UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK GEOFOOD MEMBERS
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Rokua Geopark Finland
Rokua UNESCO Global Geopark is situated in Northern Finland, about 200 km south of the Arctic Circle between the cities of Oulu and Kajaani.
The UNESCO Global Geopark geosites tell the story of the gradual development of the terrain from below a kilometer-thick ice mass to the deep bottom of the ancient Baltic Sea and further via an island and shore stage to become the present inland area. The UNESCO Global Geopark includes a number of impressive bedrock sites, which are used as examples of the main development stages of the Fennoscandian bedrock area. In addition, the area has in Finnish conditions an exceptionally diverse and high quality range of landscape forms that arose during the time of the ancient continental ice sheet and its melting stage as well as during the uplift process that followed it. The landscape consists of a changing, varied mosaic of thousands of geological formations, including drumlins, hummocky moraines, terminal moraines, esker ridges, kettle holes, ancient shorelines, dunes, ravines and bogs.
Naturtejo Geopark
Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the centre of Portugal, near the border with Spain. The UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the so called Southern Iberian Meseta, a polygenetic peneplain cut by the Tagus river into a deep valley at the south and bordered on the north by the Central Iberian Belt. The landscape is composed of a wide plain broken by residual relief coming from past climates and a staircase of flat topped tectonic-faulted blocks deeply incised by rivers and streams that are more prominent towards the north.
Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional UNESCO Global Geopark is rich in geological heritage, starting some 600 million years ago, with deepsea turbidites evidencing some simple life forms. It is located at the southern border of the Central-Iberian Zone, one of the terranes that constituted the Iberian Massif during the Variscan Orogeny. The Geopark’ is characterized by very ancient landscapes, such as the 50 million-year-old Meseta Meridional peneplain, the quartzitic crests and gigantic white ramparts that rise from the plateau and represent the ancient Ordovician ocean. 170 geosites were identified to tell locals and visitors the stories from Earth in this region of Iberia, from Neoproterozoic to Quaternary times
Villuercas Geopark
The Villuercas Ibores Jara UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the south-east of the province of Cáceres (in Extremadura, Spain).
The beauty of this unique landform is characterized by structurally-controlled morphological features responsible for the intensely folded and fractured landscape. The UNESCO Global Geopark shows an inverted topography with elevated narrow Variscan synclines (residual Appalachian Relief) with Lower Palaeozoic siliciclastic rocks, including the Armorican Quarzite which marks the highest topography.
Forty-four geosites have been cataloged as ridges, hills and mountains, faults, river valleys, places with special geomorphological features such as synclines and anticlines, mines, and paleontological deposits. Paleontological deposits are important to explain the great event in evolution known as the “Biotic Explosion of the Cambrian”, 540 million years ago.
Arouca Geopark
The Arouca UNESCO Global Geopark is located in northern Portugal and coincides with the area of the Arouca Municipality. This territory is located on the western border of the north sub-plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, and is characterized by mountains carved by narrow valleys. The average altitudes range from 200 to 600 m but exceeds 1000 m in Freita (1100 m) and Montemuro (1222 m) mountains.
The Arouca UNESCO Global Geopark is renowned for its exceptional geological heritage of international significance, with 41 geosites. Rocks that outcrop in this region tell stories of the ancient seas that bordered the supercontinent Gondwana 520 to 420 million year (Ma) ago and chronicle the formation of the next supercontinent called Pangea that formed 250 Ma ago.
Langkawi Geopark
Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark comprises Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park, and Kubang Badak BioGeo Trail.
Each of these geoforest parks showcases significant geological, biological and cultural heritage. With an abundance of natural wonders, from ancient rock formations and dramatic mountain peaks to a wealth of flora and fauna, the Geopark experience is one not to be missed.
Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the far north-western corner of peninsular Malaysia. Located in the northern State of Kedah, it is unique in the sense that it was formed on 99 islands that together made up the legendary Langkawi Archipelago. The natural landscape of Langkawi is a combination between highly vegetated hills of rainforest and some rather barren rocks.
