Аннотация:This monograph, having the aim of attracting the attention of scientific society (first, the kastological society and speleological communities) to the possibilities of the World Heritage Convention to protect and to conserve the World Subterranean Heritage (WSH), is a continuation of monograph “Preserving karst environments and karst caves”, published in 2016 (ZfG, Vol. 60, Suppl. Issue 2) in the framework of the Karst Commission IGU project “Saving caves and karst environments”. The volume joints 40 specialists from 16 countries worrying about conservation of precious subterranean heritage (cultural and natural) for the future generations. All authors have an experience of the World Heritage nominations preparation.
The alarming information about irreversible changes (or possibilities of such changes) of subterranean environment, arriving from the different parts of the globe, first, from the karstological and speleological communities (for example, at the beginning 2020, from Brazilian Speleological Society, disturbing by new law of local government to affect on the cave without consultations with the environmental agencies; spring 2019, from the Australian karstologues, troubling an enlargement of the palm-trees plantation in the boundaries of Gunung Mulu NP; etc.) is a base for the idea of this monograph. Some other approaches for the subterranean heritage preservation are considered as well.
The book consists of 15 chapters (devoted to WSH properties, but one site is exhibited by the photos only), richly illustrated by 145 diagrams, schemes and photos and involves 12 tables. The authors are shared by the long- term experience of the WSH preservation for the sites situated in different corners of the recent world.
The World Subterranean Heritage diversity, its UNESCO Tentative List and the WSH site in Danger are represented at the beginning of monograph.