Throughout historical periods, people have developed various practices for the comprehensive use of natural resources that can be utilized to meet the requirements of contemporary sustainable living. This traditional knowledge and the ways of life of ancestors are recognized as cultural heritage, which has become a driving force towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in accordance with the cultural and heritage strategies and conventions of the UNESCO. However, to integrate them meaningfully into future landscape development, many challenges must be addressed by different actors (experts, researchers, decision makers, civil society, etc.). The aim of this article is to critically reflect on the concept of using cultural heritage practices for community development through the presentation and analysis of case studies on the participatory management of the UNESCO Karst Biosphere Reserve (and Reka River Basin) of the Skocjan Caves Park Public Service Agency in Slovenia (Europe). The article first addresses theoretical issues related to understanding cultural heritage as an important element of the enhancement of the sustainable development. It then presents active work in the Skocjan Caves Park Public Service Agency with stakeholders and two case studies that show how local karst heritage can be used to address biodiversity loss, drinking water scarcity, and global warming. In the conclusion some steps towards designing activities aimed to address sustainable development goals based on cultural heritage and participatory approaches are proposed.