Vis Archipelago Geopark
The Vis Archipelago UNESCO Global Geopark is located off the coast of Croatia, formed by some of the oldest rock in the Adriatic Sea.
The northeastern region of the archipelago features large sand deposits formed by fierce winds in the Ice Age, which also created several unique caves and land formations. Before the sudden rise of the sea level around 12,000 years ago, these islands were much larger and extended more than 20 miles. In this extended area, called the Mala Palagruža, archaeologists discovered flint quarries that served for the production of early tools, believed to have been made by the islands’ first inhabitants up to 8,000 years ago. Some of the most famous sites on this Archipelago are the Blue Cave (Modra špilja) and the Monk Seal Cave (Medvidina špilja).
Sesia Val Grande Geopark
The Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark is located on the north-east of Piemonte Region, NW Italy, and encompasses areas of the Verbano Cusio Ossola (VCO), Biella, Novara and Vercelli Provinces.
The territory can be considered as the world’s most accessible reference section of continental crust, consisting of a diverse association of rocks from the deep, middle and upper crust that provide an unprecedented model. These rocks were exposed at the surface of the earth by the collision between the continents of Africa and Europe, which has progressed over the past 100 million years, driving the Alpine orogeny. Along the Alps, the boundary between the two continents is the Insubric line. In the same area, the Supervolcano of the Sesia erupted approximately 280 million years ago forming a huge caldera, the remains of this and its magmatic plumbing system are clearly visible today.
Tuscan Mining Geopark
The Tuscan Mining Park UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the northern of Province of Grosseto in Tuscany, central Italy.
The geological features of the Geopark have resulted from the long and complex geological evolution of southern Tuscany associated mainly with the formation of the local mountain chain (Apennine chain).
his territory embraces the area of the Colline Metallifere (Metalliferous Hills), one of most important ore districts of Italy. In this area, there are several sulphide orebodies that for their grade and size were intensely exploited from remote to modern age for production of lead, zinc, copper, silver, iron, pyrite, alum and lignite.
Visiting the Geopark, one can experience active geological processes such as thermal springs, gas and vapour jets, and thermal pools, which in the last 200 years have been used for the production of boron and electricity.
In the Geopark, you will find a region where sustainability and slow, experiential tourism are a way of life. The precious vestiges of the past intermingle with the excellence of the present.
Magma Geopark - Norway
Magma UNESCO Global Geopark is situated in southwest Norway covering 5 municipalities and parts of two regions.
Magma UNESCO Global Geopark is an area of unique magmatic geology. The story began as early as 1.5 billion years ago when red-hot magma and sky-high mountains characterized the region. Through millions of years, glaciers helped to form the characteristic landscape that we have today. Although the magma has cooled down and solidified and the mountains have been worn away, the area offers a glimpse into the roots of an ancient mountain chain. Here is a rock type called anorthosite that is more common on the moon than on Earth. In one of the huge ancient magma chambers you find a continuous magmatic evolution from the simplest magmatic rock anorthosite, to one of the most evolved magmatic rock Quartz-Charnockite. The magmatic rocks like Anorthosite, Norite are 930-920 million years old, but look as fresh as they were crystalized yesterday. This unique area provides high-value heritage in local, national and international contexts.
Estrela Geopark
In the context of the Central Continental Portugal Region, Estrela Geopark includes part or all of the nine municipalities that are structured around Serra da Estrela - a factor that gives them identity and territorial cohesion.
The territory of this Geopark reflects a diverse landscape, the result of multiple geological transformations, climatic contrasts recorded, as well as the ancient human occupation, whose first records date back to the beginning of the 4th millennium a. C.
Like the Portuguese writer of the 20th century, Miguel Torga, says “Estrela is tall, immense, enigmatic and her physical presence is immediately an obsession, adding to the disturbing reality an even more vivid certainty: that of all local truths emanate from it ”(Miguel Torga, 1967).
