IKR was established to promote exploration, research, management and conservation of caves and karst ecosystems on Vancouver Island. Its mandate now has expanded across British Columbia. While karst covers only about 4% of Vancouver Island, it hosts exotic ecosystems, is home to the rarest bat in Canada, the Keen’s Long-eared Myotis and its caves form critical hibernation sites. IKR pioneered research into this elusive species and first demonstrated cave use by this bat as well as identifying nearby maternity roosts and feeding sites. While karst soils have been demonstrated to enhance tree growth and vigour, as well as richer salmon-spawning habitat, current logging practises paradoxically degrade these environments to a greater degree than non-karstic sites. IKR is instrumental in promoting responsible karst management and conservation in BC by government and industry. Based on its science, IKR also plays a major role in the establishment of protected areas such as provincial parks, recreation sites, Wildlife Habitat Areas and Old Growth Management Areas that conserve exceptional karst on Vancouver Island and elsewhere.

Our services:

• Educational Tours (surface and subsurface)
• Inventory
• Research
• Management Planning and Policy
• Exploration/Mapping
• Cave gating/monitoring/restoration
• Caving Equipment Manufacture