2026-03-28
Kamaldeen Olakunle L. Omosanya, Isah Bunyaminu, Ganiyu O. Mosuro, Hawa Oluwatosin Saka, Adeoye Oshomoji
Plateau State, a highland state in north-central Nigeria, hosts one of the most diverse assemblages of volcanic and basement-controlled landforms in West Africa, including monogenetic cones, maars, ring complexes, granitic uplands, waterfalls, springs, crater lakes, and post-mining terrains. Yet these features are only weakly integrated into a formal geoheritage framework. This study presents the first process-based and spatially explicit assessment of geosites in the state by combining field mapping, digital elevation model-derived terrain analysis, and community knowledge. Eighteen representative geosites, selected to cover the principal volcanic, basement, and hydrological landform types of Plateau State, were evaluated to find how lithology, structure, and topography influence their distribution and geoheritage significance. Geosite clustering corresponds strongly to lithological boundaries, volcanic centers, fault-guided drainage, and major relief contrasts. A standardized assessment framework further reveals high intrinsic geological value but uneven accessibility, documentation, visitor management, and tourism infrastructure across the region. Wase Rock, Shere Hills, and Butura Rocks are the highest-ranking sites, while several scientifically important volcanic and hydrological geosites are still underdeveloped or vulnerable in management terms. The study shows how linking geological processes to geoheritage assessment can guide conservation priorities and sustainable geotourism development, while also strengthening the representation of African landscapes in global geoheritage discourse.
2026-03-19
Ihsan Alwi, Jamilah Mohd Salim, Hazman Samsudin, Hayati Sa’at
The designation of Kenyir Lake as a National Geopark necessitates a dynamic balance between rapid tourism development and natural resource conservation, for which local community support is essential. However, empirical studies on the community's engagement with ecosystem service values remain limited, often overshadowing their role in sustainable governance. This study aims to assess the community’s level of understanding regarding the sustainability of ecosystem services across three core dimensions (environmental, social, and heritage) and to analyze the influence of demographic factors on this awareness. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 510 heads of household in ten strategically selected villages surrounding Kenyir Geopark. Our analysis reveals that the community possesses a high overall level of understanding (mean = 3.49), with the environmental ecosystem dimension scoring the highest (mean = 3.53). Chi-squared tests show no statistically significant differences in the level of understanding based on age or educational attainment (p > 0.05). This cognitive uniformity demonstrates that environmental awareness in Kenyir Geopark is not contingent upon formal education but is driven by the assimilation of traditional knowledge and experience-based learning. We conclude that a robust form of environmental citizenship exists among the local resident population, and we recommend a policy shift towards a bottom-up management approach to ensure the long-term viability of the Geopark's aspirations.
2025-12-31
Betül İrem Tarakçı
This study provides a quantitative seismic hazard and risk assessment for eight provinces in Türkiye’s Aegean Region by adapting the Fine–Kinney method to geological conditions. The method, commonly used in industrial safety, was modified by redefining probability (P), frequency (F), and severity (S) to reflect tectonic setting, historical seismicity, and structural vulnerability. Probability was based on each province’s shortest distance to active faults, frequency on the number of Mw ≥ 4.5 earthquakes over the past 35 years, and severity on total building stock. The model was applied to Izmir, Manisa, Aydin, Mugla, Denizli, Usak, Kutahya, and Afyonkarahisar. Izmir and Manisa were classified as “very high risk” (R = 2000), Denizli and Mugla as “high risk” (R = 300), Afyonkarahisar and Aydin as “significant risk,” Kutahya as “definite risk,” and Usak as “acceptable risk.” Seismic hazard is generally high, with risk distribution shaped by fault proximity and building density. The adapted method offers a practical framework for comparing provincial seismic risk and supports evidence-based decisions in disaster management, geoconservation, land-use planning, and earthquake-sensitive architectural and interior design.
