The Conservation of Caves Used by Speleologists. For an Environmental History of Nature Sports

Rather than focusing on the history of caving as a sport, the environmental history of caves used by speleologists in France from the late nineteenth to the late twentieth century considers caves as natural environments. Nature sports enthusiasts, including early speleologists, were among the first to raise concerns about environmental protection. Initially, they acted as explorers and whistleblowers, identifying threats such as groundwater pollution. Over time, other environmental issues emerged. The extraction and trade of speleothems damaged underground landscapes. Human presence in parietal caves disrupted fragile climatic conditions, threatening prehistoric art. Similarly, cave fauna, including bats and specialized species, were affected by human disturbance. From the 1960s onward, a major shift occurred: cave visitors, including speleologists, were no longer seen only as protectors but also as contributors to environmental degradation. This led to increased awareness and the development of conservation practices. Speleologists gradually adopted more responsible behaviors, sometimes limiting their own freedom to protect fragile environments. The development of an environmental history of sport, which shifts focus from sportsmen to the natural environments they use, emphasizes the complex role of sports participants as both users and protectors of nature.