Abbreviations used in Descent
Descent uses standard abbreviations within articles. Some appear widely in print, while others are directly applicable to the caving world. Expansions of those terms are provided here for reference; though not all are still extant, they may appear in older editions of the magazine.
| aa | all abilities [on the Calcified Ads page] |
| ACI | Association of Caving Instructors |
| AONB | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
| ASSI | Area of Special Scientific Interest |
| BACI | British Association of Caving Instructors |
| BCA | British Caving Association |
| BCRA | British Cave Research Association |
| BCRC | British Cave Rescue Council |
| BSA | British Speleological Association |
| BSAC | British Sub Aqua Club |
| CC | Caving Club |
| CCAG | Cave Conservation and Access Group |
| CCPR | Central Council for Physical Recreation |
| CG | Caving Group |
| CCC | Cambrian Caving Council |
| CCW | Countryside Council for Wales |
| CDG | Cave Diving Group |
| CHECC | Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs |
| CIC | Cave Instructor Certificate |
| CMAS | Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques |
| CMG | Cave Management Group |
| CNCC | Council of Northern Caving Clubs |
| CREG | Cave Radio & Electronics Group |
| CRG | Cave Research Group |
| CRO | Cave Rescue Organisation |
| CRT | Cave Rescue Team |
| CSCC | Council of Southern Caving Clubs |
| DCA | Derbyshire Caving Association |
| DCUC | Devon and Cornwall Underground Council |
| EH | English Heritage |
| EN | English Nature [now Natural England] |
| FEALC | Federación Espeleológica de América Latina y el Caribe [Speleological Federation of Latin America and the Caribbean] |
| FFS | Fédération Française de Spéléologie |
| FoD | Forest of Dean |
| FoDCCAG | Forest of Dean Cave Conservation and Access Group |
| FRA | Fell Rescue Association |
| FSE | Fédération Spéléologique Européenne |
| FSUE | Fédération Spéléologique de l'Union Europenne [now FSE] |
| GPF | Ghar Parau Foundation |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| HSE | Health & Safety Executive |
| ICRO | Irish Cave Rescue Organisation |
| IDO | Interim Development Order |
| ISSA | International Society for Spelaeological Art |
| LCMLA | Local Cave/Mine Leader Assessment |
| MCR | Mendip Cave Rescue |
| MLCMAC | Mynydd Llangatwg Cave Management/Advisory Committee |
| MRO | Mendip Rescue Organisation [now Mendip Cave Rescue] |
| NAMHO | National Association of Mining History Organisations |
| NCA | National Caving Association |
| NCC | Nature Conservancy Council |
| NGR | National Grid Reference |
| nmw | new members welcome [on the Calcified Ads page] |
| NP | National Park |
| NPA | National Park Authority |
| NSS | National Speleological Society [of USA] |
| PADI | Professional Association of Diving Instructors |
| PC | Potholing Club |
| PDCMG | Pwll Du Cave Management Group |
| PDO | Potentially Damaging Operation [to an SSSI] |
| PICA | Peak Instructed Caving Affiliation |
| RGS | Royal Geographical Society |
| RIGS | Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Site |
| RO | Rescue Organisation |
| SA | Speleological Association |
| SCW | Sports Council for Wales |
| SG | Speleological Group |
| SRT | Single Rope Technique |
| SS | Speleological Society |
| SSC | Scottish Sports Council |
| SSSI | Site of Special Scientific Interest |
| SUI | Speleological Union of Ireland |
| SUICRO | Speleological Union of Ireland/Cave Rescue Organisation |
| UCC | University Caving Club |
| UIAA | Union Internationale des Associations dAlpinisme |
| UIS | Union Internationale de Spéléologie |
| Uni | University |