Consolidating the safeguard and development of natural values in the Škocjan Caves Park area

The Škocjan Caves Park (Škocjanske Jame) extends in the South-Eastern Karst area. It encloses the Škocjan Caves (Grotte di S. Canziano-Škocjanske Jame) that have been recognized as a World Heritage Site and designated for the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention), included in the MAB programme (Man and the Biosphere) developed by UNESCO and in the Natura 2000 network. The Park is visited by a host of national and foreign tourists and school groups. To make students’ visits easier, a communication network has been set up among four schools located in the Slovenian territory and two schools located in the Italian territory. The project aims at enhancing quality, safeguarding the protected Park and Karst area, conserving the habitat status and raising awareness among students and citizens with regard to protection and management of the protected areas. In the framework of this project, the following activities will be carried out: the transformation and modernization of the Matavun Information Centre, the establishment of laboratories, the enhancement and mapping of typical habitats, the organisation of training courses and the use of laboratories for environmental and ecological education purposes. Lastly, the existing school network will be enlarged, involving the two participating Municipalities. The project follows the lines of action developed by a few Italian institutions, with special reference to the Municipality of S. Dorligo della Valle - Dolina (project “Promotion of natural values and environmental protection in the Natural Park of Val Rosandra – Dolina Glinščice’’) and the Municipality of Doberdò del Lago -Doberdob (project “Enhancement, protection and education knowledge in the Municipal territory of Doberdò, that belongs to the regional natural reserve of Doberdò lakes”).