The assessment of tourism potential is highly important for tourism development at the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, the first global geopark in Thailand. The objective of this research is to study tourism potential by using weighted equations to provide recommendations and management guidelines for tourism planning and development. A total of 28 UNESCO geological sites, including marine tourist destinations

The local and extra-regional (national and transnational) stones mainly used as building and ornamental materials in the historic centre of Urbino (UNESCO World Heritage List) were unravelled through a detailed geological and petrographic study. The types of building stones used in the past for the development of an urban centre were mostly affected by the availability of suitable geomaterials in the

Although Sri Lanka is known for its many geodiverse attractions, it has not fully recognized and capitalized on its potential to promote geotourism. This study evaluates the potential of two geotourism case study areas, Ussangoda and the Kudawella blowhole, in the southern part of the island which is well frequented by tourists. We provide a blueprint on how to assess the development potential of geotourism

The geological processes that provide building materials as well as the characterization of its lithotypes are commonly overlooked in what concerns the natural and cultural heritage of many historical buildings. The present paper focuses on the use of a particular limestone, the Liós, to build the National Palace of Ajuda located in Lisbon, Portugal. From a mere draft to a Royal residence since 1862

Geotourism as a tool for local and social development requires evaluating how geology is perceived by society and how the geology can contribute to solve society’s needs and perspectives. This research is the result of a survey undertaken in the “Litoral del Biobío” geopark project (Chile) from April to September 2019. This survey consists of over 400 people and is a direct geoturistic demoscopic study

Urban geoheritage is an important research theme, and new lines of evidence are necessary for its development. The small town of Kamennomostskiy located in southwestern Russia is crossed by lengthy outcrops of Tithonian variegated sedimentary rocks along the Belaya River and its right tributary. These rocks include red (iron rich) siltstones, dolomitic siltstones and dolomitic marlstones. They accumulated

A nearly complete, 3.5–4 km diameter, circular topographic high structure occurs as a solitary geomorphic high landform at Ramgarh village in Rajasthan State in north-central India, amidst vast agricultural plains. Known as the Ramgarh (impact) structure, this landform was first noticed in 1869. Although the possibility of its meteorite impact origin was mentioned as early as 1972, it was described

Mehrangarh ridge (MGR) of Jodhpur, situated in north western part of India, is endowed with wide variety of Georesource of volcanic rocks of Malani Igneous Suite (MIS) of Cryogenian age and overlying Jodhpur Group (JG) of Ediacaran age belonging to Marwar Supergroup (MSG). MIS is the third largest, felsic, anorogenic, and terrestrial volcanic province of the world that witnessed Pan African orogeny

Nature conservation largely focuses on biological assets, treating geodiversity as a minor concern. We formally define here cultural geology, cultural biology, and cultural taxonomy, as emerging scientific fields focused on assessing the impact of natural sciences and natural features in the culture. We propose them as fundamental tools for innovative geoconservation strategies, since their integrated

Building stone, its deposits, its extraction, and its use represents an element that may be considered a bridge between cultural and natural heritage of a given area. The research on building materials includes numerous aspects such as geological and geomorphological settings of the deposits, cultural aspects, overlaps with geoconservation efforts and urban geotourism development. The case study from

Jabal Sanam (hump mountain) is an isolated and elevated salt dome structure in the far southern part of Iraq. It is located 45 km south of Basrah City and approximately 7 km southwest of Safwan City at the Iraq–Kuwait border. This structure is a distinctive topographic phenomenon with a hill height of approximately 95 m (150 m) above sea level, and is the only high relief in the region. Although Jabal

Geoheritage studies periodically propose assessment methodologies addressed to quantify the value of sites of interests towards geoconservation and/or promotion. Loess outcrops in the Po Plain Loess basin (Northern Italy) represent potential geoheritage sites, allowing to reconstruct glacial and interglacial cycles, testifying evidence of paleoseismicity, and preserving traces of Palaeolithic human

Research related to geodiversity aim at valuing abiotic aspects as inseparable components of natural heritage and, thus, as well as biodiversity, must be understood and valued through the ordering of their use and geoconservation. Geodiversity studies are developed based on several approaches, from the broadest ones, which contemplate the measurement of abiotic elements fully, to those that assess

Mt. Nemrut (Nemrut volcano or caldera) is a quiescent Quaternary volcano situated in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) near the western shore of Lake Van. The onset of Nemrut volcanism comprised lava flows and the formation of peripheral silicic doming representing the pre-caldera stage. After the syn-caldera stage (caldera-forming), which entailed widespread pyroclastics, the post-caldera stage produced peralkaline-type

