Methodological review of geosite inventory and assessment work in the light of protection, sustainability and the development of geotourism

Abstract

The concept of geodiversity involving abiotic elements of the environment arose as a scientific topic in the last decade of the 20th century. The increasing number of geological exhibition sites and the public interest in the two domestic UNESCO Global Geoparks in Hungary (Novohrad–Nógrád, Bakony–Balaton) indicated that geodiversity-based geotourism had become a development tool for disadvantaged peripheral regions. Such developments require multi-faceted professional inventory and assessment of the elements of geodiversity. Similar requirements are also necessary with respect to geoconservation and the evaluation of vulnerability risks. The basic unit of the geodiversity register is the geosite. This may include outcrops or man-made excavations, (abandoned) mines or other anthropogenic objects; the main point is that their identification is connected to the developing geological and geomorphological processes (e.g. geosites with volcanic or karstic features). Based on the above, this study provides an overview of the development in geosite assessment and evaluation work, with special emphasis on the recently published details concerning two quantitative methods. This methodological basis was used to assess the well-known — albeit less representative — geosites of the domestic geological heritage. The scientific-educational, scenic–aesthetic potential and protection–degradation risk scores were determined discretely for 60 geosites. A particular focus was centred on the different nature conservation conditions (national park, landscape protection area, protected natural area, ex lege etc.), as well as on the development of the geo-touristic infrastructure (visitor centres, exhibition sites, nature trails). All this took place within the framework of the evaluation of additional interpretative and geo-touristic potential scores. The authors were actively involved in the establishment of a special Hungarian Geosite Day, with the specific aim of promoting the public dissemination of the geosciences.