EGN Magazine Issue 12

8/17/2019 EGN Magazine Issue 12

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Geoparks:

Live the experience

European Geoparks Magazine ● Issue 12


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EuropeanGeoparks Network MagazineIssue No 12 / 2015

Published by:Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petri ed

Forest on behalf of the European GeoparksNetwork

Executive editor: Nickolas Zouros

Publication Editor: Tony Ramsay

Editorial board:Heinz Kollmann, Tony Ramsay, Jutta Weber,

Nickolas Zouros

Contributors:Jutta Weber, Gabi Dewald, Zhu DongE, Carldos

Neto de Carvalho, Kejian Xu, Guosheng Yu,Sebastian Voigt, Lorenzo Marchetti, Hans Peter

Schönlaub, Gerlinde Krawanja-Ortner, AsierHilario, Leire Barriuso, Miren Mendia Aranguren,

Dr. Dana Pietsch, Julia Franzen, Dr. EamonDoyle, Heinz Kollman, Irmgard Auer, Pablo

Rivas Palomo, Carmen Fernández Peña, VíctorVargas Escudero, Alberto Gil Toja, Timo Kluttig,Alessia Amor ni, Antonio Bartelletti, GuiseppeOttria, Emanuele Guazzi, Silvia Ravani, Mauriio

Burlando, Lourdes Guerra González, Alicia SernaBarquero, Alessandra Casini, Armado Costantini,Giancarlo Pagani, Georgia Kanellopoulou, Aris-

Dimitris Leontaritis, Ana Jesus, Bonina Brandão,Urtelinda Ramos, Peter Samsom, SteingerðurHreinsdóttir, Sigurður Sigursveinsson, Mike

Goodwin, Pål Thjømøe, Sara Gentilini, Dipl.-Geogr.Nancy Sauer, M.A. Corinna Rudolf, AlessandraMagagna, Marco Giardino, Edoardo Dellarole,Melanie Border, José M. Barrera, Javier López,Juan Gil, K. Mpentana, N. Zouros, Tina Keating,

Mikko Kiuttu, Maria Kamilari, Eleni Koumoutsou,Gregoris Iatrou, Anchel Belmonte Ribas, Ana Ruiz

Conde, Anna Knauer, Aniello Aloia, Angelo DeVita, Domenico Guida, Arnaldo Iudici, Jutta Weber,Marie-Luise Frey, Verónica Montero, Joan Poch,Horst Ibetsberger, Nina Lemkow, Sílvia Marcos,

Ana Lima.

Editing: Tony Ramsay

Publication manager: Ch. Paraskevaidis

Print: Epikinonia Aigaiou S.A

Cover photo: Rokua Geopark, Kuosto Island inthe Lake Oulujärvi, the Gneiss bedrock is about 2,7billion years old and belongs to the oldest bedrock

zone in the EU. Photographer: Markus Sirkka

Copyright: The magazine and all the contributionsand illustrations contained therein are protected bycopyright. No part of this magazine may be copiedor reproduced without the written approval of thepublishers. This also includes commercial repro-duction as an electronic data base and copying oncd rom. © 2015

201530 March – 1 April 2015: 35 th European Geoparks MeetingParis- UNESCO Headquarters

May –June 2015: European Geoparks Week 2015

10 - 14 June 2015: 7th Workshop of the Italian GeoparksRethink of the Planet Earth - experience ofcommunication and promotion of the geo-environmental valuesSesia - Val Grande Geopark

23 June – 3 July 2015: International Intensive Course on GeoparksLesvos island Geopark – Greece

3-6 September 2015: 13th European Geoparks Conference Rokua Geopark – Finland

16-20 September 2015:4th Asian - Paci c Geoparks ConferenceSan’in - Kaigan Geopark - Japan

November 2015:UNESCO General ConferenceParis- UNESCO Headquarters

2016March 2016:37 th European Geoparks MeetingBasque Coast Geopark – Spain

1-12 June 2016:International Intensive Course on GeoparksLesvos island Geopark – Greece

September 2016:7th International UNESCO Conference on GeoparksEnglish Riviera Geopark - UK

2017March 2017:39 th European Geoparks MeetingBurren and Cli s of Moher Geopark, Ireland

THE EUROPEAN GEOPARKSNETWORK www.europeangeoparks.org


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Magazine 12 provides an overview of activ-ities and achievements in the EuropeanGeoparks Network (EGN) during 2014. Theseinclude the report of the 34th EGN Coordina-

tion Committee meeting hosted by GeoparkHarz Braunschweigerland Ostfalen; celebrat-ing European Geoparks Week; the highly suc-cessful 6th International UNESCO Conferenceon Geoparks (Canada); the creation of theGlobal Geoparks Association and progressin discussions between the Global GeoparksNetwork and UNESCO to develop a UNESCOGlobal Geoparks Initiative. In 2014 the EGN in-creased to 64 members with the addition ofthe following new Geoparks: Molina Alto TajoGeopark (Spain), El Hierro Geopark (Spain),Monts d’Ardèche Geopark (France), Ore of the

Alps Geopark, Odsherred Geopark (Denmark)and Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark (Portugal).

The 6th International UNESCO Confer-ence, hosted by Stonehammer Geopark, NewBrunswick, Canada focussed on seven themes:Geoparks and the sustainable use of natural re -sources; Engaging communities; Education andInterpretation in geoparks; Aspiring geoparks;Mature Geoparks; UNESCO collaboration andIntangible cultural heritage. The conference,attended by 480 delegates from 32 countries,adopted the Stonehammer Declaration.

In this issue, 34 articles explain how Europe-an geoparks contribute to conservation, edu-cation and promoting sustainable developmentthrough geotourism. They demonstrate howsharing information and working with commu-nities, businesses and educational establish-ments safeguards sustainable developmentin geoparks. Bakony –Balaton and SobrarbeGeoparks train guides to use the geologicalheritage as an economic resource. The Nation-al Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni– Geopark encourages young people to man-age its geoheritage. The importance of geo -

topes and geosites is emphasized in contribu-tions from the Basque Coast, Eisenwurzen andSwabian Alb Geoparks. Vulkan Eifel Geoparkrestored the Trautzberg Maar to create a newgeotope. The design and maintenance of geo -trails enhances geotourism in all parks. BeiguaGeopark links sport and geoheritage alongsome of its trails. The Tuscan Mining Park’s

geotrail highlights the territory’s long historyof silver mining. Vikos-Aoos Geopark presentsnine new geotrails leading to karstic featuresin its landscape. Sierras Subbeticas Natu-

ral Park developed the “Cabra, Jurassic City”,urban geological trail, while North PenninesAONB restored a shelter on the Iconic PenninesWay Trail. The Apuan Alps Geopark produced anew Hiking and Geotourist Map. Tourism provi-sion also involves developing interpretive exhi-bitions and information centres; Sierra Nortede Sevilla Natural Park and TERRAvita NaturPark present examples of these activities.

All geoparks engage in formal and informaleducation projects. Rokua Geopark has cre-ated geopark schools in Finland. The 20 mil-lion year old fossilized ecosystem in LesvosGeopark is the focus for an educational pro-gramme. The English Riviera and Sesia–ValGrande Geopark’s are involved in partnershipsinvolving student exchange programmes.Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark is improvingits educational resources; Chelmos VouraikosGeopark increases its visibility through edu-cational and networking activities. The contri-butions from Geo-Naturpark Bergstrasse Od-enwald, Naturtejo Geopark and Muskau ArchGeopark emphasize the importance of inter-national collaboration. Examples of engagingwith communities and businesses are present-ed in contributions from Arouca, Burren, Katlaand Magma Geoparks.

The sustainable development of geoparksis also dependant on research and new ini-tiatives. Carnic Alps Geopark highlights howpalaeontological research contributes to theGeopark’s resources. Cabo de Gata Geoparkseeks to link its communities through an in-tangible heritage project. The North WestHighland Geopark proposes a social enterprisemodel to create revenue streams and ensure

nancial security. The contributions by El Hi-erro, Ore of the Alps, Odsherred and Terras deCavaleiros geoparks raise awareness of thecontributions that these new Geoparks canmake to the development of the EGN and GGN.

Tony Ramsay

Member of the Editorial Board


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02 Calendar

05 Global Geoparks Network: From a voluntaryNetwork to an International Non-pro tAssociation

07 6th International UNESCO Conference onGlobal Geoparks

10 EGN 34 CC MEETING. European Geoparksvisiting the Geopark Harz • BraunschweigerLand • Ostfalen

12 ΕGN WEEKThe European Geoparks Week 2014 : Not justa series of guided walks – seeking new waysof promoting our heritage

GLOBALGEOPARKS

16 The Intercultural Peony Project - a oweras a natural and cultural bridge betweencontinents - Global Geoparks Mt. Lushan (PR

China), Bergstrasse-Odenwald, WHS LorschAbbey and City of Lorsch (Germany)

17 Naturtejo and Tianzhushan Global Geoparksin an international project for interpretinggeological heritage

GEOCONSERVATION18 Pre-dinosaur tetrapod footprints as a newasset of the Geopark Carnic Alps19 Inventory of geosites: a basic tool formanaging geological heritage in Basque

Country Geopark

20Geotope protection in the GeoPark Swabian

Alb

21 Recovery of an ancient maar lake inVulkaneifel Geopark22 A community-initiated groundwater tracingproject in the Burren and Cli s of Moher

Geopark, County Clare, Ireland.