Khibiny mountains are the largest alkaline-rock intrusion of the Kola Peninsula located at its central part and having a considerable impact on local geology. Reaching a height of 1200 m above sea level at its top (the highest point of Kola Peninsula), Khibiny is constructing the regional landscape for tens of kilometers around. Alpine character of the mountains area is unparalleled to any other territories

Vine cultivation is strongly dependent on local terrain conditions, including geology, landforms and soils. This offers an opportunity to develop interpretation and geo-education that would holistically relate wine culture to abiotic environment. Wine-related cultural landscapes inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and those UNESCO Global Geoparks, where wine production is an important economic

The turbulent geological past of the southeastern part of Serbia, along with the influence of the Nišava River, has created a rich and complex geodiversity. However, the geotourism potential of this area remains fully unrevealed. This paper proposes an inventory of geosites in the Niš City area (southeast Serbia) and analyses them to reveal which geosite possesses the greatest geotourism potential

Geoconservation and geoethics are two emergent domains in geosciences. During the last decade, both topics have increasingly gained the attention of geoscientists and the society, but the main geoethical dilemmas related to the conservation and management of geoheritage are not clearly identified yet. This work aims at providing an overview on the meaning and scope of geoethics and how it intersects

Both worldwide and in Mexico, multiple regions with thermal springs exist and have played an integral role in culture and daily life in these civilizations since pre-Hispanic up to modern times. Thermal springs have become places of high cultural importance, and most of the times have been used for balneology or as baths of local people. Unfortunately, in Mexico a lack of knowledge about the possible

Although most work on geological heritage focuses on sites, geological objects, usually organized as collections, also belong to this heritage. Among paleontological collections, it is common to find sets of fossils gathered in historical times or by amateurs. In many cases, these fossils lack detailed information about their precise provenance, while others have been lost or forgotten for decades

Found in the Upper Jurassic outcrops of Lourinhã, Portugal, and first published in 1997, the Paimogo dinosaur egg clutch is one of Portugal’s most remarkable fossils, with over one hundred eggs preserved in association with embryonic bones, of the allosauroid theropod Lourinhanosaurus. However, many questions about it have remained unanswered, even until the present day. After its discovery, this extraordinary

This study aims to identify barriers to sustainable geotourism development in Iran with an economic view. On the national horizons of Iran in which development targets for 2025 are defined, Iran intends to become one of the major tourist destinations in the world, and it can make more worthwhile the importance of this research. Therefore, this research focuses on identifying the barriers to sustainable

The Huaynaputina volcano, southern Peru, was the site of the largest historical eruption (VEI 6) in the Andes in 1600 CE, which occurred during the historic transition between the Inca Empire and the Viceroyalty of Peru. This event had severe consequences in the Central Andes and a global climatic impact. Spanish chronicles reported that at least 15 villages or settlements existed around the volcano

The use of stone in traditional architecture represents one of the most relevant links between geological and cultural heritage. As a topic of general interest and easily understandable to all public, this link is a guiding thread for touristic routes mitigating the depopulation trend that affects large inland rural areas, including many areas in UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp). In the northwest of Spain

This article identifies, describes, and characterizes, based on the analysis of 20 geosites, the geological heritage of the Béjar and El Barco massifs. Using 22 characteristics, and weighting coefficients, these geosites were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed (representativeness, accessibility, etc.) and classified into different groups depending on their extension (area, location, and points

The Fruška Gora Mt., as a dominant orographic complex in the Pannonian plain, was selected for a pioneer geodiversity quantification study area due to its unique geology and soil properties. The methodology is based on the geodiversity quantification assessment approach of Serrano and Ruiz-Flaño (Geogr Helv 62:140–147, 2007). It employed a 500 × 500 m grid approach on several maps (lithological, geomorphological

The territory of the Araripe Geopark, located in Northeast Brazil, covers a wide range of aspects related to earth and life sciences, as well as other aspects in the socio-cultural sphere that result from a complex interaction linked to the geology of the region. A key element for this diversity is the paleontological heritage that exists in the area and which was one of the bases for the creation

Landforms are spaces for human life, habitats for animals and plants, and areas that provide various ecological services. However, human development has undermined landform where it should be kept as an important human asset. In South Korea, to reduce this damage, a system was created to evaluate the conservation value of landforms, and either designate them as conservation areas or obtain permission

The Morphoclimatic Domain of Cerrado is located in the Brazilian territory, and it is a central area of great importance for the ecological scenario of Brazil. This area has undergone strong anthropic pressure in the last 60 years, especially due to the expansion of agribusiness—a warning sign for the conservation of its natural resources. Studies on geodiversity and biodiversity have sought to contribute

Songam Cave, a magnificent dolomite cave in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—is also known as “A Splendid Flower Cave”—is regarded as one of the renowned natural tourist attractions with a great number of beautiful and complicated aragonitic anthodites in different forms and shapes, together with diversified underground karst features (stalactite, stalagmite, limestone columns, flowstone,

