The Journal is published by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Cave Administration of the Czech Republic, the Krkonoše Mts. National Park Administration, the Bohemian Forest Mts. National Park Administration, the Podyjí National Park Administration and the The Bohemian Switzerland National Park Administration. It has been published since 1946.
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Nature Conservation 4/2008 — 19. 8. 2008 — Nature and Landscape Management
Show Cave Restoration, Modification and Management
In the Czech Republic, all show caves are part of Specially Protected Areas (National Nature Monuments, National Nature Reserves, Nature Reserves and Nature Monuments).
Nature conservation measures to preserve the best possible state of caves, to make previous mistakes right and to remove old burdens are included into the particular Specially Protected Area Management Plans. The Cave Administration of the Czech Republic co-operates with the State Nature Conservancy authorities in developing such plans and consequently, implements the proposed measures. Tour paths have been step by step restored, thus providing better, more aesthetical and cave ecosystem more friendly management. During the restorations, the show caves are equipped with modern technological facilities from durable and non-corrode materials which do not require annual maintenance. Remnants of old opening-up and survey activities, e.g. hewed material deposits, unnecessary building materials, fillings, technological equipment and timbering being out of order have been removed from the caves. The caves are regularly cleared of undesirable organic and inorganic contaminations. The occurrence of green plants, so-called lampenflora, has been substantially reduced in the show caves by application of the chloride of soda (NaClO) at the affected sites. At present, fungal and mould & dust coatings which can cause extensive damages to karst ornaments are also removed in the same way. The occurrence of the undesirable organisms has been also confirmed on the unique phenomenon called The Opona/Curtain in the Zbrašov Aragonite Caves as well as in other show caves in the Czech Republic. In total, approx. 3.5 million CZK (145,000 euros) are annually spent for nature conservation measures in the show caves across the country.