Mladeč Caves - Protection and Research
CONSERVATION AND USE OF THE MLADEČ CAVES
Just like all caves in the CzechRepublic, the MladečCaves are strictly protected according to Act No. 114/1992 Coll., on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection. However, their protection was ensured earlier, on 31 December 1933 by the Decree of the Ministry of Education and National Enlightenment No. 143.547/33 (now as the TřesínNationalNaturalMonument). In 1993 the protection was extended to a larger area by declaration of the Třesín Natural Monument viaLaw No. 3/93 of the Administration of the Protected Landscape Area of Litovelské Pomoraví. The whole area is situated in the Protected Landscape Area Litovelské Pomoraví established by the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment No. 464/1990 in the year 1990. The caves are also a strictly protected cultural monument according to Act No. 20/1987 Coll., on State monument care. The superior national supervision of their technical state and safety of operation is also provided by the State Mining Administration according to Act No. 61/1988 Coll., on mining activities, explosives and the State Mining Administration.
Due to their extraordinary significance, since 1991 the Mladeč Caves together with other caves that are open to the public have been under the care of the state agency for nature conservation, now the Cave Administration of the Czech Republic. The caves are accessible by the public according to the defined conditions limiting the start and the end of the visiting season, and number and frequency of groups of visitors, so that the natural development of the cave system together with conditions of overwintering Chiropterans are preserved. The cave, of course, is also used for research and field trips. The underground spaces with their impressive atmosphere are occasionally available for vocal and chamber music concerts.
The unique cave system is a subject of interest of experts from various branches. The research and dating of cave sediments and sinters continues, the state and changes of the microclimate are monitored, together with the monitoring of population development of bats and horseshoe bats, and detailed biospeleological research of invertebrates is performed here. As was already mentioned, the significance of archaeological and paleontological research in particular is of world importance.
The caves are also a wintering site for several species of bats and horseshoe bats, numerically dominated by the Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and with the significant species Geoffroy's Bat (Myotis emarginatus) and Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentoni).