Geodiversity action plans as a tool for developing sustainable tourism and environmental education

0558761 - ÚGN 2023 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Kubalíková, Lucie - Bajer, A. - Balková, M. - Kirchner, Karel - Machar, I.
Geodiversity action plans as a tool for developing sustainable tourism and environmental education.
Sustainability. Roč. 14, č. 10 (2022), č. článku 6043. E-ISSN 2071-1050
Institutional support: RVO:68145535
Keywords : geoconservation * geotourism * local development * environmental education * geosites
OECD category: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)
Impact factor: 3.9, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/6043/htm

A complex approach to geodiversity and landscape in order to foster geoconservation and develop geotourism and geoeducation is usually more effective than isolated protection and promotion of geoheritage sites without wider context. A Geodiversity Action Plan (GAP) represents a reasonable tool for how to follow these goals in cooperation with local stakeholders. This specific document is not focused only on an inventory of sites of Earth science interest in an area, but encompasses all geodiversity (geological, geomorphological, soil and hydrological features, processes, systems and relationships). As geoconservation often goes hand in hand with education, sustainable tourism and promotion, the GAP includes practical proposals for management and rational use of the area’s geodiversity and geoheritage. This complex approach is needed as it provides a complement to the site-oriented protection or management and, moreover, it can be perceived as coherent with a geoethical approach. The paper presents a case study from Moravian-Slovak border (a central part of Bílé Karpaty/Biele Karpaty Mountains) where the proposal for GAP (including inventory, assessment and management measures) was elaborated together with local authorities, schools and other stakeholders.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0332346