Lauhanvuori - Hämeenkangas Geopark
In Lauhanvuori - Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark, located in the southern part of the Suomenselkä drainage divide. Here you will find two national parks, mire conservation areas and numerous natural and cultural sites.
The Geopark’s story dates back as far as 1900 million years ago. Crustal movements raised a large fold mountain range across Finland, which eroded in the course of hundreds of millions of years.
The Geopark’s history is a story of dramatic changes in the landscape: with wide mires of today were originally an impressive mountain scene, which, however, eroded a long time ago. The mountain range rose and fell in the distant past, but the events left in their wake a landscape that has promoted the development of a diverse mire habitat. The different types of mires, and the related cultural history, are an important part of the Geopark’s story.
Azores Geopark
The Azores UNESCO Global Geopark has a rich geodiversity and an important geological heritage, based on a network of 121 geosites dispersed by the nine islands and the surrounding seafloor, with a total area of 12,884 sq. km (including the 2,324 sq. km of the emerged territory).
All the Azores islands are of volcanic origin and are oceanic islands that emerged from the surrounding seafloor due to the progressively piled up of submarine volcanic products, a process that should have started about 36 million years (M.y.)
The international relevance of the archipelago’s geology relies on its 27 main volcanic systems, in which 16 of them are still active, even on a dormant stage. The Azorean geodiversity includes geo-landscapes as domes and coulées, calderas, lakes, lava fields, fumaroles, hot springs and thermal waters, volcanic caves, “fajãs”, fault scarps and marine fossil deposits, among many others.
Since the settlement (in the 15th century), the Azorean people learned how to live with active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes, taking advantage of its fertile soils (e.g. winery landscapes), their geological resources (e.g. water and thermal areas) and beautiful landscapes that ever since attracts visitors from all over the World.
Rocca di Cerere Geopark
The Geopark area is characterized by its geological diversity. The northern area shows triassic and flyscioid deposits with beautiful quartzarenitic formations. While in the southern area prevails the presence of the gypsum-sulphurous plateau created during Messinian crisis between 5,96-5,33 million years ago.
The territory is composed of 17 municipalities located in the real middle of the Island is characterised by an hilly landscape, cultivated with grain monoculture since the Copper Age (app.3200 b.C).
The diffusion of the grain culture has been strictly linked with the pagan cults of Dementra-Cerere which it gives the name to the Geopark as well.
In general, the high presence of quality artisanal products and agri-food products with territorial specificity (PDO, PGI), organic and valuable productions in the dairy, extra virgin olive oil and bread and pasta sectors, the great capacity to production and innovation in the fruit and vegetable sector, are the basic elements of the "Sapori di Demetra" network of typical products of the area.
This area intended as a synthesis of the set of natural and cultural assets; it is deeply linked with the inalienable heritage of the local community, as a value capable of promote a different use of the territory and new forms of sustainable development.
Grutas del Palacio Geopark
The Geopark is located in the "Departamento de Flores"in Uruguay. It is the first UNESCO Global Geopark of the Country.
It has an extension of 3600 km square: the agriculture is the first economic sector producing mostly meat, soya and grains.
The Geopark strongly promote geotourism, geo-education, geoconservation and local development, supporting the numerous small medium local food producers.
The Geopark is characterised by more than 10 geosites of scientific and international relevance, and a dozen sites of interest: the soil fertility has been crucial for the development of prosperous agriculture along the history.
Now the Geopark could benefit of an already established brand , criteria and MANIFESTO for stronger promotion of sustainable development practices,valorising local producers for a more equal agriculture!
Qeshm Geopark
Qeshm Island with an area of 1500 square kilometers, which is the largest island in the Persian Gulf in a coastal area with a warm and dry climate, an average annual rainfall of 120 millimeters, located in a semi-tropical or subtropical climate and it is situated in the vegetative area of the Persian and Oman, Gulf.
