Grottes du karst d'Aggtelek et du karst de Slovaquie

There is one sizeable settlement (Silica) and two hamlets within the Slovak protected area and two villages (Aggtelek and Jósvafő with approximately 1,100 inhabitants) inside the Aggtelek National Park's boundaries (World Heritage Committee, 2013). Some challenges remain related to ensuring better involvement of key stakeholders in site management, communications and benefits sharing. Socio-economic situation of the Aggtelek Karst microregion is relatively better than that of the neighbouring regions, and this relative welfare is due to the existence of the national park and Baradla Cave (Telbisz et al., 2020).

Conflicts between locals and tourists are negligible, and all actors agree to further increase tourism in the area. In both ANP and SKNP, the majority of tourists and locals alike have a rather positive view of the property. However, there is still a significant group of local residents who have a negative opinion. One reason for this may be that the locals feel they have only a marginal influence on national park decisions. The ANP plays a more important role in the lives of locals than in SKNP, because ANP has a larger organisational background and more resources for a smaller population (Telbisz et al. 2022).

All of the caves are state-owned and their protection is guaranteed by the Act no. LIII. 1996 on nature protection in Hungary and by the Slovak Constitution no. 90/2001, and the Act of Nature Protection and Landscape no. 543/2002 in Slovakia, irrespective of ownership or protection status of the surface areas (World Heritage Committee, 2013). The Aggtelek Karst (Hungary) was first declared a protected landscape area in 1978 under decision No.8/1978 of the President of the National Authority for Environment and Nature Conservation (OKTH), and in 1985 was designated a national park by law-decree No.7/1984 (XII.29.) OKTH (IUCN, 2000). The Slovak Karst Landscape Protected Area was established in 1973 and in 2002 the Slovak Karst National Park was designated (Act No. 543/2002). The protection arrangements were considered highly effective in Hungary and sufficiently effective in Slovakia (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2006). Most recently, there has been a reform of the National Park, which states that the park administration is now an independent organization with direct ownership of the land.
In Hungary 335/2019 Government Decree on the National Procedure for Designation of the World Heritage Site, on the Content Requirements of World Heritage Management Plans and the Procedure for their Preparation, on the World Heritage Management Bodies, and on the Right of Pre-emption of the State in World Heritage Sites is another important legislative component.

The latest Periodic Report (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2024) stated that legal framework provided an adequate basis for effective management and protection. Protection of caves is, if necessary, also ensured by declaring protection zones on the surface (e.g. Milada Cave). The whole process is lengthy and demanding, includes participation of landowners and, as everything, has to be approved by the government regulation. The amendment to the Nature and Landscape Protection Act specifies the conditions for renting caves for a certain period (IUCN Consultation, 2020).

The caves of the Slovak side are not managed by the SKNP but by the Slovak Caves Administration. However, this is expected to change due to new amendment to nature protection law in Slovakia (Telbisz et al., 2022). Most recently, there has been a reform of the National Park, which states that the park administration is now an independent organization with direct ownership of the land. Relations between the two national parks are good but could be further enhanced according to Telbisz et al., (2022). ABR (Aggtelek Biosphere Reserve) has a special agreement with the Slovak Karst Biosphere Reserve. The very active cooperation targets synchronized research and monitoring programs, as well as special management projects against the invasive alien plant species.

Both national parks are well integrated into the regional systems of protected areas and are also Multi-Internationally Designated Areas (Natura 2000, Ramsar site, Biosphere Reserve). In Slovakia the caves are located almost exclusively within the territory of the Slovak Karst National Park and the Slovak Paradise National Park (Dobsina Ice Cave within Stratena cave system).

The site's northern and southern boundaries are defined by the geological borderline between karstic and nonkarstic rocks, whilst the western and northeasternmost points comprise Jelšava town and Jasov village, respectively (IUCN, 2000). Boundaries are adequate to maintain the property's values. However, they are not well known by local residents, communities and landowners (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2014, 2024).

The caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst, were jointly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. The Baradla-Domica system, as a special underground wetland, was added to the “List of Wetlands of International importance of the Ramsar Convention” in 2001. Aggtelek Landscape Protection Area was established in 1978, and in 1979 some parts of the area were included in the UNESCO Man and Biosphere reserves (Telbisz et al., 2022). Slovak Karst National Park is the first Slovak biosphere reserve since March 1, 1977 (Bolechová et al. 2022). There is some evidence of integration between the different designations, for example the ABR management plan references the WH site values and promotes training of cave guides. Furthermore, it seems there is good collaboration between the BR themselves through a special agreement. The responsibility for management of the Ramsar site also lies with the Aggtelek National Park Directorate, which suggests some coordination between the designations on the administrative level. Management plans exist but are outdated for some designations (e.g. Ramsar). There is evidence of projects being implemented in the overlapping areas e.g. a major (3 million Euros) project took place in recent years to develop the Lake Vörös entrance of Baradla cave for tourism (RIS, 2017).