Weathering represents severe destruction to outdoor cultural rock heritages. In the process, biological weathering caused by microorganisms is known to be the key process. With abundantly available nutrients and a suitable climate, there is a higher abundance and diversity of microorganisms in moss and lichen biocrusts than on bare rock surfaces. However, few studies have been conducted on weathering

The ‘Alwar Quartzite’ has been extensively used in several stone-built monuments in Delhi (capital city of India) and states of North India. Several monuments of Delhi in particular, built during the ‘pre-Sultanate period’ (eleventh century or earlier) to the British Raj in the late nineteenth century, have extensively utilised the Alwar Quartzite as the main building material. The use of the Alwar

The Golden Triangle economic zone of eastern Egypt stretching between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea coast is a historical mining area, which is vast and rich in geology. Although none single study can comprehend the entire geoheritage of this area, field investigations and literature analysis permit to identify the eight most notable localities, which are interpreted as geosites (Sukari gold mines

Cuenca, a small city with a rich historical and palaeontological heritage, is the ideal location to explore how the scientific knowledge of its inhabitants has changed over the years. In 2010 and 2019, two surveys were conducted on the streets of Cuenca to characterise their scientific profiles and how they perceive heritage outreach initiatives in palaeontology (i.e. visits and non-formal education

In this paper, we report on the first project on the promotion of urban geoheritage in Cagliari, the capital of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy). We briefly address the history of geo-palaeontological research in the city area and outline the main phases of development in the history of Cagliari’s geo-palaeontological museum. Geotourism is an efficient method of bringing geosciences to a wider

UNESCO Global Geoparks are areas of international geological significance, high ecological value and rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage, whose characteristics are key elements for the sustainable economic development of local communities and well-being of local residents. The mission of a Geopark is to protect and conserve the integrity of the geological heritage sites located within its

Both Savai’i Island and Upolu Island of Samoa are home to numerous potential geosites that could form the basis of geopark projects at a range of scales from local, regional, or global. During the Samoa Geoparks Project Phase 1, intensive research identified Samoa’s geoheritage values, resulting in the selection of the island of Savai’i as a location for development of geosite inventories, using a

Formal education is an important element of geoconservation actions since it can be a valuable tool to produce meaningful learning. The aim of this study is to present the development of a school project called “The Guardians of Dinosaurs”, which was addressed as a geoconservation instrument of paleontological heritage in the city of Uberaba (Minas Gerais, Brazil). For that study, sixth-grade students

This work aims to inventory and quantify the geoheritage of the municipalities of Juazeiro do Piauí, Novo Santo Antônio, São João da Serra, and Sigefredo Pacheco, in Piauí State, Brazil. Guided by adapted forms from Pereira (2006) and Oliveira (2015), 6 geosites and 30 geomorphosites were inventoried and quantified. Obtaining 37 points in the final ranking, Cachoeira do Rosário geomorphosite was considered

The concept of geoheritage is related to places of geological interest, generally of aesthetic, cultural, socio-economic and/or scientific value. Many geosites are of karstic nature, because of their intrinsic beauty, their singularity and high geodiversity. Caves are among the most visited and economically exploited geological landforms. They constitute geosites as a whole, with their scenic landscapes

The development and implementation of appropriate geotourism resources (e.g., field guidebooks, websites, trails, leaflets, and interpretative panels) are technical applications of major importance in geoconservation that highlight the social importance of this emerging geoscience. Scientific research, training, and recreation are activities which are often developed in territories with a geoheritage

Geological resources are basic elements that have shaped both the course of human history and characteristics of human society. Protection of their imprint on our landscapes underlies the field of nature conservation known as geoconservation. Explicitly from 1991—when the term “geoheritage” was used at the First International Symposium on the Conservation of our Geological Heritage—a large body of

The Podrinje-Valjevo Mountains (located in Western Serbia) constitute the longest mountain range in Serbia and possess numerous and diverse geo-heritage sites. In prior research, this region has been poorly investigated in terms of evaluating its geo-sites for geo-tourism potential. The aim of this paper is to evaluate and compare protected geo-sites in the Podrinje-Valjevo Mountains in order to determine

Geotourism is a niche form of sustainable tourism that focuses on the geological and geomorphological features of an area, and the associated culture and biodiversity. Geosites are important resources for geotourism development. The eastern and southeastern Lake Tana region in Ethiopia has several geosites with a potential for geotourism development. Despite the diversity of potential geosites and

The characterisation of geoheritage and the understanding of the physical and socio-cultural features of a territory are essential to achieve the major geoconservation goals: protection and sustainable use of exceptional elements of geodiversity. This research was done in the Sertão Central, an economic vulnerable area in the hinterland of northeast Brazil, remarked by the Caatinga Biome and a rocky