One of the unique features of Qeshm Island is the presence of different habitats, especially its coastal habitats. For example, a variety of coastal beds such as rocky shores, coral reefs, muddy beaches, sandy beaches, and Mangrove forests, scattered all over the Persian Gulf, can be found together on Qeshm island.
The geological, natural and cultural attractions of Qeshm Island have been introduced in 25 geo-sites. These geo-sites are actively protected based on the conservation strategies of Qeshm UGGp Management.
Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark has three cities and 57 villages. There are about 120,000 people residing on Qeshm Island. The major business opportunities of the people are trading and fishing. Local communities are now also engaged in geotourism activities and profit from the benefits of this sustainable and environment-friendly business, which provides a real motivation for the local community to conserve the geosites.
Mudeungsan Geopark
Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the southern part of the Korean peninsula near the city of Gwangju and is centred around Mount Mudeung. This mountain towers high above the city and the surrounding lowlands (1,100 m) and lends the Geopark its name. Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark covers an area of 1,051 km2 about half of which is covered with forest. The climate, influenced by the mountains, is warm and temperate with significant rainfall every month. The core area (75 km2) lies within Mudeungsan National Park.
Many temples, cultural assets and art galleries reside in harmony with the magnificent scenery of Mudeungsan, which boasts of picturesque views of the different volcanic colonnades and many other topographic features including steep cliffs, block streams, natural caves and waterfalls. Many villages and cultural features in and around the area are closely connected to Mt Mudeung.
Mudeungsan has long occupied a place in the spiritual world of the people of Jeollanam-do, the former Honam. In Korea mountain tops are frequently referred to as Cheonjedan – altars for celestial worship rituals. Mudeungsan was a cult destination for residents who built a shrine to pray for their families and village. Before the Shilla and Goryeo periods, worship was directed towards the good of the local people and subsequently of the country as a whole.
Steirische Eisenwurzen Geopark
The UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the north of the Austrian province of Styria. With an area of 586 km2 it is the largest Nature park of Styria. Geographically, it is part of the Northern Calcareous Alps which constitute the northernmost mountain chain of the Eastern Alps. The landscape is dominated by mountains up to 1000 m, broad valleys of the main rivers Enns and Salza and deep gorges of its tributaries.The Styrian Eisenwurzen UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the Northern Calcareous Alps which is the northernmost mountain chain of the Eastern Alps. The landscape is dominated by mountains up to 1000 m in elevation, broad valleys of the rivers Enns and Salza with deep gorges of their tributaries. More than half of the area is covered by forests.Besides the breeding of cattle and sheep an increasing number of farmers produce local food specialities. The UNESCO Global geopark owes its name to the large number of small ironworks using the raw material from the close-by opencast mine Erzberg. They were closed down with the beginning of industrialization in the 19th century.
KATLA Geopark
Located on the south coast of Iceland, Katla UNESCO Global Geopark covers three municipalities with a combined population of about 2,700 people.
Katla UNESCO Global Geopark is situated on the Eastern Volcanic Zone (EVZ), one of the most volcanic active areas in Iceland representing high geological diversity of great geological heritage value.
The Katla UNESCO Global Geopark is named after the volcano Katla that has for centuries had great impact on Icelandic nature and people living in the area. Katla is one of the largest central volcanoes in Iceland, covered by the glacier Mýrdalsjökull.
The volcanic activity of Eyjafjallajökull, Katla, Grímsvötn, Lakagígar and Eldgjá and its widespread effect on the landscape in the area provide the geological basis for the Geopark.
Traditionally agriculture has been the main economic activity but recently tourism has increased considerably, within #GEOfood both agriculture and tourism would get a new kick! Pic: Páll Jökull Peétursson; Haukur Snorrason (Mælifell,hestar and Eyjafjallajökull eldgos)
Hateg Geopark
The Geoparcul Internațional U N E S C O Țara Hațegului
is located in the central part of Romania, in Southern Transylvania near the main routes to Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria.
