Geoheritage Values and Risk Assessment of Medova Cave in Urban Lviv (Ukraine)

Urban subterranean geosites are among the most fragile elements of geoheritage because limited underground space is highly sensitive to human-induced impacts. Medova Cave, situated within the city limits of Lviv (Western Ukraine), is a small multi-chamber karst cavity developed in Badenian Ratin limestones. For decades, it has been used for student training and casual public visits. Although the site holds a local protection status, ongoing visible deterioration indicates the absence of effective management. The main degrading factors include unregulated access, surface and subsurface vandalism, littering, occasional shelter use, and microclimatic disturbance linked to proximity to urban infrastructure.

This study presents a combined assessment of the geoheritage value and the current risk level of Medova Cave, focusing on the challenges of managing geodiversity within a large urban environment. The geoheritage appraisal follows the criteria proposed by Brilha (2015), including: • scientific value — a representative example of shallow karstification on the southwestern border of the East European Platform;
• educational value — long-term use as a natural field classroom in a major academic center; • cultural and historical relevance — documented public visitation since the pre-WWII period;
• representativeness — one of the very few urban caves in Western Ukraine;
• integrity — moderate and declining, but still allowing meaningful interpretation.

Risk was evaluated via a semi-quantitative matrix adapted from recent geomorphosite vulnerability research (e.g., Kubalíková, 2024). Intensity and likelihood were rated on a five-point scale for seven hazard groups: natural instability, mechanical damage, informal shelter use, unregulated visitation, microclimatic alterations, governance deficiencies, and surrounding urban pressures. The highest risk score is linked to governance deficiencies (R = 25), indicating that degradation results from the lack of management rather than isolated incidents. The next-highest risks are mechanical damage (R = 16) and unregulated visitation (R = 15). Natural and chemical impacts currently remain secondary but tend to increase as uncontrolled access persists.

The results demonstrate that Medova Cave is undergoing active, cumulative degradation, a pattern commonly observed at protected sites where no practical conservation measures are implemented. Despite this, the cave still preserves a level of scientific readability and educational usability, meaning that protective action can still reverse negative dynamics. Simple low-intervention measures — such as controlled entry, marked routes, informational signage, regular inspections, and partial buffering of surface impacts — could slow degradation while maintaining educational use.

Overall, the Medova Cave case underscores the importance of considering management effectiveness as a primary driver of risk in urban geoheritage. In underground environments within cities, degradation rarely stems from a single event; instead, it is the outcome of prolonged permissive access and absence of responsibility for site condition. Addressing this systemic factor is essential for conserving fragile subterranean geodiversity in expanding urban areas.