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The caves and related conduits of karst aquifers offer essentially no filtration of pollutants. Karst aquifers are the most complex, least understood, most difficult to model, and most easy to contaminate water supplies. They are often able to rapidly transmit pathogens and chemicals tens of kilometers undetected to vital human and ecological water sources. As often hidden features and landscapes, caves and karst are generally poorly understood. Few scientists and natural resource managers are adequately trained to properly study or manage them. Many governments do not recognize caves and karst at all, or fail to recognize their importance.

„Explore, understand and protect“
is the main goal of the International Year of
Caves and Karst.
With your help, we seek to:

• improve public understanding of how caves and karst touch the daily lives of billions of people
• promote the importance of caves and karst through sustainable development, particularly in water quality and quantity, agriculture, geotourism/ecotourism, and natural/cultural heritage
• demonstrate how the study and proper management of caves and karst is critical to global economic and environmental health
• build worldwide educational capacity through activities targeted on cave and karst science
• promote awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of cave and karst science and management, and emphasize how interactions between different areas of science and management will be needed increasingly in future research, education, and environmental protection
• establish durable partnerships to ensure that these activities, goals and achievements continue in the future beyond the International Year of Caves and Karst.