No recent Committee decisions.

Adaptation to climate change and prevention and management of climate-related risks is a key component of the Interreg programme 2021-2027. This includes the conservation of forests and restoration of wetlands. However, the extent to which climate change considerations are integrated into the site management is unclear.

In Slovakia, management of the caves system is implemented by the Slovak Caves Administration in Liptovský Mikuláš as part of State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic. Management of terrestrial ecosystems is implemented by the Authority of the Slovak Karst National Park in Brzotín (with the exception of the surface part of the Dobšinská ice cave, which is under administration of the Slovak Paradise National Park). Aggtelek Karst is administered by the Aggtelek National Park Directorate. The administrative bodies in two countries carry out joint projects including research, protection and monitoring (World Heritage Committee, 2013). An Integrated Management Plan has been prepared for the transboundary site. However, it has not been approved. Coordination between different administrative bodies and levels has been noted as adequate (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2024). The countries have several cross-border projects and the overlapping international designations contribute to enhance monitoring, research and other educational activities. Nevertheless, there seems so be potential to better integrate management of the overlapping designations and streamline similar objectives, especially in the various management plans.

Permanent monitoring and control of caves’ condition used to be carried out by Speleological Guardian Service, which due to lack of financial sources stopped this activity in 2010 (Gaál et al., 2015). Closing (gating) of some caves for public, camera systems, technical equipment and protective zones of caves have improved the situation.

In both countries the national parks receive budget from the state which appears adequate, particularly in Hungary. Yearly budget of Aggtelek NP is approx. 12,3 mil. Euro. On Slovak side, data on Protected Areas expenses is currently not comparable. State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic does not record expenditures in a way that would allow to compare unit expenditure by national parks or protected landscape areas. However, just for comparison, the whole budget of the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic (9 National Parks, 14 Protected Landscape Areas including Slovak Cave Administration) in 2019 year was only 5,2 mil. Euro, excluding funding received from the EU (IUCN Consultation, 2020). Existing sources of funding coming from few sources are not secure in the long-term and could be improved to meet management needs (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2024). Additional financial resource are needed to support control and monitoring activities, as well as risk preparedness and contingency planning for potential accidents. Both parties use various grant schemes to improve the budget they have for financing the World Heritage site. The EU structural funds are used on a long term basis, with by now a used sum exceeding 2.5 million EUR on the Slovak side (IUCN Consultation, 2020c).

The managers of the national parks are mostly committed to nature conservation, but the current financial situation poses serious limitations. The main problem in the relationship between the state and the park managers is the decreasing budget, and thus there are often not enough jobs for the park to fulfil its required tasks (Telbisz et al. 2023).

In Slovakia, there are 20 administrative staff members of national park administration listed on the website (Slovak Karst National Park, 2025) and around 28 in the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic Slovak Caves Administration with additional staff listed for each show cave (State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, 2025). This demonstrates an increase to past staffing numbers. In Hungary, the Aggtelek National Park Directorate is comprised of 145 staff members (Telbisz et al., 2022; 2023), 16 of them are responsible for caves (IUCN Consultation, 2020a); however, there has been some decrease in the number of staff since 2018 (IUCN Consultation, 2020b). Speleological staff in both countries receive occasionally training.
ANP has a larger organizational background and more human resources for a smaller population and smaller area. On the Slovak side, the SKNP is small in terms of organization, however has increased human and financial resources to develop members (Telbisz et al., 2022).
The ABR management also organizes courses for local people, where experts train cave or field tour guides (ABR management plan, 2015).

Both countries have good education and interpretation programmes in place (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2006). Interpretative trail (e.g. reconstruction of Domica trail supported by Interreg), exhibition, promotion materials including film and lectures have been developed for visitors (Gaál et al., 2015). However, education and awareness building activities could be still improved (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2014; 2024). Two journals (Aragonit and Slovenský kras) are published regularly in print. In Hungary, there are special programs for local elementary school pupils (IUCN Consultation, 2020b).
In Hungary today, the Tapolca Lake Cave, which is close to the popular Lake Balaton and has a high-quality karst exhibition, but is much smaller than Baradla, receives more visitors than Baradla. But as another international example, Postojna can also be mentioned. It is located close to busy international pathways and has a well-developed visitor infrastructure and marketing, thus, an enormous number of visitors. Naturally, this cave absolutely deserves the attention of visitors (Telbisz et al., 2022).
A lot of information is available on the internet about the karst attractions of this region, but while the ANP website is up-to-date and available in three languages, the SKNP website is not so easy to find and is only available in Slovak (Telbisz et al., 2022).

