Over the last decade, a knowledge base has been
built up worldwide in relation to geological heritage and
geodiversity, and respective working methodologies.
However, the absence of knowledge and technical information
by the local, regional and national authorities about
geosites makes it difficult to create appropriate legislation
and to assure a good management. There is also a public
ignorance about geological processes and their relationship
to biodiversity, as well as their value as natural heritage.
This study focuses on the Autonomous Community of
Galicia (NW Spain), specifically the “Southern Coast” area
established in the Planning Programme for the Coast (POL)
and brings to light the importance of the Quaternary deposits
and associated landforms. The study concludes that
the Southern Coast should be recognized as an area-type
geosite. Taking into account the evaluation of their scientific
value, the landforms of Oia and San Xián are proposed as
geosites. Legal mechanisms of protection need to be
reinforced and new, more specific ones, developed in tandem
that make reference to the fact that these landforms
exemplify environmental records of the past. This area is
unique on a national level due to the scientific and educational
value of the deposits. Therefore, they should be
proposed to the Spanish Geological Survey (IGME) for
inclusion in the general list of geosites of the Spanish State.Manuela Costa-Casais is supported by the Research Programme "Isidro Parga Pondal 2007"-Xunta Galicia. This research was partially funded by Project 09SEC015606PR (2009-2012) "Xeoarqueolox a e reconstrucion paleoambiental. Metodolox a aplicada a contextos arqueoloxico-culturais"-"Geoarchaeology and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Methodology applied to cultural and archaeological contexts"-(Conseller a de Econom a e IndustriaXunta de Galicia) and by Portuguese National Funds through the FCT (Fundacao para a Cincia e a Tecnologia) under the project PEst-OE/CTE/UI0039/2011". This paper has been prepared in collaboration with Professor M. Isabel Caetano Alves, during post-doctoral research as "Parga Pondal" carried out by Manuela Costa-Casais at the Centre for Earth Sciences, University of Minho-Centre of Geology, University of Oporto. The authors are deeply grateful to Antonio Martnez Cortizas, the reviewers and the editor for their helpful comments and contributions to the manuscript