23 Spectacular Geotopes in GeoparkEisenwurzen24 “That was life” (As Í era la vida)An intangible heritage project in Cabo de

Gata Nijar Geopark

INTERPRETATION -MUSEUM

25 The new interpretive exhibition at theInformation Centre of Cerro del HierroNatural Monument, Sierra Norte de SevillaGeopark

26 Ice age sharks ? A Shark Information Centrein an unusual locationGEOTOURISM

27 The Hiking and Geotourist Map of the ApuanAlps: A new tool to get to know the Geopark

28 The European Geoparks Network today30 Developing outdoor sports to enhance thegeological heritage in Beigua Geopark31 Cabra, Jurassic City Sierras

32 Searching for the medieval miners in theTuscan Mining Geopark

33 Geotrails to the karstic geoforms of AstrakaPlateau in Vikos-Aoos Geopark34 Nature Rhythms and Producing Art in AroucaGeopark - Portugal35 North Pennines AONB and Global Geopark:A historic shelter restored to celebrate the

anniversary of an iconic trail.

SUSTEINABLEDEVELOPMENT

36 Katla Geopark – Isolation Sparks Innovation

37 Could Social Enterprise be the future forGeoparks?38 Magma Geopark Engages with Communitiesby developing local menus: the GEOfood

project

GEO EDUCATION

39First International Geopark Camp “Art MeetsGeology” Is Over! - Muskau Arch Geopark

40 EduGeoPark Research: An innovative studentexchange partnership between Sesia ValGrande and Rokua Geoparks

41 Geopark EU project widens horizons foryoung people across Europe, English RivieraGlobal Geopark - UK

42 Improving teaching resources in Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark.43 Lesvos Geopark: The island of naturalwonders and culture : 300 million years in 96

kilometers!

44 Copper Coast Geopark: Archaeology fromAbove & Below45 Rokua Geopark initiated the rst Geoparkschools in Finland46 Educational, research and networkingactivities in Chelmos – Vouraikos Geopark

COURSES47 Training course for Geological HeritageGuides in Sobrarbe: A tool to create new

employment in a Geopark

48 Opening the geological treasure chest ofBakony–Balaton Geopark49 Local Geopark Care Takers: a fruitfulexperience at Veneris Hair Geosite (Casaletto

Spartano, Eastern Bussento River Landscape)in Cilento and Vallo Diano Geopark

NEWORKING50 Cooperation between Global GeoparkBergstrasse-Odenwald and WHS Messel Pit

(Germany): geo-education, geo-products,geo-communication and geo-tourism

NEW GEOPARKS

51El Hierro, the Island of 1,000 volcanoes. The

rst Geopark in the Canary Archipelago

52 “Copper so close to the heavens” - Ore of theAlps Geopark53 Geopark Odsherred – the rst Global Geoparkin Denmark54 Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark


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The GGN was founded in 2004 as an inter-national partnership under the umbrella ofUNESCO. It ,serves to develop models of bestpractice and establish quality-standards forterritories that integrate the protection andpreservation of Earth heritage sites within astrategy for regional sustainable economicdevelopment. By 2014 the GGN expanded toinclude 111 members in 32 countries on 5 con-tinents.

Over recent years there have been increas-ingly detailed discussions within the Global

Geoparks Network (GGN) and its regionalGeopark Networks (EGN, APGN) on formalizingthe link between the Global Geoparks Networkand UNESCO hrough the creation of UNESCOGlobal Geoparks. In order to ensure that theGGN will continue to play a key role in the pro-posed new UNESCO Global Geoparks, the GGNmust obtain “legal character” so that it cansign a memorandum of understanding withUNESCO.

The GGN Bureau, the governing body ofthe GGN, discussed, in an extraordinary meet-ing held on Lesvos Island in 25 June 2014, the

latest developments in establishing UNESCOGlobal Geoparks. The Bureau debated the prob-lems, strengths, weakneses, threats and op -portunities for consideration in the concluding

negotiations of the UNESCO Working Group onGeoparks. The purpose of these negotiationswas to nalize the UNESCO Global Geoparksdocuments, e.g. operational guidelines, nanc-ing UNESCO Global Geoparks, the GGN legalstatus, the evaluation of applications in casesof territorial disputes and other open issues.

The GGN Bureau recognized that the estab-lishment of a legal entity for the GGN is neces-sary for various reasons:• The representation of the GGN in the new

UNESCO Global Geoparks coordination and

decision making bodies (UNESCO GlobalGeoparks Council and Bureau) and the pro-posal of the 12 members in the UNESCOGlobal Geoparks Council.

• The establishment of a roster of Geopark eval-uators and the evaluation and revalidationprocedure for the UNESCO Global Geoparks.

• The mechanism for collecting the nancialcontribution to UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The GGN Bureau examined di erent modelsfor establishing an Association and concludedunanimously that the model that best coincides

with and covers the legal status of the existingGlobal Geoparks as well as the legal status forsimilar global institutions, is the InternationalCouncil of Museums’ model (ICOM). The ICOM

Global Geoparks Network:

From a voluntary Network to anInternational Non-pro t Association

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Global Geoparks NetworkInternational Associaton on Geoparks

Web: globalgeoparksnetwork.org Email: [email protected]


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has members in almost all UNESCO membercountries and has a privileged relationship withUNESCO.

The GGN Bureau discussed and agreed thestatutes of the Association which are based onthe existing GGN Operational Guidelines and

used the ICOM model for a Non-pro t Inter-national Association according to French law.The GGN Association o ce will be at the HauteProvence Geopark in France. The membershipfee for each Global Geopark was also agreed.

The o cial documents for the establish -ment of the Association were distributed toall Geoparks for approval at the GGN GeneralAssembly held in Canada during the 6th Inter-national Conference on Geoparks.The foundingExecutive Board of the Global Geopark Network(GGN) Association, elected by the GGN Bureau,concluded the necessary legal procedures in or-der for the GGN Association to have legal sta-tus, based on:a. The decision of the GGN Bureau.b. The o cial letters of the Managing Author-

ity from the broad majority of the GlobalGeoparks expressing their agreement to GGNBureau decisions.

c. The decision of the GGN - General Assem-bly in Canada on 19 September 2014, whounanimously endorsed the decisions of theGGN Bureau to transfer the GGN status froma Voluntary Network to an International Non-

pro t Association according to French law, aswell as the endorsement of the GGN Associa-tion statutes and the approval of an annual

nancial contribution to UNESCO of not lessthat $1000 USD per Global Geopark.The Global Geopark Network Associa-

tion status has been recognized according toFrench law and became a legal entity in Sep-tember 2014.

All information regarding the statutes andthe operation procedures can be found at www.globalgeoparksnetwork.org

Following the decisions of the GGN General

Assembly, the GGN Association Executive Boarddecided to include, as institutional members ofthe Association, all Global Geoparks who ex-pressed by o cial letter their agreement to theGGN Association statutes and annual member-ship fee.

The GGN Executive Board also agreed the cri-teria and procedures for enrolment of the GGNIndividual Members (Geopark professionals).

All information can be found at the Associa-tion web site www.globalgeoparksnetwork.org

Following the establishment of the GGN As-sociation, and during the 7th UNESCO WorkingGroup on Geoparks, the GGN representativescontributed to the creation of the InternationalGeosciences and Geoparks Programme, whichincludes two sub-programmes, the Internation-

al Geosciences Programme (a joint programmebetween UNESCO and IUGS) and the UNESCOGlobal Geoparks (a joint programme betweenUNESCO and the GGN).

The documents approved were:1. The IGGP statutes.2. The UNESCO Geoparks operational guide-

lines.The WG’s proposal to the UNESCO Executive

Board concerning the establishment of the newIGGP and the UNESCO Global Geoparks, wasalso discussed. This document presents, amongothers, the economic impact of the GlobalGeoparks activities based on the document ofthe GGN’s total budget for 2014 prepared bythe GGN. This document also includes the pro-posal for the transition of the current membersof GGN. to the UNESCO Global Geoparks. TheseGeoparks will automatically become UNESCOGlobal Geoparks subject to a letter of approvalfrom each country’s National Commission forUNESCO or from a relevant Government bodyin charge of relations with UNESCO.

Thus the GGN Association becomes a key theUNESCO Global Geoparks and will continue itscurrent role in developing Geoparks across theglobe.

Now we are faced by the remaining two nalstages in order to conclude successfully this ad-venture which started before the UNESCO 35th General Conference in 2009. These remaining

stages include the decision of the UNESCO Ex-ecutive Board in April 2015 and the endorse-ment of this decision during the 38th GeneralConference of UNESCO in November 2015.

MagmaGeopark


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S tonehammer Geopark, welcomed 480 par-ticipants from 32 countries in the Saint John region of Canada at the 6th InternationalUNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks from18th to 22th September 2014.As North America’s frst Global Geopark, Stone-hammer Geopark is located in Southern NewBrunswick on the East Coast of Canada. Stone-hammer Geopark is a geological park whereyou can experience a billion years of Earth’s

history. The landscape has been created by thecollision of continents, the closing and open-ing of oceans, volcanoes, earthquakes, ice agesand climate change. The rocks in the Stone-hammer Geopark have been witness to theevolution of life, including the rst discoveryof Precambrian stromatolite fossils, the ‘Cam-brian Explosion’ of life, the evolution of verte-brates and the emergence of life on land. TheGeopark includes geological stories from thelate Precambrian time, a billion years ago, tothe most recent Ice Age, and almost everythingbetween. Stonehammer Geopark incorporatesmore than 60 signi cant geological and fossilsites, including more than 10 publicly acces-sible sites. Stonehammer is a community-sup-ported organization comprised of site owners,tourism operators, members of the communityand other stakeholders. The Geopark encom-passes 2500 square kilometres and extends

from Lepreau Falls to Norton and from theFundy Trail to the Kingston Peninsula.The overall theme for the conference focusedon Connecting . Geoparks are concerned withConnecting people to the Earth in a way thatis meaningful to them and the conference en -gaged in Connecting delegates with each oth-er and our community.Themes for oral presentations and poster sub -missions were as follows:

1. Geoparks and sustainable use of natu-ral resourcesGeological heritage is key for understandingthe environment and the sustainable use ofnatural resources (water, petroleum and min-erals) and is crucial for the responsible use ofland.