2025-12-28
Kristianto Ratu Marius Naben, Krisdyatmiko, Gabriel Faimau
This study focuses on the resistance of the Atoni Pah Meto indigenous community in the island of Timor in Indonesia to the proposed conversion of the Mutis Nature Reserve into a national park, noted for biodiversity and geodiversity. The findings from in-depth interviews and documentary research reveal that the Atoni Pah Meto community opposed the proposed conversion to preserve the Mutis area as the heart of their cultural identity and socio-economic livelihood. They are concerned that the conversion would primarily benefit specific individuals or groups, further marginalizing local communities. Their resistance was expressed through protests, collective action, advocacy, and cultural ceremonies, together representing a struggle to assert their rights for justice, particularly in relation to forest management and socio-economic development in their territory. Although the Government of Indonesia has officially reclassified the status of Mutis Nature Reserve to Mutis Timau National Park, we suggest that community engagement and socialization efforts remain essential. Such empowering and engagement of local communities is critical to fostering sustainable conservation of natural resources.
2025-12-28
Victória Dejan Paganotto, Adriano Luís Heck Simon
We investigate collaborative cartography as a tool for inventorying waterfalls in the municipalities of Pelotas and Arroio do Padre in southern Brazil. We aim to identify and catalog waterfalls through community participation to support the development of geotourism itineraries and promote the dissemination and environmental interpretation of these geodiversity elements. We employed a two-phase approach through online questionnaires distributed through social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase (December 2020–March 2021) involved 70 collaborators who identified 17 waterfalls, while the second phase (September–October 2021) engaged 36 additional participants who contributed three new waterfall identifications. The survey instrument, titled "Cachoeiras Costa Doce Form," collected data on waterfall names, locations, and optional photographic documentation. Field validation was conducted in February 2022 using GPS technology and aerial imagery to verify collaborative mapping results and assess waterfall characteristics. Respondents identified 18 waterfalls, with four receiving the highest recognition: Imigrante (25 mentions), Arco-Íris (18 mentions), Paraíso (14 mentions), and Camboatá (14 mentions). Of the five criteria, eight waterfalls demonstrated high accessibility values, seven exhibited significant cultural connections, and eleven maintained excellent environmental preservation status. The study demonstrates that collaborative cartography effectively leverages local community knowledge to identify geoheritage elements, particularly in areas with geological-geomorphological significance. However, limitations include potential selection bias due to digital divide constraints affecting rural populations with limited internet access. The methodology has potential for international replication and contributes to sustainable geotourism development while supporting geoconservation initiatives through community engagement and scientific assessment integration.
2025-08-23
Jonathan D. Radley, Robert A. Coram, Jonathan R. Hall, Margaret Feneley
The largely non-marine Tithonian-Berriasian (terminal Jurassic–basal Cretaceous) Purbeck Group of the Vale of Wardour, Wiltshire, western England, was well exposed during the nineteenth century and yielded numerous fossils, notably a rich insect fauna from fine-grained micrites of lagoonal origin. In early 2025, re-excavation of the Teffont Evias Lane Cutting and Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest (around the boundary of the Lulworth and Durlston formations) allowed re-examination of a key part of the succession for its stratigraphy, paleontology and paleoenvironmental interpretation. Current interpretation of the Teffont Evias sections is summarized, with thoughts on future research potential and direction.
2025-07-27
Aida Davoudian Dehkordi, Neda Torabi Farsani, Vachik Hairapetian
The mountainous regions of Iran, particularly Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, exhibit considerable potential for the development of geotourism. This study explores three main themes: (1) the geodiversity of the Central Zagros zone, located within Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, based on existing literature and field investigations; (2) potential geo-educational sites in the region; and (3) ideas for developing geo-products that can enhance the local economy, while also identifying both tangible and intangible cultural heritage related to geosciences. Data were analyzed using observational and qualitative methods. The findings clearly demonstrate that Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province—particularly the Central Zagros zone—possesses high geological diversity, making it a strong candidate for geotourism promotion. Further analysis identified eleven geo-educational sites based on accessibility and educational value. Lastly, several proposals for developing geo-products were formulated, grounded in both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the region. In conclusion, the study affirms that Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province offers substantial potential for sustainable geotourism development.
