What is a Geopark?

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What is a Geopark?

UNESCO Global Geoparks

A UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Global Geopark is an area with a geological heritage recognised as being of particular significance, and where a sustainable development strategy is in place.

It must contain a number of geological sites of particular importance (geosites) due to their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic significance or educational value: most of these must be of geological interest, but they may also be of archaeological, naturalistic, historical or cultural value. Geoparks thus enable visitors to gain a greater understanding of the close connection between humankind and the geological features of the area.

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There are currently 12 geoparks in Italy.

Italian Geoparks

Italy is well represented on the international stage, with 12 Geoparks recognised within the European Network and the Global Network under the auspices of UNESCO.

The role played by Italian Geoparks within the EGN and GGN networks is particularly significant, not only because of the very large number of areas involved, but also, and above all, because of the quality that these areas represent at both national and international level.

This is a powerful and authoritative testament – albeit by no means exhaustive – to our country’s fantastic geological heritage. This prestigious recognition has been achieved by the 12 Geoparks through the implementation of innovative management strategies within their territories, in which geoconservation, together with the resulting educational, outreach and visitor engagement activities, is capable of setting in motion a virtuous cycle for sustainable development, a process of territorial regeneration and enhancement that respects local cultures, whilst synergistically moving towards a new model for the use of the territory itself.

Rocca di Cerere Geopark

Situated in the heart of Sicily, the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark stretches across the Erei Mountains. This area, rich in history and culture, takes its name from the Rocca di Cerere, a sacred site dedicated to Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

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Madonie Geopark

The Madonie Park is a protected natural area comprising fifteen municipalities within the metropolitan city of Palermo. It encompasses the Madonie mountain range, situated on the northern coast of Sicily, between the rivers Imera and Pollina.

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Beigua Geopark

The Beigua Regional Nature Park, the largest protected natural area in Liguria, jealously guards the geological history of our region, revealed through rock outcrops, mineral deposits, fossil-bearing strata and spectacular landforms shaped ceaselessly by the forces of nature.

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Adamello-Brenta Geopark

The Adamello-Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark is situated in the Rhaetian Alps, in the western part of Trentino. The geopark represents a ‘key area’ for understanding the geological history of the Alps and is characterised by significant geodiversity due to the presence of two large mountain ranges (Adamello and Brenta) that are very different geologically and geomorphologically.

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Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni Geopark

The Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni Geopark is situated in Campania and covers the entire territory of the National Park of the same name, stretching from the Tyrrhenian coast to the Lucanian mountains. The area forms part of the southern Apennines, which were formed as a result of the interaction between the European and African tectonic plates, and is characterised by sedimentary rocks – both carbonate and clastic – and by stratigraphic units in the form of layers grouped into both internal and external units, depending on their original position prior to tectonic deformation. The dolomites and Mesozoic marine deposits, together with the Miocene turbidites, are key to understanding the evolution of the central Mediterranean.

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Tuscan Mining Geopark

The Parco delle Colline Metallifere – Tuscan Mining Geopark spans over 100,000 hectares and tells the story of 300 million years of geological history. Its existence and morphology are linked to complex geological processes that affected southern Tuscany during the formation of the Northern Apennines.

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Apuan Alps Geopark

The Apuan Alps Geopark is situated in north-western Tuscany and is characterised by a fascinating orographic complex known throughout the world for its marble, abysses and karst caves. Its geological heritage consists of a tectonic window at the centre of the Apuan ridge, which reveals the oldest geological units of the Apennine range, dating back to the Palaeozoic era (around 500 million years ago).

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Pollino Geopark

The Pollino Geopark is situated between Basilicata and Calabria and comprises several massifs of great geological interest that rise to the highest peaks of the southern Apennines: the Pollino Massif, the Orsomarso Mountains and Mount Alpi. The Pollino area provides insights into the geological processes that took place between the late Cretaceous–Eocene and the Oligocene following the closure of the Tethys Ocean.

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Aspromonte Geopark

The Aspromonte Geopark is situated entirely within the province of Reggio di Calabria, specifically at the southern tip of the peninsula, nestled within the geological system known as the ‘Calabro-Peloritano Orogen’. It is characterised by extreme diversity in terms of landscape, geology and environment. There are countless slow, natural processes which, together with unique historical and cultural features, continue to shape the distinctive characteristics of this geopark.

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Majella Geopark

The Geopark corresponds to the Majella National Park, which covers an area of 740 km² in the Central Apennines (Italy) and includes, amongst others, two national parks. It consists mainly of carbonate mountains separated by valleys and karst plateaus, and spans a wide range of altitudes (130–2,793 metres above sea level).

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Alta Murgia Geopark

The Alta Murgia Geopark is situated in Puglia and covers a vast area characterised by rolling hills, steep pastures, sinkholes, coniferous forests and rocky ridges. The Alta Murgia is distinguished by its karst landscape, with a significant number of geological sites, both underground and on the surface.

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Sesia Val Grande Geopark

The Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Geopark, in Piedmont, combines spectacular geology of international significance with biodiversity and human culture.

Geonet Project

GeoNet aims to create a cross-border geotourism district, promoting geological and cultural sites with a view to sustainable development and the involvement of schools.

Geosites

A geosite can be defined as ‘a site, area or territory where a geological or geomorphological feature of conservation interest can be identified’ (W.A. Wimbledon, 1995).

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