Geotourism and local development based on geological and mining sites utilization, zaruma-portovelo, Ecuador

This study offers a detailed assessment of the geosites and mining sites present in the Zaruma-Portovelo mining district (Ecuador) through their qualitative and quantitative assessment. It shows up the potentiality of this area taking advantage of its geological-mining heritage. The methodological process includes: (i) compilation and inventory of all the sites within the study area with particular geological or mining interest; (ii) preparation of reports and thematic cartography, (iii) assessment and classification of the elements of geological-mining interest; (iv) SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Strengths) matrix preparation seeking strategies to guarantee the viability of geotourism. A total of 16 sites of geological interest and 11 of mining interest were identified. The 77% of these sites was proved to be of high and very high interest in scientific terms. Likewise, their susceptibility to degradation assessed from their vulnerability and fragility was found to be high or very high in the 30% of the cases. As for the protection priority, all the studied sites obtained a medium-high result. Finally, the study based on the SWOT-TOWS revealed the possibility of applying action strategies in order to facilitate the compatibility of geotourism with the current productive activities, despite the difficult situation in the study area created by mining activities

Development of Ecotourism Products in Kilim Geopark Based On Tourist Perceptions

Tourism development in Kilim Geopark had a significant impact on the growth of local businesses and has indirectly increased the living standards of the local community. The sustainability of tourism products is crucial to increase the number of tourists in the future and to retain the status of the Geopark. This paper aims to identify the level of tourist satisfaction with the tourism products offered at Kilim Geopark in terms of natural attraction, services, facilities, and product prices. Moreover, this paper discusses the extent of eco-tourism product development in the Kilim Geopark and how to maintain the current level of tourist satisfaction. Based on 341 completed questionnaires, this study reveals that the majority of tourists are interested in new ecotourism products offered at Kilim Geopark. However, significant differences between the levels of satisfaction arise concerning tourism products. Non-Malaysian tourists are perceived to be more satisfied compared to Malaysian tourists based on certain products and selected services. As an emerging tourist attraction, several measures should be considered to improve the competitiveness while maintaining the future development of ecotourism products in Kilim Geopark

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NATURAL PROTECTED AREAS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

The habitats from Romania are characterized by a certain composition of flora and fauna, components of biogenesis and there are influenced by different climacteric and natural factors. The climacteric influences of the arid areas from the Easter part to the oceanic ones from the Western part of the country and also the climacteric influences between plain and mountain imposed by the altitude of the relief have determined the appearance of a high number of habitats. Another factor which determines the great variety of habitats in Romania is represented by the chemical compositions of the rocks above (ground, underground). From an administrative point of view most of the natural areas protected belong to the National Forest Authority-ROMSILVA, fact that has negative implications on the biodiversity of these areas. It can be remarked that there is a proper legislative background that covers the complex issues of the protected areas. Also, there are many provisions according to the European requests or which are the result of a series of agreements, treaties and international conventions that Romania joined.protected area, biodiversity, legislation, reservation of the biosphere, national park, natural park

Inventory and assessment of palaeontological sites in the Sousa basin (Paraíba, Brazil): Preliminary study to evaluate the potential of the area to become a geopark

Published online: 20 November 2015The Rio do Peixe rift basin developed during the Lower Cretaceous (Neocomian) and comprises the Sousa, Uiraúna-Brejo das Freiras, Pombal and Vertentes basins. In these basins, there is an abundant ichnofauna mainly composed of theropod, sauropod and ornithopod dinosaur track- ways that represent the palaeontological heritage of the region. As the majority of the fossiliferous areas are located in the Sousa basin, an inventory and assessment of the scientific, educational and touristic values, together with the vulnerability of 25 palaeontological sites, is here presented and discussed. The aims of the study are to guide the strategies of geoheritage protection in the Sousa basin and to evaluate the scientific potential of the area as a geopark. In general, the geosites of the Sousa basin have low scientific and touristic values, moderate educational value and high vulnerability. The fossiliferous areas are suffering from strong natural and anthropic threats and are at high risk of degradation. For these reasons, based on the quality of the palaeontological sites, the region currently has little potential to become a geopark.Thanks are due to Marcelo Bueno de Abreu and Gustavo Ferreira de Oliveira for their help in preparing the illustrations. This study was supported by CNPq, CAPES and FAPERJ.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inventory and quantitative assessment of geosites and geodiversity sites: a review

"Published online: 15 January 2015"The inventory and quantitative assessment of the most valuable occurrences of geodiversity are essential steps in any geoconservation strategy and in the establishment of priorities in site management. Despite the existence of many site inventories applied to different scales (countries, municipalities, parks, etc.), the criteria used for their selection are often unclear and poorly defined. This paper proposes a new approach to the concepts of geosite and geodiversity site and reviews the procedures used in the development of a systematic site inventory applied to different scales and values. Procedures to achieve a numerical evaluation of the value and degradation risk of sites are reviewed and new criteria are proposed. Finally, guidelines are presented, bearing in mind the preparation of effective geodiversity inventories, to support geoparks’ strategies. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding and use of the above-mentioned concepts, which are essential for the implementation of geoconservation actions worldwide.The author thanks Diamantino Pereira, Flavia Lima, and Paulo Pereira for fruitful discussions and insights; Teresa Mota for the English revision; and the reviewers for significant improvements of the first submitted version. This paper results of the research done at the University of Minho and at the Geology Centre of the University of Porto, partially founded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal), strategic project with reference PEst-OE/CTE/UI0039/2014

Geoconservation as an emerging geoscience

The main purpose of geoconservation is theconservation of geosites as basic units of the geological heritage through the implementation of specific inventory,evaluation, conservation, valuation and monitoring proce-dures. In this paper, geoconservation is characterised as anemergent geoscience within the Earth and Space Sciences where its scope and methods, as well as production andvalidation of knowledge can be recognised–thus definingBasic Geoconservation–, interrelations with other earth sciences can be established–thus supporting Applied Geo-conservation–, and Technical Applications of Geoconser-vation can be identified through the production of materials,methods and/or scientific services useful to society, namely geoeducation. Promoting scientific education relevant to sustainable development requires new educational approaches involving the Earth Sciences, namely through geoconservation, in order to provide citizens with tools toface environmental problems, such as those arising from the depletion of geological resources—which seriously threaten the geological heritage of the Earth—and the information,skills and will make forward-looking choices, like support-ing the legal protection of Natural Monuments and/or the implementation of geotourism (including geoparks).This work has been supported by the projects CGL2008-01273/BTE-MICIIN ("Registro Geologico de Ciclos Paleoambientales del Jurasico Medio en la Cordillera Iberica") and PTDC/CTE-GEX/64966/2006 ("Identification, characterisation and conservation of geological heritage: a geoconservation strategy for Portugal"). The authors are deeply grateful to the reviewers, namely to W. A. P. Wimbledon, for their helpful comments on the manuscript