It was on 19 September 2023 that the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), sanctioned the inclusion of the sixth Italian natural site in the World Heritage Site List, summarised with the acronym EKCNA, i.e., Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines. A conference will be held on 28 November in Bologna, at the headquarters of the Emilia-Romagna Region, and by streaming at this link, dedicated to “Dissemination and interpretation of the World Heritage Site – the Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines site two years after recognition.”
Ph. EKCNA
Disseminating and interpreting the Heritage Site
The “Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines” site is made up of 7 “component sites,” which host 26 karst formations – some observed for the first time in the world -, over 900 caves and salt springs, 22 types of minerals, 34 types of speleothems. All in all, a geology lab, partly underground and partly emerging. And if on the one hand a knowledge of geology is not always easy to disseminate, on the other, the awareness of the exceptional nature of the sites can only stem from an understanding of the values that allowed their inclusion in the World Heritage Site List, as explained by Dr. Monica Palazzini, officer of Emilia-Romagna Region EKCNA Focal Point:
“It is true that geological values are not easy to communicate, and some karst sites cannot be visited, except under certain environmental and subjective conditions: not all visitors can undertake speleological visits. For this reason, we are currently defining some viewpoints: one or two natural terraces for each component site, with effective signage, in iconic places that can help capture the peculiarities of the various outcrops. In addition to producing video and paper material, we are also promoting several meetings in the territory, thanks to the contribution of some interpreters of the natural environment, specialists in the dialogue with scientists and capable of bringing geology topics closer to people.”
Speaking of complexity, as already explained the site is serial in nature, which means that its management involves numerous entities: primarily the Emilia-Romagna Region, to which the World Heritage EKCNA Focal Point reports, the National Park of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, three provinces, the Metropolitan City of Bologna, 19 municipalities, and more…
“Management is necessarily very complex, and its harmonisation is particularly important: we are working on the overall Management Strategy of the Site and the Visitor Experience Management Plan. We have produced the logo and the rules for its use. To facilitate the entire process, we promote shared projects, particularly with Protected Areas, already accustomed to working in a networking environment. At this stage, coordination is essential. Just to give an example, in light of the UNESCO recognition both guides and local administrators need to be aware of the characteristics of all component sites. Fortunately, the milestone achieved two years ago has generated great pride and great enthusiasm!”
Geological heritage at the centre
The event of 28 November is promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region and will open with greetings from Cleto Carlini, Director General for Land and Environment Care, and with the introduction of Gianni Gregorio, Head of the Protected Areas, Forests and Mountain Area Development Sector. Numerous experts will take part (here the program) and experiences will be presented to participants, including the experience of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, with director Mara Nemela. The centrality of geology and the serial nature of the Site are indeed characteristics that bring the two sites close together: also the Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines sites can narrate a very important part of Earth’s history, in particular the combination of two of the most extraordinary geological events that marked it and whose effects are clearly visible, side by side, in gypsum and salt sedimentations. The first is the opening of Pangea, with the formation of the Tethys Sea, dating back 200 million years, and the second is the Messinian Salinity Crisis, an ecological upheaval that struck the Mediterranean 6 million years ago.