Austrian Speleological Association

The Austrian Speleological Association (Verband Österreichischer Höhlenforschung, VÖH) is a national caving organization was founded as an umbrella organization of Austrian caving clubs and show caves in 1949.

Activities
The Association coordinates the activities of 25 speleological associations; 24 in Austria and one in Germany. Membership in these associations automatically grants membership in the umbrella organization. Individual memberships are not accepted. The Association maintains:
 * a website featuring the 32 show caves found throughout the country.
 * a list of Austria's longest and deepest caves.
 * a library of 2,800 books and other materials (in the Karst and Speleology Working Group Library, Natural History Museum in Vienna).

Awards

 * 1) The Golden Cave Bear is "a badge of honor for special services to Austrian caving." It was first awarded in 2014.
 * 2) The Poldi Fuhrich Award, named in honor of the Austrian woman who was a caving and karst pioneer Leopoldine Fuhrich (1898-1926), is presented to young speleologists for "outstanding work in the field of caving, cave documentation and public relations." It was first awarded in 2010.

Publications

 * Caves and Karst in Austria (Book)
 * Die Höhle - Journal of Karst and Speleology (magazine produced jointly with the Association of German Cave and Karst Researchers)
 * Association newsletters
 * SPELDOK series
 * Karst range and Karst vulnerability maps

Collaborations
The Association works with
 * the Karst and Speleology Working Group of the National History Museum to manage SPELDOK, a database containing data on over 15,500 caves.
 * international karst and speleological organizations on research projects.

Associations
The Association is a member of these international organizations:
 * International Union of Speleology (UIS)
 * European Speleological Federation (FSE)
 * Environmental Umbrella Organization (formerly UWD)
 * Association of Austrian Academic Societies (VWGÖ)
 * Association of Alpine Associations of Austria (VAVÖ)*, which includes the Austrian Alpine Club, Friends of Nature Austria, Austrian Tourist Club, and the Austrian Mountaineering Association.

Notable members

 * Alfred Koppenwallner (1921–2016), jeweler, discovered the Cave of Tantalus (Tantalhöhle) mountaineer, pilot, motorcyclist who participated in the Oldtimer Grand Prix (Salzburgring) and skier in the Österreichische Alpenfahrt.
 * Sabine Zimmerebner (1970-2015) Quoted in the July 3, 2018 New York Times article, Ms. Zimmerebner was one of 728 rescuers who collaborated to free an injured spelunker in the history-making 2014 Riesending cave rescue.