MANAGING MULTIDISCIPLINARY CAVE AND KARST RESEARCH AT CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK

There is a great deal of multidisciplinary cave and karst research being conducted in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The park actively supports research by identifying research needs, streamlining environmental compliance, and obtaining funding for projects. In order to prevent the loss of institutional memory, the park has developed a system for tracking and archiving samples as well as keeping track of monitoring equipment and data in park caves. Geologic, Mineralogic, and Speleologic inventory data are collected during survey and exploration of all park caves and stored in a digital database to assist researchers in locating appropriate sample sites. Interim and final reports are tracked and archived so that it will be easy for park managers and future researchers to see what work has been done, what data are available, and identify research needs. This model for managing research has proved very successful to both park managers and researchers and could easily be applied to other parks, agencies, and groups managing large and small cave and karst projects.