Geopark

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A geopark is a specially designated area in which the history of the earth can be experienced. In a Geopark it is taught how landscapes are created, which rocks and raw materials occur in the subsoil and how geology and soils influence the respective land use . These topics are presented through offers such as guided hikes, information boards in the area, print publications (leaflets, etc.) and online.

Geoparks are usually sections of the earth's surface in which geological phenomena are present in a particularly impressive way - particularly characteristic or extraordinary - and can be presented accordingly.

Geoparks are thus dedicated to imparting geoscientific knowledge and knowledge about the respective region, i.e. a specific sub-area of environmental education . In addition, they serve the economic development of the respective region, above all by promoting added value in the field of geotourism . Another task of the geoparks is the protection and preservation of the geological heritage ( geotope protection , English: geo-conservation).

There has been a movement to designate geoparks around the world since the 1990s. After many years of efforts, the Geoparks became a UNESCO program or part of a UNESCO program, the International Geoscience and Geoparks Program (IGGP), in November 2015 . The existing Geoparks of the Global Geoparks Network have been named UNESCO Global Geoparks .

In 2000 the European Geopark Network was founded, which networks its members in Europe and promotes them economically.

The designation "National GeoPark" is awarded in Germany by the GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Foundation after examination and the guarantee of certain quality criteria .

International geopark networks

European geopark network

The network, founded in 2000, comprised 43 geoparks from 17 countries in July 2011. As of July 2015, 65 geoparks from 22 countries are already members of the network. Six German geoparks are currently members of the network. It supports its members in public relations and sustainable management. It promotes mutual cooperation between members, holds conferences for joint training and further education and promotes gentle geotourism in the connected regions. Membership is linked to membership in the Global Network of UNESCO Geoparks.

Global Network of National Geoparks

The UNESCO supported initiatives since 2002, a global network of national Geoparks (Global Network of National Geoparks) to create.

The purpose of the Global Network of National Geoparks, which was set up in 2004, is to promote so-called sustainable tourism. The aim of the network is to support regions around the world that integrate their outstanding geological heritage into a specially oriented socio-economic regional development concept. This strategy is intended to promote both the protection and the use of geotopes.

UNESCO Global Geoparks

In 2015, UNESCO created the designation UNESCO Global Geopark as the third category for the designation of sites (after the World Heritage Sites and the Biosphere Reserves ). UNESCO defines three overarching goals for a geopark: In addition to the preservation of an intact environment, impulses for sustainable economic development should be given and better general geoscientific education should be conveyed.

The network of Global Geoparks was integrated into the “International Geoscience and Geoparks Program” (IGGP) of UNESCO. These parks are members of the Global Geoparks Network founded in 2014

As of June 2019, there are 147 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 38 countries, six in Germany and three in Austria.

Six of the 15 German geoparks have received this international award and work together in a Europe-wide network. In detail these are:

National GeoPark in Germany

National geoparks logo

A National GeoPark has geological sights that are of regional and national geoscientific importance, rarity or beauty and can be considered representative of a landscape and its geological history. The designation as a National GeoPark is not to be understood as another type of nature reserve , but as a seal of quality for a time. There is no legal protection status associated with this, so the label does not impose any restrictions on the region.

National GeoParks are made accessible to the public through geological hiking trails, which connect particularly characteristic and easily accessible examples of geological sights. These are named differently depending on the park, for example landmark, geostop or geopoint. The geological outcrops and individual phenomena are partially protected as a geotope .

The aim is to set up geoparks

  • to preserve an intact environment for future generations
  • improve geoscientific education in the population
  • to promote the economic development (including tourism) of the respective region.

Geoparks should also serve to achieve the goals of Agenda 21 of the UN conference on questions of the environment and development (UNCED, Rio de Janeiro 1992) through the presentation, conservation and sustainable use of the geological heritage .

In Germany, the “National GeoPark” award is given by the GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation . This allocation regulation and the corresponding guidelines were decided in 2002 by the Federal and State Committee on Soil Research (BLA-GEO); The BLA-GEO includes representatives of the federal and state ministries responsible for geology. Another reason for the introduction of the certification label was the year of geosciences 2002 announced by the BMBF . After five years, a check is carried out to determine whether the title National GeoPark is still right. Certifications as “National GeoPark” by the GeoUnion are carried out continuously. In March 2018, the BLA-GEO adopted an amended version of the guidelines for National GeoParks in Germany.

The first four National GeoParks in Germany received their certificate of appointment on July 1, 2003. As of August 2018 there are 16 National GeoParks. In November 2015, the Porphyrland Geopark became the 15th National GeoPark. In 2016 the National GeoPark Vulkanland Eifel was divided into the National GeoParks Laacher See (in the East Eifel) and Vulkaneifel (in the West Eifel ). In addition, there are other geoparks and geopark initiatives, such as the volcanic region Vogelsberg , Nordic Stone Kingdom , Tharandt Forest , Saale-Unstrut-Triasland and Saxon-Thuringian Schieferland , which are striving for certification as a National GeoPark.

Geoparks in geoparks

A geopoint is the name given to geographically or historically important points in geoparks that are made accessible to the public through labeling . Geopoints are an extension of the purely geologically used terms outcrop , geostop, geotope, landmark or the like. The geopoints present landscape , geological and cultural-historical features in the municipalities with an information board, usually in the respective geopark layout . With the installation of geopoints, it is possible for municipalities to present their sights in the landscape. Using the corresponding signs from different starting points (mostly federal highways ), visitors should be able to be guided continuously and recognizable to the respective geopoint. The inclusion of the geopoints in the various information works of the geo-nature parks (e.g. hiking maps or cycle path networks) is planned or has already been implemented.

The aim of geopoints is to place them in the surrounding landscape. They are intended to convey to visitors to the geoparks the essence and special features of this landscape by drawing attention to typical regional attractions .

literature

  • R. Diehl, J. Weber, S. Bühn (Hrsg.): Geotopes and Geoparks - Keys to Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Education . 9th International Annual Meeting of the GeoTop Section of the DGG 24. – 28. May 2005 in the Geopark Bergstrasse - Odenwald, Lorsch. In: Series of publications by the German Society for Geosciences , issue 42
  • Ulrike Mattig: Geoparks and their contribution to education for sustainable development. In: Geographie und Schule , Volume 28, Issue 159, pp. 8–12, 2006
  • Heidi Megerle (Ed.): Geotourism - Innovative Approaches to Tourism Valuation and Sustainable Regional Development. 2006, ISBN 978-3-937559-09-4 .
  • Horst Quade (Ed.): Geoforum 2003: Geotopes - Geoparks - Geotourism. In: Series of publications by the German Geological Society , issue 25
  • Joachim Vogt, Andreas Megerle (Hrsg.): Geopark and Geotourism Research - Results of the International Workshop in Karlsruhe 2006. In: Regionalwissenschaftliche Forschungen / Regional Science , 31, 2006

Web links

Further information:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The global network of geoparks . Unesco, accessed August 27, 2013.
  2. ↑ National Geopark . Alfred Wegener Foundation, accessed on August 27, 2013.
  3. ^ Geoparks - European Geoparks Network
  4. ↑ UNESCO Global Geoparks. In: www.unesco.de. German UNESCO Commission, accessed on April 13, 2018 .
  5. ↑ List of UNESCO Global Geoparks
  6. ↑ Make 2 out of 1: National GeoPark is divided into two Geoparks. National-geopark.de, accessed on September 22, 2016 .
  7. ↑ What is a geopark?
  8. ↑ National Geoparks and Geopark Initiatives in Germany , accessed on May 1, 2017