The authors of this proposal are an informal group of long experienced Natural Scientists and Speleologists, all with a deep commitment to the recognition and protection of cave and karst sites.

The Authors

Philippe Audra is Assistant Professor in the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis , France . He is a specialist on geomorphology and karst research, with a special interest in cave genesis. He also has a strong interest in management of karst landscapes and is currently working on a European Union Program on this topic. He has taken part in many expeditions in tropical karst areas, including the Nakanai in 1998. He is co-editor (with Sounier) of the book Nakanai 1978-1998: 20 Years of Exploration.

David Gill has long experience and a great reputation in expedition cave exploration. He has participated in and also led many expeditions, including those to the Mulu Caves of Sarawak , Lorentz National Park of West Papua and to the gigantic Nare River Cave in the Nakanai karst of New Britain . He then became Speleologist and Development Officer of the Gunung Mulu National Park , where he was responsible for the documentation program which led to that site being nominated and accepted as a World Heritage site. As head of the Sarawak Karst Management Unit he was also responsible for the establishment of a new National Park: The Gunung Buda National Park in the Limbang Division of Sarawak

Elery Hamilton-Smith, AM has some 50 years of experience in cave exploration and research. He is currently chair of the Task Force on Caves and Karst within the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is Professor of Cave and Karst Management at Charles Sturt University in New South Wales . He has been awarded membership of the Order of Australia in recognition of his career in education and social development and his broad contributions to conservation.

Jean-Paul Sounier is a specialist in adventure sports and has a long experience in caving expeditions. He has participated in 3 expeditions (1980, 1985, 1988) and led 2 cave diving expeditions (1995, 1998) in the Nakanai Mountains . He also took part in the 1993 expedition to the Great Papuan plateau (Darai). During the 1995 expedition, the depth of 1000 m was reached for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere in Muruk cave, and therefore, the Nakanai karst gained a worldwide recognition in the caving community. He is the author of the books Nakana:, dans les gouffres géants de Papouasie, Muruk, Hémisphère Sud, premier – 1000 and he is co-editor of the book Nakanai 1978-1998: 20 Years of Exploration.

Leo Salas is an animal population biologist with extensive experience in tropical areas, including Papua New Guinea , Indonesian Borneo, Central and South America . He has recently become deeply involved in karst conservation, and has most recently designed and led exploration and assessment of the Sangkulirang karst in East Kalimantan , Indonesian Borneo, with The Nature Conservancy. He is currently working with The Wildlife Conservation Society (New York Zoological Society) in Papua New Guinea and collaborating with Conservation International and other international conservation organizations.