2025-06-24
Mohammad Javad Hassani, Vachik Hairapetian
The Crassostrea coquina bed on Qeshm Island is named for its high abundance of Crassostrea virginica fossils. Field surveys and photographic documentation from two key locations show that there are three lithostratigraphic units deposited in deltaic or estuarine environments. Morphological changes in the oyster community suggest an upward increase in sediment load and depositional rate. Evidence of mechanical abrasion and erosion on disarticulated oyster shells indicates accumulation by strong storm and flood or tsunami currents. A Plio-Pleistocene age is confirmed through comparison with identified taxa ( Crassostrea virginica , Pecten vasselii , Pecten jacobaeus? , Chlamys varia , Placuna placenta , and Conus sp.) and the surrounding Aghajari Formation. The outcrops of the Crassostrea coquina bed in Qeshm Island could be considered as new geosites in the Qeshm International Geopark. Coquina beds hold significant geotourism potential due to their unique bioclastic composition, fossil-rich layers, and paleoenvironmental insights. Their aesthetic appeal and educational value attract both scientific and general visitors, offering opportunities for geoheritage interpretation. Sustainable management, including controlled access and taphonomic monitoring, is essential to preserve these fragile geological archives.
2025-05-24
Michele Guerini, Arianna Negri, Alizia Mantovani, Marco Giardino
Geoheritage is an important resource for modern society, and the inventory of geosites is an increasingly crucial element to encourage geoconservation actions and foster the sustainable development of an area. The present paper offers an analysis aimed at assessing 25 potential geosites in Alagna Valsesia, an alpine area within the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (NW Italy), both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative assessment was performed using a descriptive form created for a project to catalog the geosites of the Piemonte Region, focusing on the scientific, aesthetic, conservation, and tourism relevance of the geoheritage elements. Statistical analysis of the new inventory, using both qualitative and quantitative assessments, has enabled a more detailed classification of the geosites and an understanding of benefits and limitations of both methodologies. We find that for a comprehensive territorial strategy, the qualitative and quantitative methods are complementary. The qualitative approach aids geoconservation with detailed geosite descriptions, benefiting spatial managers and geoparks, and the quantitative method enables objective comparisons, supporting regional geotourism development.
2025-02-23
Sajad Ferdowsi, Sayeh Davoodi Ilkhechi
We explore the impact of gamification on the marketing mix of geotourism destinations. This is a form of developmental research and is descriptive-analytical in nature and method. In the first phase, data were collected to develop an initial conceptual model through a semi-structured questionnaire and expert consultations, and the results were analyzed using thematic analysis. In the second phase, the initial conceptual model was tested in the Aras Global Geopark in Iran, the case study for this research, using a structured questionnaire and structural equation modeling. We find that gamification has a positive impact on the marketing mix of Aras Global Geopark, creating a unique experience for visitors by influencing elements such as product, price, promotion, place, people, process, and physical evidence. Moreover, it enhances visitors' awareness of the significance of geoheritage, contributing to the conservation of this valuable resource.
2024-12-03
Peter C. Lincoln, Ila Colley
In 2023, the geological collection at Kendal Museum in north-west England was redisplayed to (i) draw attention to Kendal’s links to the earliest geological exploration of the English Lake District and (ii) provide an accessible guide to current interpretations of that area’s complex geology. The project, although implemented by a professional geological design partnership, was instigated and managed by the Westmorland Geological Society working with staff at the Museum. Funded from the Museum’s budget together with grants secured by the Society, the work was completed in time for opening at the Geologists’ Association Annual Conference—held in Kendal in September 2023 to mark the Westmorland Society’s 50th anniversary. The intention was to use the Museum’s historic collection of local fossils and its close links with figures such as Adam Sedgwick to stimulate interest in the geology of the area and encourage inquiry through leaflets describing Cumbria GeoConservation’s geological trails. This case study of a small, community-driven project demonstrates one way that local enthusiasm and expertise can help overcome severe budgetary constraints faced by many museums.
