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project info
Start date: 1 August 2016
End date: 28 February 2019
funding
Fund: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Total budget: 867 715,42 €
EU contribution: 737 558,11 € (85%)
programme
Programming period: 2014-2021
Managing authority: Nemzeti Fejlesztési Minisztérium, Környezetvédelmi és Energiahatékonysági Programokért Felelős Helyettes Államtitkárság

Conservation interventions in the area of the Aggtelek National Park for the protection of caves and artificial cavities of significant land-scientific value and the conservation of the associated fragile wildlife

The Aggtelek National Park is an area with unique geological values, among which the caves are of outstanding, internationally recognised importance, with unicultural treasures and riches. Their long-term preservation and maintenance is essential, but their protection extends not only to ensuring integrity, but also to repair potential damage and prevent further damage. In line with the strategic objectives of the Hungarian nature conservation, the present tender programme considers the conservation of the ecological potential of Natura 2000, protected and highly protected natural areas requiring nature conservation management as an important objective — this objective is supported by the realisation of the infrastructure development, which focuses on the efficient and modern conservation and rehabilitation of the inanimate natural assets (caves, mines with significant earth-scientific value, artificial cavities) and the associated vulnerable wildlife — which are closely aligned with ANPI’s nature conservation management plan, which is also a World Heritage Management Plan. The objectives are met through the following specific interventions: 1. Mine cuts and caves interventions in Estramos: —Statification and closure of Level IV/1 and Level II storage above; De-risking the life-threatening sections of cave no. 3 between levels VI and V, damage to trampling, elimination of falling debris; —VI. — Making ‘eggs’ between level V accessible, security interventions. Prevention of collapse risk, repair of broken masonry; Stabilisation of break-up No II at level 234° at level -VII; —VII. Rákóczi storage and side reservoir closure, transporting the deposits in the reservoirs to the surface. The provision of artificial cavities in Estramos directly contributes to the safe access to protected and specially protected caves and makes the artificial mining cavities created during the former mining process available in a safe manner. At present, these inanimate natural values cannot be approached at all, or can only be reached through life-threatening collapses, which can be completely closed and destroyed by further disintegration. Several sections of caves between levels VI to IV can be found in life-threatening decay, and there are fears of significant natural damage to the cave. The caves are covered with extremely vulnerable formations, so even the operator can only move in with damage, and the construction of these caves prevents the further generation of these treading and breaking damages from the point of view of protection. In the course of the intervention, we only plan to provide and build the most dangerous sites at present, which is not for tourist, demonstration purposes, but for safe and unharmed access by the operator. 2. The front of the METOR-BARLANG is heavily filled, and the entrance to the cave is often difficult to open from the mud on me, many times during the winter season it is not open at all. The organisation of the foreground of the cave is the basis for safe entry and exit. The rope and its mooring points in the Titans Hall are damaged and are in a life-threatening condition at several points — it is absolutely necessary to replace them, since if the designation disappears, the proliferation of tread damage can cause endless damage. The mooring points of ladders installed in mine systems are also in a life-threatening condition and must be reconstructed. 3. It is appropriate to replace the entrance door at the BÉKE Cave, it is significantly corroded and not bat friendly. In the sanatorium siphon, water drainage and free ventilation have to be solved, as the siphon is closed for a long time, even for one and a half years, due to the rainy period of recent years. The clogged Discovery entrance also changed the cave’s normal air exchange, so a significant amount of CO2 enrichment can be observed in the cave, up to 3-3.5 %. 4. Baradla-BARLANG’s current door locks are ageing, and within the framework of the project we wish to replace these locks. There are several artificial facilities in the cave (e.g.: walls, dams and bridges covering a former luminaire, which are not in use, are timely and necessary to dismantle. The ladders in the radishes branch are corroded, during the project they are replaced with stainless steel. 5. The closure of the Baradla-tetői-zsomboly and HOSSZÚ-ALSÓ-BARLANG is damaged, old-aged, and within the framework of the project we will refurbish the closures, which will be modern, modern bat-friendly design. 6. Installation of the entrance of the sinkhole No. 2 KOPASZGALLY-OLDALI into the landscape and bat-friendly reconstruction. Replacement of ladders in the cave with stainless steel. 7. The entrance to the PÓCSAKŐI sink is blocked, currently the cave is not accessible to the nature conservation manager, the excavation and securing of the entrance section allows access to the cave and the establishment of bats.

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