In this work, we present RecoStones, a software tool developed within the SILPI project (acronym of “Sistema per l’Identificazione di Lapidei Per Immagini”) and financed by POR Calabria FESR-FSE 2014–2020. RecoStones is a smartphone app able to classify stone materials and to determine their provenance through image recognition techniques. The app was developed using a set of stone materials sampled

Mining cultural monuments are very popular in the Czech Republic, and after the period of the mining activity reduction in the 1990s, when tens of mines were permanently closed, mining monuments are the last witnesses to mining activities in the areas. These are monuments of types of mine buildings, mining towers, and galleries. However, a monument that is beyond this list is the Žebračka Mine—a local

A comprehensive understanding of geomorphodiversity and geomorphological heritage is crucial for their use, conservation, and management. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the geomorphodiversity and geomorphological heritage in an integrated approach for the management of Damavand volcano and its surroundings. Damavand is the highest mountain in Iran and the highest volcano in Asia. In this research

Holistic interpretation of Earth heritage is one of the most important tasks of UNESCO Global geoparks. The ABC (abiotic, biotic, and cultural interconnections) concept is a potential interpretive approach used in Earth heritage popularization through geotourism. Apart of the deeper understanding of this concept, this study explores the application of this concept in selected geoparks. The Colca and

The northern part of the Middle Atlas is the most deformed of the chain. Made up of essential carbonate and marly outcrops of Jurassic, it shelters a particular karstic richness. Its integration into the Moroccan geoheritage is amply justified by its diversity, its typicity, and its exceptional extent. Indeed, its exokarstic forms cover 30% of its surface and its endokarst includes, to date, more than

The small stalactites found on the ceiling at level I near the Sutoris shaft in the thirteenth-century historic salt mine in Bochnia, Poland, are mainly composed of mirabilite (Na2SO4·10H2O) followed by blödite (Na2Mg(SO4)2·4H2O). The unique presence of these two minerals in only one location in this old underground mine is attributed to contemporary precipitation from percolating solutions. This can

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-021-00556-w

Geosite and geodiversity site inventories are among the most important means of geological diversity conservation and promotion. However, there are other in situ geological features that have significant educational potential and are not included in many inventories, namely, localities of widespread rock types, common minerals and fossil-bearing strata. In this paper, a broad utilisation of these petrographic

This paper introduces newly published guidelines on geoheritage conservation in protected and conserved areas within the “IUCN WCPA Best Practice Guidelines” series. It explains the need for the guidelines and outlines the ethical basis of geoheritage values and geoconservation principles as the fundamental framework within which to advance geoheritage conservation. Best practice in establishing and

The Salt Range, Pakistan exhibits the most complete record of sedimentary successions, ranging from Precambrian to Quaternary period and acts as a natural field museum for geologists. Unfortunately, the lack of responsiveness among population and geo heritage managing institutions in Pakistan, this beautiful and valuable museum is excavated for construction purposes. Based on the preliminary geo heritage

One of the most significant ferruginous geosystems in Brazil and worldwide is the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, located in Minas Gerais, in its southeastern part. Its economic importance imposes intense pressure on unique environmental attributes, such as rare species of flora and fauna, speleological sites, scenic beauty, water resources, geological outcrops and fossils. To protect one of the few remnants

The late Middle Pleistocene ichnosite of Funtana Morimenta (Gonnesa, Italy) provides a relevant scientific and didactic interest. In this site, tracks of megacerine deer and dwarf mammoths of the Ice Age are well-preserved and visible in situ. The geosite has also historic importance, and it has been mentioned since the beginning of the nineteenth century for the sedimentological features and its palaeontological

The application of analysis techniques such as DTM-LIDAR and the photo interpretation in the Roman gold mine study ‘Las Miédolas’ has allowed a precise comprehension of its hydraulic supply network, which amounts to 80-km channels. Also, mining works evolution, and it assessed auriferous ore deposit volume. Topographic precision that provides DTM-LIDAR to describe structures in detail, allowing to

Myths and legends related to geological phenomena or stunning landscapes are common in the cross-border Ardennes Massif. They represent an important intangible geo-cultural heritage. Those legends add an extra dimension to the holistic experience of geoheritage in the western part of the Variscan Rhenish massif, which is also world famous for its International Union of Geological Sciences–acknowledged

The City Council of Segovia, as part of the Second Environmental Education Strategy of the Autonomous Region of Castile & Leon (Spain), together with the Geological Survey of Spain (Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, IGME), has developed a research project to implement the management of urban geoheritage in the Department of the Environment, with the integration of other council departments. Top