Moravian Karst UNESCO bid criticized by former official

Leoš Štefka, the former long-term head of the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area (1980–2020), has criticized the Czech Ministry of the Environment's proposal to list the Punkevní and Kateřinská caves as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Štefka argues that these locations, along with the Macocha Abyss, do not reach the unique global value of existing UNESCO karst sites, such as the Škocjan Caves in Slovenia. He claims the official documentation submitted to UNESCO misrepresents the reality of the area, specifically regarding the impact of tourism and historical human interventions.

According to Štefka, past mass tourism has already damaged stalactite formations, and historical blasting for underground boating has irreversibly affected the hydrology of the Punkevní Caves. He warns that the primary motivation for the UNESCO bid appears to be increasing visitor numbers, which he believes poses significant risks to nature conservation and could lead to conflicts with local residents.