2. Engaging CommunitiesThis theme is for geoparks to share their suc -cess stories in engaging their communities.3. Education and Interpretation inGeoparks

Educational programmes led by geoparksin schools or other community institutions aswell as successful examples of how the sub -

ject matter was easily conveyed, i.e. greatexamples of interpreting earth science in asimple and easily understood manner.

6th InternationalUNESCO Conference

on Global Geoparks

Representativeof the First

NationCommunity

greeting theConference at

the openingceremony


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4. Aspiring GeoparksPresentation of projects by aspiring geopa -

rks, guidelines for the establishment ofGeoparks in the GGN.

5. Mature GeoparksWhat does it take to keep a geopark go-

ing? Share stories of success and failurethrough the re-evaluation process. This trackis intended for geoparks that are well estab -lished (at least 4 years since initial designa-

tion) and have best practices to share on howthey have managed to keep the momentumbuilding in their communities, in their pro -gramming and with their stakeholders.

6. UNESCO CollaborationBuilding relationships and developing part-

nerships between Global Geoparks and otherUNESCO programs (Man and the BiosphereProgramme, World Heritage Sites, Inter -national Geosciences Programme) that arenear or within the footprint of the geopark.7. Intangible Cultural Heritage

Living expressions and traditions thatcountless groups and communities world-wide have inherited from their ancestors andtransmit to their descendants, in most casesorally, are a valuable component of geoparkinterpretation. This track is intended forgeoparks who are currently interpreting in-tangible heritage.

The conference, the rst to be organizedin North America, marked an energetic de -cade in the existence of the Global GeoparksNetwork.

The success of the GGN was evident fromthe number of delegates who descended onSaint John to partake in the wide array ofsessions, eld-trips and cultural events.

The 6th International UNESCO Confer -ence on Global Geoparks, under the aegisof UNESCO with the approval of GeneralSecretary I. Bokova, was organized by the

Stonehammer Geopark, the rst GlobalGeopark in North America with the supportof many sponsors.

During the conference 11 new memberswere warmly welcomed into the GlobalGeopark Network bringing the membershipto a total to 111 Geoparks from 32 coun -tries. The new Geoparks are :

Many aspiring geoparks also participatedin the conference. The Conference also adopted the Stone-hammer Declaration .

The 6th International UNESCO Conferenceon Global Geoparks marked a successful de -cade of applying and developing the geoparkconcept which melds the natural landscapeand the lives of a Geopark’s resident com -munities into a harmonious and mutuallybene cial mode of existence. The next de -cade will involve challenges as the Networkcontinues to grow and as the geopark con-cept is embraced by more and more com-munities and governments. This will requirehard work and dedication in maintaining,re ning and promoting the geopark conceptacross the planet. Onwards and upwards!

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Children’schorus atthe openingceremonyof the 6thInternationalConference onGeoparks

Molina and Alto Tajo Global Geopark (Spain)

Ore of the Alps Global Geopark (Austria)Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark (Canada)

Mount Kunlun Global Geopark (China)

Dali Mount Cangshan Global Geopark (China)

Odsherred Global Geopark (Denmark)

Monts d’Ardeche Global Geopark (France)

Aso Global Geopark (Japan)

M’Goun Global Geopark (Morocco)

Terras de Cabaleiros Global Geopark (Portugal)

El Hierro Global Geopark (Spain, Canary Islands Autonomous Region)


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The 6 th International UNESCO Conference onGlobal Geoparks was held from September19 to 22 2014 in Saint John, Stonehammer Glob-al Geopark, Canada, and was attended by 450delegates from 30 countries.

A er deliberation, the delegates hereby a rmthat:

1. The Global Geopark community fully en-dorses the e orts made following the decisionof the 36th General Conference of UNESCO toimprove cooperation between UNESCO andGlobal Geoparks through the establishment ofUNESCO Global Geoparks within the frameworkof the International Geosciences and GeoparksProgramme.

We very much welcome the increasing levelsof support for Global Geoparks within UNESCO,we acknowledge the results of the consultationsmade by the Working Group on Geoparks formedfollowing the decision of the 191st ExecutiveBoard meeting and expect that the presentstrong relationship between the Global Geoparksand UNESCO will be strengthened through theestablishment of UNESCO Global Geoparks dur-ing the 38th UNESCO General Conference. In par-ticular, we advocated that the Global GeoparksNetwork aquire a non-pro t association le-gal status and will act as the advisory body toUNESCO, to continue the development of GlobalGeoparks around the world. The GGN shall main-tain its consultative relations with UNESCO,though a Memorandum of Understanding. Thisis particularly important in the least developedareas of the world.

2. The Global Geopark community celebratedthe 10 th anniversary of the GGN and acknowl-edged the highly successful and rapidly evolvingdevelopment that occurred with the support ofthe Earth Sciences Division of UNESCO followingthe GGN’s initiation in 2004. The GGN expandedto include 111 members during the 6th Interna-tional UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks.

Global Geoparks are territories with a geologi-

cal heritage of international signi cance that im-plement strategies for holistic heritage manage -ment, promotion and sustainable developmentthat are innovative, integrated, and respectful oflocal traditions and desires. To keep growing, theGGN should insist on retaining the existing evalu-ation/revalidation system based on high qualitycriteria in Geopark management, operation andservices to their visitors.

3. The GGN assists in the development of mod-els of best practice and quality-standards for ter -ritories that integrate the protection and pres-ervation of geoheritage sites within a strategyfor regional sustainable economic development.Networking within the Global Geoparks Net-work is encouraged to strengthen the capacityof human resources through collaboration andco-operation. This will ensure the developmentand support of various advisory roles, network-ing programmes, research projects of common

interest and interrelated human activities withinthe GGN. The 6th International UNESCO Confer-ence on Global Geoparks is a good example ofcapacity building.

4. The Global Geopark community encouragesthe e orts to strengthen the cooperation amonglocal people, scientists and other experts, tourismindustries, municipalities, central governments

and other stakeholders for the development andoperation of Geoparks.Global Geoparks promote the links between

geological heritage and all other aspects ofthe area’s natural and cultural heritage, clearlydemonstrating that geodiversity is the founda -tion of all ecosystems and the basis of humaninteraction with the landscape.

Geoparks use geo-scienti c knowledge as asubstantial element for nature conservation,geoheritage protection, environmental educa-tion, including natural disasters and climatechange, geotourism development and e cient

management in Geoparks. Every Global Geoparkshould have daily access to the expertise of geo-scientists. Therefore, e ective sustainable devel-opment of our Geoparks as well as of our localcommunities will remain as a goal.

5. The Global Geopark community encour-ages the equitable geographical developmentof Global Geoparks and thus supports all e ortsto expand Global Geoparks in those areas of theworld that are currently under-represented inthe GGN. The rst Global Geopark Conference inNorth America has a orded the opportunity foraspiring Geoparks in the region to gain experi-

ence and knowledge of the Global Geoparks Net-work and has increased awareness of Geoparks.Delegates look forward to the development of arich and vibrant North American Geoparks Net-work, based on the diverse geology and culturalheritage of the continent. Participation of FirstNations at the opening ceremony provided aunique and inspiring message for delegates andfor future North American Geoparks.

Agreed in Stonehammer Global Geopark22-09-2014

The Stonehammer Declaration


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The 34th EGN Coordination Committee Meetingtook place from 2nd to 5th September 2014 in Wer-nigerode. About 100 representatives of the EuropeanGeoparks from 21 di erent countries discussed theresults of evaluation and revalidation missions, newapplications and common projects. As a result of theevaluation missions, six Geoparks were admitted asnew members of the European and Global GeoparksNetworks.

The most important issue was the collaborationwith UNESCO regarding the development of a UNES-CO-Geoparks-Programme. The German Vice Chancel-lor and Federal Minister for Economics and Energy,Sigmar Gabriel, presented short welcoming addressesto the Meeting by letter. Dr. Lutz Möller from theGerman UNESCO Commission was optimistic thatthe General Assembly of UNESCO will establish aUNESCO-Geoparks-Programme in autumn 2015. “TheGlobal Geopark initiative brings together people fromdi erent continents and cultures, following the man-date of UNESCO to build peace in the mind of menand women”, added Prof. Patrick McKeever on behalf

of UNESCO.During various eld trips the delegates got to knowthe Geopark. A guided tour of Wernigerode led themthrough the small lanes and along the half-timberedhouses in the town centre. In addition, they visited thePaläon Museum in Schöningen to see the oldest hunt-ing weapons used by man. The Schöningen spears,which are about 300.000 years old, were discoveredin an open cast lignite mine which can be viewed fromthe museum. The exhibits in the museum reveal thecomplex social structure ofHomo heidelbergensis (Hei-

delberg man) and provide an insight into a palaeoli-thic landscape. In the Cathedral of Königslutter, themayor of Königslutter, Alexander Hoppe, expressed hisappreciation for the educational work of the Geoparkand for its Information Centre in his town. The Cathe-dral, built by Italians, is an early example of Europeancooperation. Today the municipality of Königslutter isone of the main nancial supporters of the Geopark.

The end-of -meeting excursion on 5th September in-cluded visits to the Lossen Monument, the BüchenbergShow Mine, Elbingerode, the Upper Harz Water Man-agement System, a World Heritage Site, the Goethe-platz and the Brocken, the highest and most famousmountain in the Harz (1,141 m above sea level).