The region is world famous for its dwarf dinosaurs, also known as the “dwarf dinosaurs of Transylvania”, from the end of Cretaceous, 65 million years ago.
More than ten dinosaur species, both herbivorous and carnivorous, have been found in fossil fluvial and lake deposits.
Of particular interest, dinosaur eggs and hatch-lings were also discovered in the same deposits.
Other associated fossils within the same deposits, like flying reptiles, birds, mammals, lizards, snakes, frogs, crocodiles and turtles offer a bigger picture about dinosaur’s world and their aftermaths.
Most spectacular is a huge pterosaur, or flying reptile, that was named Hatzegopteryx after the region and the town.
Small info museums and geo-trails developed in partnership with local associations and communities promote geological heritage.
Traditional activities and local products (handicrafts, brandy, cheese, meat) are supported in partnership with Women Association as part of the local strategy to promote geotourism and ecotourism.
More at: http://www.unesco.org/.../list-of-unesco.../romania/hateg/
Pics: Hateg UGG
Cliffs of Fundy Geopark
The Cliffs of Fundy Geopark is located on the North shore of the Minas Basin the Geopark features a varied landscape of hills, mountains, valleys, heavily forested areas, and coastal marshlands. Its broad biodiversity includes rare birds, fungi and plants.
Minas Basin, an inlet in the Bay of Fundy, which is known for having the highest tides on Earth, is part of the Geopark that features exposures of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, the largest outpouring of lava in Earth history, fossils of early dinosaurs, vertebrates and more.
The indigenous people of the region, The Mi’kmaq, have lived in the area for thousands of years, making it one of the earliest known sites of human habitation in northeastern North America.
Passed down through the ages, their stories explain many geosites and the communities of Cliffs of Fundy are committed to preserving them for future generations.
More at: https://fundygeopark.ca
Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark
The Terras de Cavaleiros UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the northeast of Portugal. The territory’s dominant altitudes range between 400 and 800 m, with the Nogueira mountain as its highest peak (1320 m) and the Sabor River as the lowest point (200 m). Another river was dammed to create the artificial lake of Azibo’s Lagoon which is classified as protected landscape and important habitat to various rare species.
In the territory of the UNESCO Global Geopark the geological history of over 500 million years is very well documented. Like pages in a book, different stacked portions of rocks that once formed an ancient oceanic crust and an even older continental crust tell the story of the area. The geology is expressed by the Pre-Mesozoic allochthonous geological units,
Discovery Geopark
Discovery Global Geopark invites you to discover a little more about your geological past.
The Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark respectfully acknowledges its territory is part of the ancestral homelands of the Indigenous People of the region. Historical and archaeological records document the now-extinct Beothuk People lived throughout the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland, particularly in areas surrounding Notre Dame Bay and Bonavista Bay. As an extinct cultural group, they had a unique language and culture deeply based upon resources from the land and sea. Early explorers would most likely have encountered Indigenous peoples.
The name “discovery” originates and references the historic landing of Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto (or John Cabot) when he first discovered the new found land on June 24, 1497. According to legend, upon landing and finding the sea teaming with cod fish, his first words were “O buono vista!”. When translated into English, this phrase means “Oh happy sight!”, a fitting description for the historic town now known as Bonavista, the site of Cabot’s North America landing.
Las Loras Geopark
Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark is located in Spain, in the north of the Castilla and León Autonomous Community.Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark covers 16 municipalities of the Burgos and Palencia regions. The area has an extremely low population of less than 15,000 inhabitants. The territory of the UNESCO Global Geopark is located in a prime position to improve the understanding of the stratigraphy and sedimentary evolution of the Mesozoic deposits in this sector of the Basque-Cantabrian basin. There is an almost complete record from the Late Triassic (ca. 215 million years ago) to Paleogene (ca. 60 million years ago) with exceptional outcrop conditions.