2024-12-03
Kathrin Schütrumpf, Gareth Jenkins, Julie Harrald
‘Ask a Geologist’ is a regular Saturday morning event at a local museum where the general public meets geologists, learning about geology and the identification of rocks, fossils and minerals. The events are a collaboration between the county geoconservation group (Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group) and the local museum (Warwick Market Hall Museum). ‘Ask a Geologist’ is attracting many visitors and raising public awareness and appreciation for Earth science and Earth heritage.
2024-12-01
Michael J. Benton, Sarah King
While museums have long been associated with the protection and interpretation of cultural, historical, and natural heritage, their role in geoconservation has only become more prominent in recent decades. Geoconservation focuses on the conservation of geological features, processes, and landscapes, and has gained recognition as an important area of environmental protection, particularly in the context of climate change and anthropogenic pressures on natural resources. Importantly, geoconservation is based on the fundamental scientific evaluation of those locations, such as open landscapes, coastlines, and quarries in terms of their regional and international significance. Therefore, there are two roles for museums in connection with geoconservation, namely scientific and educational. Museums promote geoconservation through their collections, exhibitions, research, and public outreach. Different papers in the volume address questions of proper collecting practice and making links from the conserved geological sites to the curated collections in a museum, largely in the context of their scientific worth. Collecting on the land can be a fraught topic in the context of moving specimens from place to place, especially in moving them from one nation to another. What was once done without thought is now an important area of ethical debate. Such considerations are important also in education, where the choice of language and terminology can matter. Further, museums, like geoparks, rely on the support of visitors and it is important for all audiences to be considered in planning the educational and engagement activities in museums and integrating with nearby geosites. Partnerships between museums and geosites can present benefits for both. Papers in the Special Issue We publish 11 papers in this Special Issue, addressing different topics in the relationship of museums with geoconservation sites and objectives. Our authors come from many countries (UK, Germany, France, Morocco, Australia, and China) and reflect specific examples from each of these nations. In two articles, the authors explore practical, legal, and ethical issues between geological sites and museums. Van Geert (2024) compares the presentation of geology in geopark museums and natural history museums, focusing on the French and Spanish Catalan region of Europe. He notes how the expansion of the geoheritage concept has led to profound changes in museums and the wider heritage sector as these institutions adapt to strengthening the link between natural and cultural heritage. He also sees real impacts from increasing awareness among professionals and the public for issues associated with decolonization issues and the climate crisis. In their paper, Reedman et al. (2024) explore fossil collecting along parts of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site. Fossil collecting is managed through codes of conduct rather than laws. The codes operate on rapidly eroding coastlines where fossils may be found at any time and if they are not collected might be lost to erosion. This makes it impractical to mandate official collecting by licensed authorities only because they do not have the time to monitor many kilometers of coastline every few days. On the other hand, the hundreds of thousands of visitors could cause great harm by over-collecting and dispersing the fossils. A balance is struck, whereby visitors may collect common fossils such as ammonites, but are encouraged to report any particularly impressive specimens or marine reptile bones. It is unknown how many remarkable fossils are removed without being recorded, but sufficient specimens are recorded by the local museums along the coast that the authors conclude the codes of good practice are at least substantially effective. Two papers, respectively from the UK and Australia, explore issues of decolonization and current issues between occupants of the land. Gelsthorpe (2024) provides a thoughtful consideration of decolonization as it affects a museum, in his case the Manchester Museum, that acquired specimens from all over the world in times when few questions were asked about ethical matters. He argues that ‘the repatriation of geological specimens can be regarded as a barometer of the progress of decolonization’. He provides an example of how the Manchester Museum returned a Cretaceous fossil bird specimen that had been purchased illegally to China and uses this as a wake-up call to encourage other museums to be proactive in contacting authorities in other nations to offer the return of specimens. Hurst et