The Lossen Monument was erected in 1896 to com-memorate the geologist Karl August Lossen, a mem-ber of the Prussian Geological Survey, Berlin and a pro-fessor at the Royal Mining Academy of Berlin whoseresearch contributed signi cantly to understandingthe geology of the Harz region.

The Harz region is famous both for its forests and itsmineral wealth. Members of the eld excursion spent

some time in the Büchenberg Show Mine, an iron oremine and a monument to historical mining methods.The machines used to extract the ore still function andthe tunnel walls contain colorful exposures of the oreand various rock types. The remains of the longestconveyor system in Europe, used to transport the ore,can be seen at the surface.

The Goetheplatz Geosite, situated in the area ofthe Rehberger Grabenweg, was visited by JohannWolfgang von Goethe in 1783. Here the contact be-tween the underlying Harz Granite igneous intrusion

34 th European GeoparksMeeting

The guided tour of Wernigerode startedfrom the market square.

(Photo: Andrea Faust).

ssen-Monument: Some of the participants in front of the Lossen-Monument during the end-of meeting eld trip in the Harz.

(Photo: Dr. Klaus George).

European Geoparks visiting the Geopark Harz• Braunschweiger Land • Ostfalen


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and overlying older sedimentary rocks is exposed.The heat from the molten granite, intruded approxi-mately 295 million years ago, baked the sedimen-tary rocks at the contact zone to produce a rockcalled hornfels. Based on the rock sequence at thissite Goethe proposed an older age for the granitewhich he suggested was formed by the crystalli-zation of minerals from sea water and a youngerage for the hornfels. The hypothesis advocated byGoethe, known as neptunism, postulated that igne-ous crystalline rocks formed by crystallization fromsea water. This was superceded by the views of theplutonists who correctly interpreted these rocks asthe product of crystallization from a molten state.Therefore, the Goetheplatz is an important site forthe development of the understanding of Earth pro-

cesses and in the history of geology.The visit to the Brocken involved a ride on thenarrow gauge Brocken Railway Line, on a 700hpsteam train. The ride, on a beautiful autumn day,climbed steeply through the spruce tree coveredslopes which give way to the windswept BrockenPlateau providing spectacular views across theHarz Mountains and the Geopark. The plateau alsohosts a famous botanic garden with over 1,600alpine plants. The group spent some time in theBrocken House Museum where exhibitions on four

oors present the story of the witches and also thefascinating history of this site as a military baseand border post during the 20 th century. However,the Brocken is best known for its place in Germanfolklore, a place of witches and devils immortal-ized in Goethe’s story of Faust and his pact withthe devil.

In addition, the Meeting also promoted regionaldevelopment in the Geopark. Many supportivemembers of the Regional Association Harz, one ofthe responsible organizations for the Geopark Harz· Braunschweiger Land · Ostfalen, were involved inorganizing the Meeting. The Hotel Blocksberg, forexample, accommodated some of the delegatesand was involved in catering for the meeting.

The participants enjoyed their stay in the second

largest Geopark of Europe: “I learned very much inthis Geopark in which the nature and culture are soclearly connected with the older and more recenthistory”, summarised Dan Grigorescu from HategCountry Dinosaurs Geopark, Romania.

Isabel Reuter ([email protected])Contact: Regionalverband Harz e. V.Hohe Straße 6, 06484 Quedlinburg

www.harzregion.deIsabel Reuter Phone: +49 3946 964121 E-

Mail: [email protected]

The Banner welcoming the delegates of the EGN CoordinationCommittee in Wernigerode town centre.(Photo: Dr. Klaus George).

Brockenhaus: A guided tour of the Brocken Museum,the highest point of the Harz.

(Photo: Andrea Faust).

Show Mine: An iron ore veinin the Büchenberg Show Mine.

(Photo: Dr. Klaus George).

KönigslutterCathedral:

The mayor ofKönigslutter,

AlexanderHoppe (r.)

and the

Chairman ofthe AdvisoryBoard of theGeopark, Dr.

Volker Wilde.(Photo:

Dr. KlausGeorge).


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The European GeoparksNot just a series of guided walks – seeking

G L O


Adamello-Brenta Geopark

Bakony-Balaton Geopark

Geo-Naturpark Bergstrasse Odenwald

Azores Geopark Cabo de Gata - Nijar National Park

Burren and Cli s of Moher Geopark

Central Catalonia Geopak

Geo Mon

Basque Coast Geopark


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Every European Geopark sta mem -ber knows that, at rst glance, rocksand landforms are silent and immobile.One of our most important missions is

to get them to ‘talk’ because they carryreally interesting stories about our past,which is dynamic and full of surprisingtwists. Since geoparks are not just forgeologists, we must translate and sharethe complicated language of Earth sci -ence with visitors of all ages with vary -ing degrees of geological knowledge– this is sometimes a greater challengethan publishing an article in a scienti cmagazine.

Guided geotours, oral presentations forthe general public, school contests and

opening new visitor centres, of course,are very important events in EuropeanGeoparks Week which occurs annuallyduring late May and early June. However,there are also other ways to celebrateand communicate the links betweengeological and intangible heritage, localcommunities and their traditions.

Week 2014new ways of promoting our heritage

G L O


Reserve Geologique de Haute- Provence

Chablais Geopark

Arouca Geopark

Apuan Alps Geopark

Sierra Norte de Sevilla Natural Park


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G L O B A L G E O P A R K S The European Geoparks

Week 2014

Hondsrug Geopark

Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park

Maestrazgo Cultural Park

Rokua Geopark

Idrija Geopark

Sobrarbe Geopark

Villuercas_Geopark

Vulkaneifel Geopark


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G L O B A L G E O P A R K S

High quality and exciting outdoor sports activi-ties are becoming popular. Some coastal geoparkso ered ‘geo-kayaking’ when, thanks to dedicatedguides, visitors could also learn about the geologyof the route along a coastline. Other geoparks or -ganized special programmes for cyclists who, be -sides cycling,visited iconic geosites. New snorkeltrails, also advertised in 2014, required the cre -ation of interpretive information for underwaterenthusiasts.

Savour the culinary delights of Geoparks! Fami -lies had fun making ammonite shortbread, con -glomerate buns and chocolate volcanoes, at thesame time the keen ‘bakers’ were familiarized withkey geological principles. Clearing of a blockedcave provided a memorable experience for volun -teers and, a er nishing the hard work, traditionalfood products were tasted from other EuropeanGeoparks. ‘Enjology!’ was the special motto of Ital -ian geoparks in 2014: it was an excellent means ofhighlighting the relationship between geodiversityand typical agri-food products in their regions.

All of these unique experiences help to make lo -cal people familiar with geoparks and to be proudof living in a European Geopark. The EuropeanGeoparks organized approximately 900 events and

welcomed nearly 80,000 people during the EGNWeek 2014. Their on-line presence on the web andsocial media plays an increasingly important rolebut still more than 160,000 printed programme

yers were published around our continent.

Barnabás Korbé[email protected]

Geopark Eisenwurzen, Austria

Karawanke Karawanken

Psiloritis Natural Park

Massif des Bauges Geopark

Chelmos - Vouraikos Geopark

Geopark Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional

Shetlands Geopark


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Peony – the ower, which grows nowadaysmainly in botanical and private gardens – has afascinating place in the medicinal history of Chinaand Germany.

In both countries the peony was used in herbalmedicine. The 8 th century “Lorsch Pharmacopeia”(included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Regis-ter), the oldest collection of classical remedies usedin the early Middle Ages in Europe, refers to themedicinal use of the peony. The Benedictine Monksof Lorsch Abbey, now a World Heritage Site, intro-

duced this plant from southern Europe, and this isthe reason why the peony is also called the “Bene-dictine rose”. The City of Lorsch celebrated its con-nection with the history of the peony by creating aninternational peony garden and by naming a newvariety, Paeonia lacti ora laureshamensis a er theLorsch Abbey.

In China, the peony, which is still is used as im-portant ingredient in herbal medicine, has inspiredartists and poets for more than 3000 years. Knownas the “emperor of owers” the peony represents asymbol for prosperity and nobility.

Based on this shared background, the GlobalGeopark Bergstrasse-Odenwald and the Cityof Lorsch have developed an international,intercultural project in partnership with the GlobalGeopark Mt. Lushan (PR China) and the WHS LorschAbbey (Germany). The project consists of fourphases: 1 an arts exhibition; 2 to establish peonygardens in Lorsch and Mt. Lushan; 3 involving re-

search and exchanging peonies; 4 the developmentof thematic touristic travel packages.

The rst phase, the peony arts exhibition, wasimplemented in the Museum Centre of the Cityof Lorsch, from June 1st to August 17th, 2014. Theexhibition included 70 paintings of peonys andpeony calligraphy poems by 33 contemporary art-ists. Examples of poetry, calligraphy, ink drawingsand paintings collected and selected by Mt LushanGeopark were transferred to the Museum Centre of

the city of Lorsch and the WHS headquarters.The exhibition was opened on the 1 st of June in

a ceremony attended by representatives from theFederal Government of Hessen, the Global GeoparkMt. Lushan and the Chinese Council for Culture.

The three-months long exhibition provided thou-sands of visitors with unforgettable insights intotraditional and contemporary Chinese arts as wellas the peony’s role as a bridge between continents.

The project will continue in 2015 with the imple-mentation of an international peony garden in thebotanical garden of Global Geopark Mt. Lushan.

