Geotrekking in the World Heritage Site Parks
From 25 to 28 September, the Italian Association of Geology and Tourism, with the support of the Italian Association of Volcanology, held its annual conference in Catania and Ragalna, at the foot of Mount Etna. The topic selected by the organisers was also extremely relevant and current for the Dolomite region: “Geotourism: exploring the landscape with an awareness of its wealth and fragility.”
Disseminating geosciences to promote slowness and sustainability
Four days of discussion, but also of field experience, thanks to excursions to Mount Etna, a site that has been on the World Heritage List since 21 June 2013. Among the reasons for the Outstanding Universal Value recognised by Unesco there is, as in the case of the Dolomites, also the importance of Mount Etna for geosciences: it is in fact one of the most studied and monitored volcanoes in the world.
Among the various experiences discussed during the conference, space was also given to that of Dolomites World Heritage Site in promoting both the knowledge of a unique geological heritage and the desire to encourage a less superficial visitation of the mountains than what sometimes characterises some areas of the Dolomite territory.
Networking and concreteness
Professor Piero Gianolla, geologist at the University of Ferrara and member of the Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, illustrated the experience of promoting the geological heritage of the Dolomites.
In his report, Prof. Gianolla pointed out that, being serial (i.e. composed of nine distinct but interconnected mountain systems), the Good of the Dolomites requires an integrated dissemination approach that enhances and explains both its natural beauty and its profound scientific value.
The serial characteristic of the Site is also highly influential on the method implemented by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation for the dissemination of the geological heritage: a method centred on communication and collaboration between the various territorial entities.
The Geological Heritage Network is indeed particularly active in promoting tangible projects, such as the organisation of exhibitions, the creation of geo-tourism routes and the promotion of research projects (including that dedicated to Geological Excellence and the new lithological-structural map of the UNESCO Dolomites).
The actions implemented, as Prof. Gianolla pointed out, stem from the awareness of the need to balance conservation with economic development, directly promoting experiences that follow the path of sustainability. An example of this is the “Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail” portal, now also enriched by the “Dolomites: walking in the geology of wonder” exhibition, which combines scientific rigour and artistic expression, and aims to involve local communities and visitors.
In short, it is “an effort to encourage conscious and responsible tourism,” concluded Prof. Gianolla. And while the initial feedback is positive, in terms of participation in outreach initiatives “it still remains a challenge to ensure that these initiatives have a noticeable positive impact on visitor behaviour.”
The importance of knowledge
In order to publicise the extraordinary geodiversity of the Dolomites, it is first necessary to get to know it.
As Dr. Claudia Morabito of the Department of Geosciences of the University of Ferrara pointed out during her speech, an objective survey of the geological excellences of the Dolomites is indispensable in order to disseminate them in the best possible way, as well as to ensure the best possible state of conservation of what she described as “a natural high-altitude laboratory.”
To this end, a survey was carried out in recent years that, as Dr Morabito again pointed out, includes a list of attributes and weighted values such as representativeness, uniqueness, vulnerability, accessibility, presence of scientific publications, as well as main geological characteristics, such as stratigraphic, sedimentological, palaeontological, volcanological, structural and geomorphological.
Scientific research and popularisation are, in short and as also emerged in many other speeches during the conference organised by the Italian Association of Geology and Tourism, two sides of the same coin that both contribute to assigning the right value to the recognition awarded by a United Nations agency which, it should be remembered, is aimed at promoting Education, Science and Culture. A more respectful visitation of the mountains, as far as their Exceptional Universal Value, can only begin with knowledge, awareness and sustainability.