al. (2024) explore live situations in Australia where scientists and museums have up to now often ignored the wishes and interests of the First Nations peoples. They note that museums in Australia, and more widely, exhibit numerous examples of First Nations art, and ethical considerations about how those artifacts were obtained and how they are exhibited and explained can be enormous. There are also major concerns ignored to a large extent hitherto about the land throughout Australia and how we approach and talk about it. Every geological site is on the ancestral lands of a First Nations group, and Hurst et al. present ideas about proper engagement between Western-trained scientists and First Nations peoples. Sally Hurst pioneered an engagement scheme throughout Australia called ‘Found a Fossil’ survey, and the authors present results and examples of further outcomes between museums and geosites concerning dinosaur tracks, stone tools, and a film project that have brought together disparate interests and cultures around important geological themes. We then present five articles that provide examples of different means of illustrating and disseminating information about geosites through museums. El Hamidy et al. (2024) show the National Ceramics Museum in Safi, Morocco (NCMSM) helps to promote geotourism and protect geosites through a variety of activities, including geosite visits, educational programs, interpretive panels, geotours, awareness campaigns, souvenir offers, and interactive applications. Lincoln and Colley (2024) provide an account of how a small geological museum in northern England, the Kendal Museum, used stories around some ‘local heroes’ to interest the local people and visitors in how geologists work and to make connections from the museum displays to local geosites that tourists can visit. In a similar way, Munt (2024) reports the history of a newer museum, the Dinosaur Isle Museum on the Isle of Wight, southern England, founded in 2001, and how it exhibits dinosaur fossils all found within at most a few kilometers of the museum. He argues that place is important in the location of this museum, allowing visitors and local people to realize the remarkable specimens on show are very local to the museum itself, and inspiring some at least to walk or drive on to see some of the original find spots of dinosaur skeletons and footprints. The fourth case study is from the IVPP museum in Beijing, China, where Wang et al. (2024) present a detailed account of the great wall murals that act as a backdrop to the collections on all three floors of the galleries. They show how they are a good representation of the state of knowledge of Chinese palaeontology in the early 1990s, and how the life restorations of animals can help visitors interpret the fossils they see in front of them and connect those back to the sites from which they came, many of them now incorporated into geoparks that are open to visitors. Finally, in this section, Schütrumpf et al. (2024) describe the ‘Ask a Geologist’ service at the Warwick Market Hall Museum in central England, where staff of the museum and volunteers from the county geoconservation group meet the public to answer questions and identify rocks and fossils. The final two articles are about one of the longest-studied geological areas in the world, the Dorset coast in southern England. Davis (2024) describes the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival which has happened each year since 2005, attracting 15–20,000 people each time to the variety of stalls, scientific lectures, circus shows, and other events designed to link people to the geology and palaeontology and especially the geoconservation aspects of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site. It all began with Mary Anning (1799–1847), and Pearson (2024) presents an evocative account of her involvement in the campaign to establish a statue in honor of the great fossil collector. In particular, she describes how Mary Anning has become a hero worldwide for her contributions and acts as an inspiration for young people, especially girls, to become scientists, but also to take an interest in geology, palaeontology, and geoconservation.
2024-11-27
Anya Pearson
The Mary Anning Rocks charity started as a campaign to raise a statue for the noted early paleontologist and fossil collector Mary Anning in her hometown, Lyme Regis. Now, after the statue was raised, the campaign is still a vibrant and engaging example of how to connect with communities, especially with school-age children. This inclusive and creative campaign ignited far-reaching engagement across a multitude of demographics, but in particular, young women who saw themselves represented in the field of geosciences for the first time. By leveraging Anning's legacy this way, Mary Anning Rocks has helped numerous museums and educators by drawing footfall and helping them open their doors to new audiences. Through the creative use of art, social media, and community engagement, they have harnessed Anning's story to encourage interest and learning in the geosciences, forging connections between scientific discovery, cultural heritage, and local communities.