Consisting largely of fossil passage, Ogof Draenen is particularly vulnerable to caver inflicted damage. Taping is probably the most important of a number of conservation measures that have been taken, the others being: access control; preservation of remoteness; and education.

Objective

The aim of conservation measures in Ogof Draenen is simply to maintain the cave in as close to its original natural state as is possible. In line with this the taping policy is one of confining caver inflicted damage to a minimum area while still permitting access to the majority of the cave.

In practice this means that, where possible, passages should be taped in the "tramline" fashion as detailed in the NCA cave conservation handbook (section 11-4). In some ares the nature of the passage will preclude this and special efforts may have to be made to protect areas of particular scientific or aesthetic interest. In such cases thought should be given to protecting:

  1. Any sediments
  2. Any speleothems
  3. Any evidence of cave life - bat guano, bat skeletons, other bones, fossils, etc.

In some areas passages have been taped off completely either after they have been explored as in the case of Morgannwg Passage or in the case of some passages in Prisoners of War series, completely unentered where they have been demonstrated by surveying to be interconnected loops. In these instances it is helpful to place signs explaining why entrance to the passaged is barred.