Some caves have delicate features that can be disturbed by changes in light levels, humidity, temperature or air flow.
Speleothems can have a slow growth rate and therefore removing them as souvenirs or breakage due to movement within the cave will be visible for a long time, often throughout several generations of human interaction.
The New Zealand Speleological Society (NZSS), a recreational caving organisation, promotes cave conservation by its members.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) is responsible for caves on land under its administration and has developed a management policy for caves and karst.
DoC publish a "Caving care code" which is in turn based in part on the caving ethics of NZSS.