notable events in the history of the group include the first descent of Smokey Hole Cave
Smokey Hole Cave
At nearly 200 metres, Smokey Hole Cave in Manchester, Jamaica is the deepest known cave in the island.-Natural history:The cave contains a large bat roost and numerous Jamaican cave crickets . Also present are the invasive Periplaneta americana in small numbers, G. cavernicola , and N...
, Manchester in March 2006, which established a new depth record for Jamaica of 194 metres, and the removal of the remains of Carlton Rose from the notorious Hutchinson's Hole
Hutchinson's Hole
Hutchinson's Hole is a large sinkhole named after the 18th century serial killer Lewis Hutchinson, who used the sinkhole to dispose of bodies in the 18th century...
, St Ann, in February 2004.
Non-caving underground activities have included the exploration and mapping of Stamford Hill Mine, Clarendon, abandoned in 1863, under contract to PanCaribbean Minerals.
The JCO today
The JCO continues to explore known caves and expand its knowledge base as well as search out and begin exploration of new caves, with expeditions held three to four times per year. Expeditions focus on updating the Jamaican Cave Register by ascertaining GPS locations and by conducting a rapid biological, geological and archaeological inventory of each cave visited. The current cave register is contained in Jamaica Underground with online supplements on the JCO website.Collaboration has included the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica (NEPA), and The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
(TNC).
Media coverage has included the Travel Channel and the Jamaica Observer, which has written several articles about the JCO, its activities and its members.
External links
- The Jamaican Caves Organisation
- Jamaica Underground - Alan G Fincham
- Caving in Jamaica - Guy Van Rentergem
- Jamaican Caves Expedition
- Jamaican Caving News
- Stamford Hill Mine, Clarendon, Jamaica
- Jamaica Observer, Apr 22, 2007 - Sinkholes Disappearing in Southern Manchester
- Jamaica Observer, May 27, 2007 - Cavers Association Says Alpart Has No Regard for Jamaica's Natural Resources
- Jamaica Observer article, Sep 23, 2007 - Making Sinkhole Exploration Look Easy
- Jamaica Observer, Sep 1, 2008 - Smokey Hole Prevents Flooding