Jutta Weber(Global Geopark Bergstrasse-Odenwald),

Gabi Dewald(City of Lorsch), - Germany,

Zhu DongE(Global Geopark Mt. Lushan) – China

The Intercultural Peony ProjectA ower as a natural and cultural bridge between continents

The peony – theower which

creates a natural,cultural and artisticbridge betweencontinents

The PeonyExhibition -70 paintingsandcalligraphycreated by33 Chineseartists wereexhibited inthe GlobalGeoparkBergstrasse-Odenwald

Zhu Dong,Director

of GlobalGeopark

Mt. Lushansigning the

exhibitionguest bookduring the

openingceremony


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Naturtejo and TianzhushanGlobal Geoparksin an international project for interpreting geological heritage

Bamboora ing at

Baimatan, avery popular

activity for400,000visitors

annually,revives

the riverboatmen’s

300 year oldculture.

The projectteam visitsMr. Ge’sfamily-runhotel andeco-farm atTianzhushan.

An international project coordinated by the Chi-na University of Geosciences in Beijing is beingdeveloped by Tianzhushan Global Geopark. The aimof the project is to refresh the interpretation of theremarkable geological heritage of Tianzhushan; itsPalaeocene fossil sites, the amazing areas of pic -turesque granite landforms, and the educationalultrahigh-pressure metamorphism routes. It alsoincludes improving signage, local museums and cul-tural sites, visitor centres, local schools and family-run hotels. The Tianzhushan Project involves theinnovative design of about 150 information panels,geo-educational exhibitions, mascots, a websiteand merchandising, the training of tour guides, ed-iting popular science texts, the production of a newpromotional video and the design of a new geoparkguidebook, lea ets and a tourist map in ve di er-ent languages to cater for international visitors toTianzhushan Geopark.

An internationally renowned team of experts istaking part in this project to guarantee the qual -ity of the scienti c information for the educationalprovision for the general public and schools. Theteam includes geologists, e.g. Professor KuiyuanTao from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Min-erals, geomorphologists, e.g. professors Zhiju Cuiand Youyu Xie from Peking University and the ChinaAcademy of Science respectively, experts in geo-tourism such as Dr. Kejian Xu from China Universityof Geosciences and Carlos Neto de Carvalho fromNaturtejo Global Geopark, Portugal, and Zhihua Li,the senior editor of Chinese National Geographic.The quality of translations in foreign languages issupervised by Dr. Joseph Finch from the Universityof Bath in England and Professor Bangli Liu fromZhengzhou University. The involvement of expertsin tourism management and planning, graphic andcartoon design, park design, art layout, video andphotography exempli es the project’s commitment

to best practice.Naturtejo Global Geopark was invited to take

part in the project under the o cial cooperationagreement signed last July. This sister partnershipfosters an active exchange of experiences in thetechnical elds of management, tourism and busi-ness relationship. Carlos Neto de Carvalho, scien-ti c coordinator of the Portuguese Geopark, wasinvited to contribute to the group of experts thatvisited and worked in the territory for one weekunder the coordination of Guosheng Yu, managerof Tianzhushan Global Geopark. The working groupalso involved the Geopark’s sta and board of di-rectors in discussions with the local inhabitantsand businessmen responsible for the scenic areasand museums, cultural sites, local schools and eco-farms, family-run hotels and restaurants, local gishops and tourism companies.

The multidisciplinary team will work intensivelyin the eld and in their respective institutions inChina and Europe for the next six months.

Carlos Neto de CarvalhoNaturtejo Global Geopark

[email protected] Xu

China University of Geosciences, [email protected]

Guosheng YuTianzhushan Global Geopark

[email protected]

GEO.PARK

The meeting betweenthe project team and

Tianzhushan primaryschool’s Board ofDirectors to prepare

the Geopark’s plan ofannual activities.


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G E O C O N S E R V A T I O N

The rich fossil heritage of the Geopark CarnicAlps has recently been expanded by a new as-set — the oldest traces of land-dwelling verte-brates in Austria. The rst and hitherto only speci-men with Palaeozoic tetrapod tracks from Austria

was discovered near Kötschach-Mauthen in 1979.Compared with the ichnotaxon Ichniotherium cot -tae, these tracks argued for an Early Permian agefor the footprint-bearing red-beds of the discov-ery site. The latter belong to the Laas Formation,a thick succession of volcaniclastic-sedimentaryrocks that underlays the calcareous Triassic to lo-cally Cretaceous sequence of the Gailtal Alps.

According to more recent studies, the ichno-genus Ichniotherium refers to trackmakers of theclade Diadectomorpha. It represents a group ofLate Carboniferous and Early Permian reptile-likeamphibians including some of the earliest herbivo-rous tetrapods on Earth. Diadectomorph fossil re-mains are known from Canada, the Czech Republic,Germany, Great Britain, Morocco, Poland and theUS. The Kötschach-Mauthen specimen is the onlypotential record of this important and wide-spreadgroup of terrestrial tetrapods in the whole of theAlps.

In order to con rm the previous footprint report,Voigt and Marchetti explored the Geopark CarnicAlps in 2013. A new site with reddish sand-, silt- andclaystones of the Laas Formation yielded footprintsof two more tetrapod ichnotaxa, AmphisauropusHaubold, 1970 and Dromopus Marsh, 1894. Poten-tial producers of these trace fossils are Seymouria -morpha, i.e. ca. 50 cm long reptile-like amphibiansrelated to the Diadectomorpha, and early diapsidsof similar size. The trace-fossil bearing sedimentsare associated with invertebrate traces, root trac -

es, desiccation cracks, ripple marks and microbi-ally induced sedimentary structures characterizing

oodplain nes within a thick series of alluvial fandeposits. The new footprint material supports thesupposed Early Permian age of the Laas Formationand its interpretation as deposits of a continentalbasin almost 300 million years ago.

Sebastian Voigt,Urweltmuseum GEOSKOP / Burg Lichtenberg (Pfalz),

Burgstraße 19, 66871 Thallichtenberg, Germany([email protected])

Lorenzo Marchetti,Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Pa-

dova, via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padova, Italy([email protected])

Hans Peter Schönlaub, Gerlinde Krawanja-OrtnerGeopark Carnic Alps, 9635 Dellach/Gail, Austria

([email protected]; o [email protected])

Pre-dinosaurtetrapodfootprintsas a new assetof the GeoparkCarnic Alps

Amphisauropus tracks from theGeopark CarnicAlps.

Dromopustracks from theGeopark CarnicAlps.

Kötschach-Mauthen

specimenwith trackspreviouslyattributed

to cf.


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Geology, and more speci cally the managementof geological heritage, forms the bedrock ofany geopark project. Consequently an inventory ofgeosites provides a basic management tool which

enables the e ective planning of scienti c, geo-conservation, educational and geo-tourism initia-tives. An inventory is much more than a simple listof places of geological interest. It should involve aselection of sites that together represent the ge -ology of the local area, and it should also includea quantitative analysis of the di erent parametersthat will help plan their management in the future.

The Basque Coast Geopark has undertaken aninventory of 54 geosites , using the followingmethodology.1. Meeting of a committee consisting of 10 ex-

perts in di erent geological disciplines. Eachexpert proposed 10 sites of interest in relationto his or her eld of expertise.

2. Selection of a list of sites. The most importantparameter borne in mind during the selection ofsites was that they should be representative ofall the current and past geological processes re-corded in the rocks. This process resulted in theselection of a de nitive list of 54 sites.

3. Design of an in-house assessment sheetadapted to the speci c characteristics of thegeopark and compatible with other geopark as-sessments in Spain, as well as with the GEO-

SITES project (UNESCO-IUGS). Each sheet con-tains an initial descriptive section, followed by asecond quantitative assessment section focus -ing on the following issues: 1) scienti c value 2)potential for public use and 3) vulnerability.

4. Fieldwork and completion of the sheets. Eachsheet includes a space at the end of the pagefor recommendations regarding geo-conserva-

tion and initiatives designed to maximise thevalue attached to each geosite.

5. Cross-referencing of data and compilation ofcomparative graphs and maps to carry out a

diagnosis of the Geopark’s geological heritage.The aim is to identify the location of the geo-sites and their signi cance.

6. Conclusions and management proposals: de -nition of priority research areas in less studieddisciplines; regulatory proposals for unprotect-ed geosites; conservation proposals for morevulnerable geosites and proposals for infra-structures and educational material to improvethe potential for public use.

More information is available at www.geoparkea.com

Asier Hilario, Leire BarriusoBasque Coast Global [email protected]

Miren Mendia ArangurenUniversity of the Basque Country.

[email protected]

Inventory of Geosites:A Basic Tool for Managing Geological Heritage in the Basque CoastGeopark.

Geologicalmap anddistributionof thegeosites inthe BasqueCoast GlobalGeopark(Photo IñigoAizpurua)

Itzurun Beachand the Zumaiasection contain14 geosites of

Internationalstratigraphical,

palaeontologicaland

geomorphologicalinterest.


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In contrast to the biosphere, the basis of life, therocks, are still neglected, even within the poli-

tics of environmental protection. The existenceand weathering of rocks prior to the advent ofplants and animals is one of the main factors insoil formation, a signi cant component for sur-face water retention. With a concept of geotopemanagement, and based on the geotope registerof the Authority of Geology, Mining and Raw Ma-terials in Freiburg (LGRB), a detailed compilationof the most important geotopes in the SwabianAlb, their condition, their need for protection andpreservation was initiated in August 2014. TheGeoPark also aims to develop a network withscienti c institutions involving the mapping ofgeotopes by university students.