Interpretation of cave protection, cave values and cave benefit for local people is effective. There are materials available in both countries. Visitor rules for caves exist and are being applied. A tourism management plan is available in both countries (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2006) and there seems to be good collaboration between the tourism industry and property managers (State Parties of Hungary and Slovak Republic, 2024). Slovak Caves are well promoted in media, tourist guides, and directional signage. While visitor awareness is strong, there is a need for improvements in transportation and tourist infrastructure (Kudla et al. 2024).
The development of a Hungarian-Slovak interactive web-map is being prepared with the presentation of important sites for bird watching, tourist attractions such as caves, nature trails, various cultural monuments and important nature conservation areas (Kilík and Balážová, 2020).

The current levels of visitation appear sustainable, however, careful monitoring is required to ensure conservation of the site’s values (IUCN Consultation, 2020).

Regular monitoring of the caves’ state and development is carried out by the Aggtelek National Park Directorate in Hungary and the Slovak Caves Administration (States Parties of Hungary and Slovakia, 2006; 2024). Because the site belongs to important underground sites for bats in Europe (Eurobats) there is a regular winter census of bats in cooperation with the Slovak Bat Conservation Society. Mapping of underground spaces by members of the Slovak Speleological Society continue. Monitoring is also focused on study of the environmental and hydrological processes in caves (Czuppon et al., 2018) and karst area (Gessert et al., 2019). The Slovak World Heritage show caves have installations of a permanent climatic and hydrological monitoring connected to the headquarters of the Slovak Caves Administration (IUCN Consultation, 2020c). Furthermore, there is collaboration between the biosphere reserves on monitoring and research.

In Slovakia, different home and foreign institutions (e.g. Slovak and Czech Academy of Sciences, and Slovak, Czech and Polish universities) are involved in the research activities, mainly geological, geomorphological, hydrogeological, speleoclimatic, biospeleologic studies (Gaál et al., 2015). Research in Hungarian caves is undertaken by the Hungarian Academy of Science in collaboration with the Aggtelek National Park Directorate (Gruber, 2015). The scientific research is increasing, e.g. biological, archaeological and hydrogeological research of the caves (Gruber & Gaál, 2014).


The following examples of important work can be mentioned: study of endemic and relict cave fauna species (Derbák et al., 2018; Červená et al., 2019), biomass production and carbon stocks of above-and below-ground biomass in grassland (Kizeková et al., 2019), lower plants diversity in karstic streams (Czerwik-Marcinkowska et al., 2018; Ogórek et al. 2022), bacterial diversity in soils (Knáb et al., 2018) and geomorphology studies (Hofierka et al., 2018; Bella et al., 2019; Kudla et al. 2024; Gruber et al. 2022). Scientific papers with participation of the Slovak Caves Administration were published on karst morphological features of Aggtelek Karst and Jósva River valley (Bella et. al., 2016) and on geomorphology of the Moldava Cave (Bella et al., 2018). The 12th Scientific Conference on research, utilization and protection of caves at the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the inscription of the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst on the World Heritage List was held in Slovakia in September, 2020, and there are regular scientific conferences focusing on the property. The possibilities provided by the fragmented karst areas of Hungary and the mosaic-like assembly of the cave fauna are already providing insights to better understand big questions of cave biology (Szinetár et al. 2022).

Management programs are mainly focused on the internal threats. The few threats from outside the site, such as water flow from arable agriculture lands, have not been addressed sufficiently (e.g. polders capturing flood waters) (IUCN Consultation, 2020). A project was prepared for improvement and wise use of the precipitation water including the increase of retention and water regime potential, both of surface and underground territories, however, this has still not been funded (IUCN Consultation, 2020c). Through the Interreg programme 2021-2027 between Hungary and Slovakia, there is opportunity to improve coordinated water management (Interreg, 2023).

Protection of the caves appears effective. However, there is some room for improvement (management activities related to surface areas and the cave environment must be well connected). Sharing of economic benefits derived from tourism with local people in area and their involvement could also be improved. Results of management evaluation (Tomaškinová & Tomaškin, 2013) showed a need for more effective management and protection in the Slovak Karst national park area, including in such topics as zoning, cooperation, marketing and PR, communication and involvement of relevant stakeholders and regional development.