L O C A L B E A T
Right smack in the center of the village of Skocjan in southern Slovenia is the "pothole," the spot where the Reka River takes a spectacular vertical dive into a maze of gorges, caves and fissures, and thundering cascades and rapids. Before the drop, the Reka has wound its way through a spacious subterranean tunnel and silent lake. After the drop, the main arm of the Reka splits into hundreds of fingers which feel their way through a 42-kilometer long labyrinth of 522 caves, before reconverging to become the mouth of the Timavo River north of Trieste in Italy.This place is part of a larger area called Kras, a natural marvel where millions of years ago, water became the unpredictable and creative sculptor of limestone, carving out a landscape which many spelunkers, or cave explorers, regard as unrivaled in the world. With time, and given early international interest in the Kras region, the word was translated into many different languages to identify special limestone geological landscapes characterized by sinks, ravines and underground streams, from carso in Italian to karst in German. Karst is now international lingo and common scientific terminology. And its founder in Slovenia is now called Classic Karst, part of which, the Skocjanske Caves, is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Hidden in the caves of Kras is a world of silence and darkness, and a biological mecca - home to unique species of snails, beetles, cave shells, and the blind salamander-like animal called proteus or the "human fish." These karstic creatures make their homes within a jungle of limestone creations, where humidity-driven "flowstone" (or dripstone) has fashioned every imaginable shape and color of karstic interior design, complete with stalagmites, stalactites and columns.
All of the water entering the Kras disappears into the labyrinth of caves, some rushing through, some diverted to distant fissures and cracks where they are retained for centuries. Eventually, the waters resurface through karstic springs, or through bore holes made to bring drinking water to local municipalities, including the city of Trieste. In Kras, however, access to drinking water sources is limited. Another problem is that pollution, if it enters karstic waters, disappears extremely quickly underground and enters the groundwater. This, in conjunction with the need for clean water for the creatures of the caves, has placed pressure on local authorities to protect Kras from increasing pollution, the main source of which is waste.
Slovenians produce more waste per capita than Europeans on average, and waste management is inadequate both in terms of the number of waste dumps available and the effectiveness of waste treatment. Pollution is leaching into karst waters from waste dumps, dumped domestic wastewater, oils reaching the caves from motorways, industry and agriculture. Illegal dumping of waste into cave shafts and potholes is also widespread, including industrial and domestic waste, waste from slaughterhouses such as dead cattle - even useless, unused ammunition from past wars.
Signs of Kras's natural heritage taking a beating already exist, including losses in species and dwindling numbers of the once prevalent "human fish."
To conserve biodiversity, protect ecological areas and support sustainable development throughout the country, the Slovenian Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning, with funding from PHARE's Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, is planning to create six new regional parks by the year 2000. With only eight percent of the country now reserved as protected areas, the new parks, including one in Kras, would increase the country's total protected area to 20 percent.
The main goals in creating the Karst Regional Park are to protect the area's most precious natural phenomena, including its caves, maintain the area's role as a habitat and migration corridor for large mammals and birds, and promote sustainable economic development including eco-tourism. Another goal is protection of Kras's cultural landmarks, including its unique karst architecture, land uses and agricultural products.
Part of the Programme includes a Small Project Fund for the Karst area for projects supporting: sustainable economic development (i.e. agriculture, tourism) and natural and cultural heritage conservation; the rehabilitation of important areas such as illegal waste dumps and village squares; and increased awareness of the Kras region.
Total funds available are 121,000 ECU, with individual small projects eligible for funds of 1,000 ECU to 10,000 ECU. Technical assistance is provided by the REC's Slovenian Local Office which is coordinating the project. The application deadline was December 8, and projects will commence in January, to be completed before next September. (For more info, contact milena.marega@guest.arnes.si)