During the summer of 2014, 420 geotopesfrom 1900 geotopes in 10 counties were

selected. With the aid of GPS, the rst 80 geo-topes in three counties and in Ulm were mappedby Kim Rothemel from Würzburg University. Thenew geotope data were included in the LGRB da-tabase and documented by photographs. Somegeotopes are in a bad condition, especially quar-ries o en become overgrown. We hope, that thedetailed mapping will make the the geotopesmore visible and open to the public. Each visitorto the Swabian Alb should be able to experiencethe beauty of these sites.

In addition to mapping, on the 21st Septemberthe GeoPark celebrated the “Day of the Geotope”in the Swabian Alb. Every 3rd Sunday in Septem-ber this day is celebrated in Germany, nationwide.

The GeoPark designated the Böttinger Marble, asone of the most beautiful geological phenomenain the Swabian Alb.

Despite the inclement weather, approximately500 visitors found their way to the quarry of theBöttinger Marble. Visitors enjoyed the guidedtours and the information on the palaeontologyof the marble. The hydrothermal rock is 10 mil-lion years old and originated from the precipita-tion of calcium carbonate in hot springs associ-ated with the Swabian volcano. It is both an im-portant geotope and a signi cant cultural asset.

Dr. Dana PietschGeoPark Schwäbische Alb e. V.

Von der Osten Str. 4,6(Altes Lager)

72525 MünsingenTel: +49 (0)7381-9386495Fax: +49 (0)7381-501 277

[email protected]

Geotope protectionin the GeoPark Swabian Alb

A polishedexample of

BöttingerMarble.

KimRothemel inan overgrowngravel-quarry.


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Vulkaneifel has a strong volcanic legacy con-sisting of maars and cinder cones.In the 1980s, geomagnetic research was car -ried out throughout the Vulkaneifel region whichproved the occurrence of a maar in the depres-sion close to Trautzberg.

Soil pro les in cores recovered from Trautz-berg Maar revealed an interbedded sequence oforganic and clay layers indicative of depositionin a lake at a time when Trautzberg Maar wasprobably lled with water.

This conclusion is substantiated by the his-torical maps of Tranchot and Mü ing from1810/1811, who mapped the Eifel region forthe French Emperor Napoleon. The maps from1811 record the occurrence of a wetland at theTrautzberg Maar site.

Following World War 2, the Trautzberg Maarwas drained as part of an agricultural land rec -lamation programme in the early 1960s andsince that time was used for pasture.

In recent years, the local community decid-ed to restore their maar. A er the ownership

situation was clari ed, planning of the restora-tion began as a collaborative project with theVulkaneifel Nature Park and Geopark. The proj-

ect aimed to reclaim the original wetland in anecologically sound way without impacting heav-ily on the environment by focussing on cappingthe old drainage system and building a smalldam as an over ow.

The reclamation of the wetland in the maar isimportant because it contributes to the geologi-cal heritage of Vulkaneifel. Vulkaneifel is alsoan important resting place for migrating birds.Therefore the creation of additional wetlandshas been requested by biologists. Biologists arecurrently monitoring the changes in the plantcommunities associated with the developingwetland at Tautzberg Maar.

The restored Trautzberg Maar has recentlybeen made accessible by a new hiking trail andwill be another highlight for nature- and geo-tourism in the southern part of the VulkaneifelNature Park and Geopark.

Julia Franzen,[email protected]

Recovery of an ancient maar lakein Vulkaneifel Geopark

TrautzbergMaar with

smalllake only

weeks a erdamming

the drainagesystem.

Taking soilpro les in

TrautzbergMaar in

cooperationwith TrierUniversity

Sediments inTrautzbergMaar:alternatinglayers of clayand peat.


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The Burren is one of the best examples ofa karst limestone landscape in the world.Groundwater ow patterns are complex andmuch of the groundwater ows in undergroundconduits at high ow rates. The groundwater ofthe Burren has been classi ed as ‘extremely vul-nerable’ by the Geological Survey of Ireland.Over the years cavers have contributed a hugeamount of information about caves and ground-water ow in the Burren Much of this informa-tion has not been published in peer-reviewed journals and in some cases there is no knowndata to verify ow paths.

In order to ll in a gap in our understandingabout the ow path of waters draining the Car -

ran Turlough at Castletownsink, the Clare Caving Club con-

tacted the Burren and Cli s ofMoher Geopark for support fora dye tracing project. The as-sumed emergence, the FergusRiver Springs, ultimately feedsinto the public drinking watersupply of the town of Ennis(pop. 25,000).

This project provides theBurren and Cli s of MoherGeopark with the opportunityto facilitate a process wherebyseveral public bodies, a local

secondary school and the cav-ing club can work together ona project which has scienti c,public health and educationalvalue, and ensures that thelearning outcomes of the proj-ect will be available to all.

Project partners and their

roles in the project are:1. The Geological Survey of Ireland (Groundwater

Division) supplied the dye for tracing.2. Clare County Council (through Irish Water) sup-

plied 150 water sample bottles.3. Clare Caving Club initiated the project, and

used the expertise of its members to run thedye trace, collect and analyse water samples.

4. Lisdoonvarna Secondary School students par-ticipate in water sampling and collating infor-mation.The outcomes of this project will be:a) An education programme involving primary

and secondary school children

b) A public exhibition on groundwater at Lis-doonvarna Spa WellsFollowing a dry summer, the rains have come

and we await the optimum conditions for dye re-lease and to initiate the investigation.

Dr. Eamon [email protected]

Anexample of

groundwaterow through

a cave in theGeopark.

Thelocation ofthe Burrenand Cli sof MoherGeopark.

A community-initiated groundwatertracing projectin the Burren and Cli s of Moher Geopark, County Clare, Ireland.

The CarranTurlough.


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This year saw two important scienti c meet-ings at the Eisenwurzen Nature and Geopark.From 22 to 25 May the Working Group of theGerman Society of Earth Sciences on Geotopesmet at St. Gallen. Some 70 scientists from Ger-many, Switzerland and Austria presented theirresearch results and attended the eld trips.From 9 to12 October the Association of Austrian

Speleologists held its annual conference at the“Geovillage” of Gams. The famous local cavesare also spectacular geotopes, and the GeoTrailof Gams – recently awarded the title of Austrian“Thematic Trail of the Year 2014” - attracted140 participants.The conference commemorated the 180th an -niversary of the birthday of Franz Kraus (1834- 1897), a leader of Austrian speleological re-search in the late 19th century. Spending thesummers at Gams, he developed, together withthe local citizens, a cave as early as 1882 as atourist attraction. It is one of the extremely raregypsum caves and the largest of its kind in Cen-tral Europe. Spectacular solution patterns, wide-spread deposits of white crystalline gypsum anddripstones contribute to the cave’s spectacular

appearance. The Kraus Cave, as it is now named,was the rst cave in the world to use electriclighting. The cave is a protected site and some5000 visitors take the opportunity to visit it eachyear.

Owing to its fragile climate the Beilstein IceCave is accessible only only to, a small number ofvisitors. Located in a high forest, this cave is theonly known ice cave in the Eastern Alps which issituated below the tree line. The three meter highice columns rising from the 14 meter thick ice

oor make a visit to the cave a real adventure.In addition, the Arzberg Cave in which the dis-

covery of prehistoric tools was described in Mag-azine 11, has developed a touristic programmefrom spring 2014.

Altogether, there are as many as 144 regis -tered caves in the Eisenwurzen. Like the spec-tacular Bergmandlloch Cave with a total lengthof 800 m, most of them are not accessible tothe public.

Heinz Kollmann,Irmgard Auer

[email protected]

TheBergmandllochCave of Gams.

The BeilsteinIce Cave of

Gams.

The KrausCave of

Gams.

Spectacular Geotopesin Geopark Eisenwurzen


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Presented in Cabo de Gata-Níjar 2014 EGNweek, That was Life (Así era la vida) is aphotographic project promoted by the Geoparkand produced by Carmen Fernández, a Geopark’senterprise collaborator. The project developedfrom the need to collect and preserve the ter -ritory’s scattered past, by recording the oralhistory and the scant photographic evidenceavailable. As a result of this project a hundredphotographs and sound recordings have alreadybeen collected and will form the basis for a moreextensive programme, including exhibitions andlocal activities, guided visits, cultural events andpublications.

The extremely arid climate, relatively poor soilsand isolation explain the late and scattered occu-pation of this territory. This background providesa scenario of mixed, loosely connected communi-ties and, in many cases, with problems in ndinga common identity.

Also, this area has been populated sporadi-cally, and even nowadays its population densityis remarkably low. The following stages can berecognized in the history of the occupation of theGeopark’s territory:• XVIII Century: Development of a coastal de-

fensive system against North African pirates,which hampered the establishment of stablepopulations.

• XIX-XX Century: A period of transhumance inwhich the use of pastures during the winter

season contributed to the development of anetwork of water storage systems and a newphase of occupation.

• Mid XX Century: Neo-colonization led to theestablishment of towns, fostered by the dic-tatorship, to develop rural abandoned areasthrough agriculture and mining. Mine closuresresulted in depopulation.

• Late XX Century: The development of tourismand the appreciation of the cultural and envi-ronmental values of the region led to the lastin ux of new inhabitants.

Therefore, one of the main objectives at Cabode Gata-Níjar Global Geopark is to develop bot-tom-up activities that allow its inhabitants to re-appropriate the values of the territory’s heritage,as stated in the EGN Charter. Thanks to thisproject, the Geopark wants to give the new andformer inhabitants a common sense of wonder

about the history of the Geopark and to recoverthe past for future generations.

Pablo Rivas Palomo,Carmen Fernández Peña

and Víctor Vargas [email protected], asieralavida@

parquenatural.comand [email protected]

A photographof traditional

shermen.

Presentationof theproject at theHouse of theVolcanoes.

Cabo deGata-NíjarEGN Week2014.

