THE CLASSICAL KARST GEOPARK

This special book, entitled „The Classical Karst geopark“, bears witness to a successful cross-border cooperation that will lead to the creation of a cross-border geopark in the Karst region. The publication is one of the results of the GeoKarst project, co-funded within the framework of the Interreg V-A Italy-Slovenia Cooperation Programme 2014-2020, while the contents produced by the Italian partners were financed by the Geological Survey of the Central Directorate for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (RAFVG). The idea of a cross-border geopark originated during the definition of the proposal of the strategic project KRAS-CARSO (Cross-border Cooperation Programme Slovenia-Italy 2007-2013) and proved to be most appropriate during its implementation. In fact, the feasibility Study on the creation of the geopark showed in technical, economic-managerial and participatory terms that the integration of the Karst area could be achieved through the creation of a cross-border geopark as a development tool for the sustainable use of resources and the well-being of the people living on the Karst Plateau. In 2015 and 2017, the 5 Slovenian and 12 Italian municipalities, which comprise the area concerned, decided to create a crossborder geopark, so that, since 2018, the Geological Survey of RAFVG (coordinator for the Italian part of the geopark) and the Municipality of Sežana (coordinator for the Slovenian part) have been intensively collaborating on the creation and management of the cross-border Karst geopark. The book describes all the main features of the Karst, which, as the “cradle” of karst studies, is of global significance from a culturalhistorical and scientific point of view. In the book you will note the frequent use of bilingual place-names and toponyms, this reflects the rich history of the area, which stands at the intersection of various cultures. Nowadays, the inhabitants of the Karst are mainly Slovenians and Italians. Slovenian language and culture in the Italian part of the Karst is covered by a law protecting the linguistic minority. Our sincere thanks go to all the contributors who have made this book possible.