Arable and livestock farming are the main means of livelihood for these municipalities’ inhabitants, along with the biscuit industry in Aguilar de Campoo. The oil industry is also present in the territory with the only onshore oil field in the Iberian Peninsula located in Ayoluengo.
Currently the UNESCO Global Geopark has 12 geological areas with more than 90 geosites, 16 natural sites and 81 cultural sites
Novohrad-Nógrád Geopark
The UNESCO Global Geopark comprises the administrative area of 64 settlements in Hungary (including urban county Salgótarján) and 28 settlements in Slovakia. The Novohrad -Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark lies at the border of Hungary and Slovakia and is the first UNESCO Global Geopark that has been an international (cross-border) Geopark from the beginning.
The geology of the Geopark includes diverse past volcanic events and a geological history dating back the last 30 million years from the birth of the Pannonian basin.
The area is also recognised as an important centre for the Palóc ethnic group’s folk art and living traditions. The rich cultural herit-age of the area has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site with the city of HollókőThe members of the UNESCO Global Geopark and the local people have made great efforts to preserve and present the many sites of earth-scientific values, cultural heritage and the famous hospitality of the palóc peoples.
Kütralkura Geopark
The Geoparque Kütralkura #UNESCO Global Geopark, which in the language of the Mapuche people means stone (kura) and fire (kütral), or firestone, is characterized by some of the world’s most active volcanism.
It is situated 700 km south of Santiago and reaches the border of Argentina to the east. It encompasses the municipalities of Curacautín, Vilcún, Lonquimay, and Melipeuco, settled by their indigenous inhabitants two millennia ago.
Its iconic peaks are mostly active volcanoes such as Llaima, Lonquimay, Tolhuaca, and Nevados de Sollipulli, as well as an extinct volcano, the Sierra Nevada.
The thick ice masses that once partially covered the territory, have been shrinking for the past 20,000 years.
Mapuche native people with their intangible heritage and local food traditions will be valorised within the brand.
The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark
The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark Located on the west coast of Ireland, has an area of 530 km2, it is bounded by Atlantic coastal cliffs (10-200 m high) to the west, the Gort lowlands to the East and by low hilly terrain to the south. The geological landscape is one of glacially smoothed Carboniferous (300 million years ago) fossil-rich limestone hills; dramatic sea cliffs; seasonal lakes; and vast networks of subterranean caves. This physical landscape hosts rare natural habitats and unique floral assemblages not found anywhere else on Earth; as well as abundant legacies of human settlement dating back over 6000 years. The Geopark is home to an active network of environmental learning centres, accredited ecotourism businesses, conservation groups, visitor information and interpretation centres, local farm-tours co-operatives, and managed outdoor recreation routes and hubs. Traditional agricultural practices successfully prevail, enabling the conservation of the unique character and biodiversity of the landscape. The collaborative efforts of community-based education, ecotourism, and conservation initiatives are an essential part of the sustainable social, environmental, and economic development of this Atlantic edge region.
Idrija Geopark
The Idrija UNESCO Global Geopark is situated in the western part of Slovenia, approximately 60 km from Ljubljana. It is located at the junction of the Dinarides and Alps mountain ranges. This has resulted in exceptional geoheritage of deep gorges where a variety of rocks have been discovered in remarkable stratigraphic cross sections, tectonic phenomena and mineral and fossil deposits.
In addition, water contributes to the variety of the terrain with numerous features and water courses. Idrija UNESCO Global Geopark places great emphasis on raising awareness among the younger generations, on the importance of its heritages. The UNESCO Global Geopark connects and collaborates with different institutions and individuals concerned with the preservation of the area’s heritage (Idrija Mercury Mine, Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre, the Idrija Municipal Museum, the Municipality of Idrija, Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, various associations and non-governmental organizations)
The products from the gastronomic regions at the foot of the Alps is intimately connected with mountain pastures where cows, goats, and sheep have been feeding for centuries.