“That was life” - AsÍ era la vidaAn intangible heritage project in Cabo de Gata Nijar Geopark


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M U

S E U M

- I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

The new interpretive exhibition was installedat the Information Centre of Cerro del HierroNatural Monument in the spring of 2104.

Several panels, installed in the three roomsused for the exhibition, show, in a didactic andattractive way, the features of the Natural Mon -ument including: how the Cerro del Hierro (iron

hill) was formed; the nature of the natural andcultural landscape; the unique ora and fauna ofthis location; the history of mining, with specialemphasis on the most recent activity; and thecurrent public activities in the area.

A small model shows the most signi cantelements of mining in the last century and thecharacteristic karstic morphology of this region.There is also an exhibition of the most commonrocks and minerals from the Cerro del Hierro.

The Natural Areas Network of Andalusia andsome details of the Sierra Norte de Sevilla regionare described in a speci c panel. Another panelfocuses on descriptions of Geoparks in the Eu-ropean Geoparks Network, the Global Geoparks

Network, the Sierra Norte de Sevilla Geopark,and the current Spanish Geoparks.

This exhibition is completed by two panels onthe outside of the building, explaining the bio-diversity and geodiversity of the Geopark and

natural resources traditionally exploited in thisregion.

The Cerro del Hierro Natural Monument is avery special geological, natural and ethnographiclocation in the Sierra Norte de Sevilla Geopark,and is one of the most visited sites in Seville. TheCerro del Hierro is a large area of abandoned ironmines, which expose a thick sequence of marinelimestones of Lower Cambrian age, which weresubjected to karstic processes immediately a ersedimentation in a tropical climate. The Cam-brian karst topography involved the formation oflarge sinkholes, limestone pavements, pinnaclesand title stu ed with clay rich in iron oxides.

Alberto Gil [email protected]

www.juntadeandalucia.es/medioambiente/sierranortede-sevillageopark

www.facebook.com/PNSierraNorteSevilla

The new interpretive exhibitionat the Information Centre of Cerro del Hierro Natural Monument,Sierra Norte de Sevilla Geopark

Panoramicview of asection ofthe Cerrodel HierroNatural

Monument.

Room withpanels about

the NaturalMonument,model and

an exhibitionof rocks andminerals

Studentsfrom a

school in theGeopark at

the openingday of theexhibition.


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26

M U S E U M

- I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

The northern part of the TERRA.vita Geoparkis characterized by glacial sediments. TheAnkum-Bippen Hills, an easily visible structurelocated some 20 kilometers north of Osnabrück,were pushed up by glaciers to form a typical endmoraine. What type of fossils would you expect to

nd here? Tusks of Mammoths probably, bonesof cave bears or the remains of early humans ofcourse. And indeed – the typical remains of early

life in the Ice Age have been found at severalsites in these hills. But there is one special placewhere fossil hunters discovered something thatyou de nitely would not expect to nd: the teethof giant sharks

Sharks swimming between ice oes in glaciallakes? A really strange notion. However, geolo-gists soon found an explanation for this strangeGeosite. When the glaciers moved across thenorthern German plains during the Second IceAge, they scooped up and squeezed older Tertia-ry sediments, like scales, between the glacial de-posits. These Tertiary sediments were laid downin a former tropical sea, where sharks of varioussizes used to live.

The fossil site, under protection since the1970s, was systematically explored by a scien-tist, contracted by TERRA.vita in 2011. The de-

cision was taken to open an Information Centreon sharks as part of a regional EnvironmentalEducation Centre in the village of Bippen. Theconcept of the centre is based on indoor andoutdoor sections. The indoor component con-tains six multimedia stations that can be passedthrough by visitors in single- le to gain informa-tion on the evolution of sharks, their behaviour,their diet, their environment and their methodof reproduction. Outdoors, visitors will have thechance to sieve original material from the fos-sil site that was collected during the researchwork. Teeth that are found will be identi ed andcollected by experts, while the visitors receive acast model of a shark tooth for free. The centre- called “Haitec in der Urzeit” in German - will beopened in spring 2015.

Timo KluttigGlobal Geopark TERRA.vita

[email protected]

Ice age sharks ?A Shark Information Centre in an unusual location

Examplesof the fossil

teeth ofCarcharocles

sp, a sharkwhich swamin the tropical

Tertiary sea.

The sievingstation atthe SharkInformationCentre.


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27

G E O T O U R I S M

Every year thousands of hikers walk and climbin the Apuan Alps Geopark. In order to intro-duce the large numbers of visitors to its geologi-cal heritage, the Geopark has produced a newHiking and Geotourist Map enabling tourists todiscover the scienti c and environmental signi -cance of the geological and geomorphologicalfeatures while trekking in the Apuan Alps.

The Map, which includes two double printedsheets on a scale of 1:20.000, with keys in twolanguages (Italian and English), was derived froma GIS project combining geological, hiking andtourist information. The information providedincludes the main roads and the very extensivenetwork of trails represented by more than 600km of footpaths managed by the Alpine Club ofItaly. In order to disseminate scienti cally correct

information to a non-specialistaudience and to workers in theterritory, the geological featureshave been simpli ed followingtwo main parameters: The ageof the rocks exposed on the sur-face (Paleozoic Era and Periodsfor rocks of post-Paleozoic age)and their basic classi cation (e.g.sedimentary rocks and meta-morphic rocks). The 253 sitesincluded in the Geopark’s Inven-tory of Geosites, have also beenhighlighted in the key of the

simpli ed geological map. Theyare categorized by clear sym-bols (points, lines, areas) whichfacilitate an immediate under-standing of the nature of eachgeological site. In this way thefeatures in the landscape, whichare more easily recognizable in

the eld, are emphasized.The tourist facilities (including mountain huts,

museums, visitor centres and information points)are additional components of the Hiking andGeotourist Map of the Apuan Alps. Facilities cer-ti ed by the Park Authority for their eco-friendlychoices, are highlighted with a special label.

The Map is available at an a ordable pricethrough the e-commerce website http://www.shop.parcapuane.it.

Future developments will result in a free web

map allowing interactive consultation, the selec-tion of customized itineraries and details throughthe activation of additional hyperlinks.

Alessia Amor ni aamor [email protected] Bartelletti [email protected]

Giuseppe Ottria [email protected] Guazzi [email protected]

Silvia Ravani [email protected]

The Hiking and Geotourist Map of theApuan Alps: A new tool to get to know the Geopark

An extractfrom theHiking andGeotouristMap of theApuan AlpsGeopark

A trailmarker alonga path in theApuan Alps.

The path forexpert hikers

along SouthPisanino

ridge followsthe highestpeak of theApuan Alps

(1947 m).


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The European Geoparks N

The Network consists of 64 Georarks in 22 European cwww.europeangeoparks.or


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etwork today

untries (September 2014)

1. Réserve Géologique de Haute Provence FRANCE

2. Vulkaneifel European Geopark GERMANY

3. Lesvos Geopark GREECE

4. Maestrazgo Cultural Park Aragon, SPAIN

5. Psiloritis Nature Park GREECE

6. TERRA.vita Nature Park GERMANY

7. Copper Coast Geopark IRELAND

8. Marble Arch Caves European Geopark NORTHERN IRELAND, UK

9. Madonie Geopark ITALY 10. Rocca di Cerere ITALY

11. Nature Park Steirische Eisenwurzen AUSTRIA

12. Nature Park Bergstrasse Odenwald GERMANY

13. North Pennines AONB ENGLAND, UK

14. Park Naturel Régional du Luberon FRANCE

15. North West Highlands SCOTLAND, UK

16. Geopark Swabian Albs GERMANY

17. Geopark Harz. Braunschweiger Land. Ostfalen GERMANY

18. Hateg Country Dinosaurs Geopark ROMANIA

19. Beigua Geopark ITALY

20. Fforest Fawr Geopark WALES, UK

21. Bohemian Paradise Geopark CZECH REPUBLIC22. Cabo de Gata - Nijar Nature Park Andalucia, SPAIN

23. Naturtejo Geopark PORTUGAL

24. Sierras Subbeticas Nature Park Andalucia, SPAIN

25. Sobrarbe Geopark Aragon, SPAIN

26. Gea Norvegica NORWAY

27. Geological, Mining Park of Sardinia ITALY

28. Papuk Geopark CROATIA

29. English Riviera Geopark ENGLAND, UK

30. Adamello - Brenta Nature Park ITALY

31. Geo Mon WALES, UK

32. Arouca Geopark PORTUGAL

33. Shetlands SCOTLAND, UK34. Chelmos Vouraikos GREECE

35. Novohrad - Nograd Geopark HUNGARY and SLOVAKIA

36. Magma Geopark NORWAY

37. Basque Coast Geopark, Pais Vasco SPAIN

38. Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano, CampaniaITALY

39. Rokua Geopark FINLAND

40. Tuscan Mining Park ITALY

41. Vikos - Aoos Geopark GREECE

42. Muskau Arch Geopark Germany/Poland

43. Sierra Norte de Sevilla Natural Park, Andalucia ,Spain

44. Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark Republic of Ireland

45. Katla Geopark Iceland46. Massif du Bauges Geopark France

47. Apuan Alps Geopark Italy

48. Villuercaas-Ibores-Jara Geopark Spain

49. Carnic Alps Geopark Austria

50. Chablais Geopark France

51. Central Catalunya Geopark Spain

52. Bakony-Balaton Geopark Hungary

53. Azores Geopark Portugal

54. Karavanke/Karawanken Slovenia & Austria

55. Idria Geopark Slovenia

56. Hondsrug Geopark Netherlands

57. Sesia - Val Grande Geopark Italy

58. Kula Geopark Turkey

59. Molina Alto Tajo Spain

60. El Hierro Spain

61. Monts d’Ardèche France

62. Ertz der Alpen Austria

63. Odsherred Denmark

64. Terras de Cavaleiros Portugal


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30

G E O T O U R I S M

The Beigua Geopark is located in Liguria De-partment, in the north western part of Italy.As one of the most interesting areas in this re -gion it is renowned for its outstanding naturalhistory, the beauty of its landscape and for itsgeology which is crucial for understanding thegeological history of Italy, especially the evolu-tion of the Alps and the Apennines chains.

Highlights of the Beigua Geopark include anextensive area of ophiolites with evidence of anancient Jurassic ocean, impressive geomorpho-logical features testifying to past glaciers, pre -cious mineralogical sites, and fascinating well-preserved fossils. Besides its geological heritage,Beigua has the richest biodiversity in Liguria,managed through three Sites of Community Im-portance and one Special Protection Area.

For some years the Beigua Geoparkhas launched several initiatives in theeld of sports and outdoor tourism

strongly supported by many organi-zations and local stakeholders. Themain goal is not only to develop moree ective actions to support local de-velopment through the promotion oftourism, but also to take advantageof these activities to increase knowl-edge and raise public awareness ofthe geological heritage. For thesereasons several trails have been

equipped for sports such as nordicwalking, canyoning orienteering, hik-ing, trail running, mountain biking,bouldering, climbing, horse-riding,diving and snorkeling along the coast.These routes are located in areas ofgreat geological interest allowing vis-itors to enjoy the scenery and the di-

verse geological features of the geopark. VisitorCentres, Information Points, interpretive panelsand signboards also provide information aboutthe geodiversity in the territory of Beigua. Basedon a broad partnership, the Beigua Geopark andseveral local authorities and stakeholders ap-proved a comprehensive agreement to promotelocal tourism through di erent outdoor sportsinitiatives. During 2014 a new project called GeoBeigua Experience has been launched. This proj-ect will organize and promote new mountain biketrails; these will involve the whole territory of theGeopark, a ecting some of the most famous andattractive geological sites in Beigua. Other proj-ects are under preparation such as the creationof a shared calendar of outdoor sports involvingthe geopark area throughout the year.

Maurizio [email protected]

Developing outdoor sportsto enhance the geological heritagein Beigua Geopark

A Nordicwalkingtrail inBeiguaGeopark.

A mountainbike trailin BeiguaGeopark.

Canyoningin BeiguaGeopark.


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G E O T O U R I S M

A walk through the streets of Cabra (Cordoba,Spain) can become an unplanned trip backin time to the Jurassic Period, approximately 150million years ago, to a time when this area wassubmerged beneath the ancient Sea of Tethys.This city represents a unique geological muse-um, in whose streets and buildings (altarpieces,cobblestones, fountains, columns, facades andsurfaces), the remains of ancient sea oors areexposed with great clarity and beauty. The rocksof the city o er a window into the most distantpast of the region.In the construction of the city of Cabra, the redstone from Sierras Subbéticas has been used ex -tensively. It consists of a Jurassic, ammonite-richreddish limestone with a nodular appearance.This rock, known by geologists as the sedimen-tary facies ammonitico rosso, was deposited onsea mounts which rose above the sea oor. Theuse of raw stone provides three-dimensional ex-amples of the fossils; polished limestone creates

sections through the fossils and in the case ofammonites provides spectacular examples of theinternal morphology of their shells. Rock shapesand colours in this city are true works of naturalart.

“Cabra, Jurassic City” is an urban geologicaltrail developed in 2014 by the Geopark SierrasSubbéticas Management and the City Councilof Cabra in collaboration with the University ofGranada. It was planned on the occasion of theGeolodía (Geology-day), a weekend that annuallypromotes Geology in Spain. With regards to thisevent a booklet was published. It includes an in-troduction to the Geopark’s geological features,several sites of interest, some information aboutspecimens of ammonites that can be observedduring the walk and a map of the route. The trail,which can be easily completed on foot, ends witha visit to nearby quarries inside the Geopark.Here, the rocks that were used to construct thecity of Cabra, can be observed in situ. Some ofthe quarries date from the Roman times. Nowa-days red limestone is no longer exploited in theGeopark. Through this trail, the close links be-tween geological heritage and cultural heritageare enhanced, where the remote past converted

into stone has been carved by humans to createtheir own habitat, their own legacy, and their ownculture.

Lourdes Guerra Gonzá[email protected]

Alicia Serna [email protected]

Cabra, Jurassic City

Polishedsurface of anammonite in

the façade ofan old house

in Cabra.

Observingsections ofammonites

andbelemnites

inside LaAsunción

Church.

A group

visiting thequarries “ElAcebuchal”,wherelarge scalesedimentarystructures ofred nodularlimestonecan beobserved insitu.


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G E O T O U R I S M

The silver of Montieri

The Tuscan Mining Geopark is rich in silverand a number of sites, especially in the Mon-tieri area, still contain visible evidence of min-ing. The Etruscans were the rst people to minesilver in the area. Later, in the Middle Ages, theproduction of coinage by the Republic of Siena e

Volterra, was supported mainly by silver extract-ed near Montieri. Montieri is a medieval villagewhose foundation and existence was due only tothe occurrence of mineral deposits and miningactivities linked to the extraction of silver. It is asmall village situated on the north-eastern slopeof the hill, where the foundry and the mint of theBishops of Volterra were established.The silver was extracted mainly from tetrahedrite

and to a lesser extent from galena. The associ -ated gangue minerals consisted of calcite, uo-rite and quartz.

Silver mining at Montieri is documented innumerous historical and archaeological re-cords. The most intense period of mining oc-curred between the11th and 14th century.

In the 16th century, an attempt by Francis 1st,the Grand Duke of Tuscany, to reopen the minesproved unsuccessful. During the early years ofthe 19th century the mining entrepreneur LouisPorte founded a Company to revive the Tuscanycopper and silver mines. Louis Porte’s objective,like that of the Grand Duke and his successors,was to exploit parts of the silver vein which hadnot been discovered by the earlier miners. Unfor-tunately, this was not the case, the medieval min-ers had preceded them and the vein was workedout.Discover the medieval miners in the geologi-cal mining trail

The Geopark has created a geological-miningtrail where visitors can see medieval sha s andgalleries, as well as mining works from the 16thand 19th centuries. Their particular character-istics, including their shape and location, havebeen interpreted through the careful geologicalstudy of the site and nature of the mineraliza -tion. This allows us to appreciate and understandthe miners’ knowledge concerning the mineral-ization and the reasons for their choices in orga -nizing their working practices.

Dip into the history of medieval mining andreceive a wonderful lesson in geology and min-eralogy.

Alessandra [email protected]

Armando Costantini [email protected]

Giancarlo Pagani [email protected]

Searching for the medieval minersin the Tuscan Mining Geopark

Plan of theBuca delleFate Mine.

Le : The access to the Bucadelle Fate (medieval mine)opened along a verticalFracture.

Right: Tetrahedrite, anexample of silver ore, fromMontieri and uorite agangue mineral.


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G E O T O U R I S M

The Vikos-Aoos Geopark is characterized by numer-ous impressive karstic landforms, including deepgorges, steep mountain tops, caves, precipices, androck shelters that attract both touristic and scien-ti c interest. Astraka’s plateau, situated in the heartof Mount Tym , is a signi cant area of the Geoparkregarding karstic landforms. Here the developmentof the pronounced karstic relief resulted from the in-teraction between the climate, including high rainfall,frosts, frequent snowfalls and the prolonged snowcover on faulted limestone. These factors are an idealcombination for the creation of a strong karstic relief.Because it can be accessed only on foot, albeit withlittle di culty, the Astraka’s Plateau was selected asan area for the development of speci c geotrails. Anin-situ recording of geosites was organized; this in-cluded data from speleological expeditions, informa-tion provided by local people, scienti c investigationsby the Institute of Geology and Mineral Explorationand national and international publications.

Regarding the surface karst, a large numberof features were generated creating an impres -sive landscape with solution grooves (Rinnenkarren,

Maanderkarren) that form by runo on limestone sur-faces at angles less than 20 o, dolines, clints and lime-stone pavements. Extensive examples of bare karstsurfaces occurring in areas of a few acres in size werealso explored.

Subsurface karst forms, where surface water owseither partially or completely underground into theground-water system, can be observed. Landformsconsisting of closed depressions such as sinks, fun-

nel or cylindrical shaped ponors and precipices aresome of the features that de ne this site as a naturallaboratory. Additionally, during in-situ data collection,several remnants of glacial landforms were identi ed,o ering scope for a fascinating eld of research inthe future.

The most important geosites were connectedthrough the creation of 9 geotrails within the AstrakaPlateau area. The philosophy behind this work focuseson the development of interpretative tools for under-standing the uniqueness of these geological monu-ments. The trails were recorded and subsequentlypresented in detailed maps, and related technical data

were summarized in respective charts.Georgia Kanellopoulou, [email protected]

Aris-Dimitris Leontaritis, [email protected]

Contribution from: VIKOS AOOS GEOPARK,Platia Pyrrou & M. Aggelou 1, 44332 Ioannina, GREECE, Con-

tact: Haritakis Papaioannou([email protected]).

A karreneld

consistingof bare

karst

Theentranceto “TripaLigeris”

cave(-386m.)

The bottomof the

rst shaof “TripaOrnio” cave(-584m.)

Geotrails to the karstic geoforms of

Astraka Plateau in Vikos-Aoos Geopark


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G E O T O U R I S M

Semente de Futuro (“seed of the future”) is aSocial Solidarity Cooperati

Documents

EGN Magazine Issue 12